Ya'll..... we're down to FOUR MONTHS on the dot. Whoaaa!
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| #tribe! |
I thought it appropriate for the four-month countdown marker to take a brief second and introduce ya'll to the ladies who'll be by my side in October when Rob and I tie the knot. This isn't relevant info for a lot of you, I know, but I'm proud to call these women part of my tribe, so it's a credit-where-due thing.. just bear with me!
Drum rollllllll...
Ladies & Gentlemen... My TRIBE!
Maricor | Matron of Honor
If you have one of those friends that can make you laugh over something just by making eye contact, then you'll get [for the most part] the relationship I have with Maricor. Oh, and she's my cousin, so there's that, too. She's one of my first and oldest friends, and she compliments me in the areas where I fall short. Sometimes I look back on our lives together and apart - we've never managed to live in the same city for more than 6 months, I laugh at how long it took me to realize that she led a parallel life oftentimes to mine so that I would have someone to lean on to justify or reason through whatever emotions, joy, doubt and fear I may've had along the way. There's not a single life milestone that seems to go by without sharing it with her, and I'm not about to start now! Cousin, best friend, makeup artist extraordinaire. The list goes on and on, but in October, she'll be my matron of honor and I'm so proud to have her up there.
Becky | Maid of Honor
This woman's had my back since I was a freshman in college, and she hasn't stopped since. There are role models and good examples, and then there's Becky. It's rare to say that a single person has legitimately, literally saved your life, but I can say that about her, and to this day I will owe her more that I'd ever be able to express in a single blog entry. She was a guardian angel for me through the unusual college experience I had, and hasn't stopped being there for me since then. We've shared plenty of laughter, an equal amount of tears and heartache and a mutual love for prayer and of the great wide wilderness to heal and rehabilitate the soul afterwards. From long talks as we hiked our way over miles of the Appalachian Trail, to the backyard camping outings at your parents', I am not the same person I was before, but a much better one after. I owe her so much more than a spot in my bridal party, but for now, I hope she'll make do with Matron of Honor.
Heidi | Bridesmaid
What's better than being adopted? Having a sister who's
also adopted! One of the things that weighs often on the psyche of adopted kids is that gray
what if? area that hasn't and won't ever be answered about what our alternative life would've been like if we'our home countries, families, cultures had been all we'd ever known. Biologically, I was born into a family of double digit sibling count; as an adopted child, I was raised an only child. There was always a subtle ache that couldn't be quite thoroughly appeased... until Heidi. She is more my sister than I could imagine anyone being, from the way we think, to the way we agree on nail polish colors and how to hand wash dishes. She amazes me with her youthful, carefree but discerning approach to life that I often envy, and am constantly impressed at how she embraces the simplest beauty around her. To top it off, she's raised 3 children to adulthood without strangling any of them [or herself], and I am just.. taking notes for the future ;) I love you, sister, and I am
honored to have you up there with me!
Marianne | Bridesmaid
Yes, I was a tomboy growing up. I had my dolls, yes, and my dresses and my sparkly nail polish. What I also had was a neighborhood and family brimming with boys and boy things, from dirt and worms to battle-scarred action figures, Barbies missing hair & limbs, every Nerf toy created in the 90's and a healthy track record of scrapes, bruises and unexplained grass stains. I envied the girls who had lots of other girl friends, and awhile I had a few good ones throughout high school, I really never
got it when it came to girls and their tribes. Marianne is most
definitely part of my tribe. I've learned so much in the short 4+ years now that I've known her, about overcoming adversity as a woman, recovering from the deep, dark emotional wounds as a human, and relentlessly pursuing your life's dreams in the way of someone you'd want your children looking up to. Whether it's that 8th cup of coffee we're both on, or a 10-mile hike through the woods with only our cameras making conversation, she's helped me grow as a person and realize that I am enough for exactly who I am and who I am not. Bridesmaid? I think so!
Kalyn | Bridesmaid
There's a chapter of my life that many of you already know is very much closed in many ways, and I have no interest in revisiting it. Though it's a season of my life well-respected for the hard-fought lessons I learned as a result, there were some absolute trophies I gained from it. Sydni, of course being the biggest, but a friendship forged that I've treasured since the day it started. Kalyn is the free spirit, fiercely devoted sister/daughter to her family, creative genius and fun-loving center of attention that never fails to unite the like-minded for a good time. We laugh a
lot over the happenings, the drama, the irony and mostly the characters in that closed chapter [yeah, it's closed for both of us.. haha], but looking back at it, again, I know the road back to finding myself would've been a lot harder without her. She's an adventurer, so much like the other phenomenal women I'm proud to call my tribe; she loves the outdoors, can climb anything in the gorge & beyond, and will be there when you need her. This may not be our cross-country road trip from Ohio to Phoenix, but it'll be a party on its own in October & I'm super pumped to have her as a bridesmaid!
Brittany | Bridesmaid
Not only is she Kalyn's sister, she's one of my favorite women! It seems some days like it's been ages since her wedding, when I was honored to stand with her and Wayne as they exchanged vows. Other days it feels like it was just last weekend! I don't see this gal nearly as much as I wish I could, but that's only because she's four states away making
big moves and showing South Carolina what a woman in charge can bring to the office! She's paving her career and chasing her dreams as a successful business woman, wife and southern belle! I love Brittany because she's that perfect mixture of someone who remembers her roots and embraces everything new that comes her way. She was the girl who came back from a shattered wrist and provided me encouragement and humor while I recovered from a shattered collarbone. She's the witty, sassy, organized friend that every girl needs and wants, but is rarely fortunate enough to have. It was a true blessing and a terrific time being a part of her wedding party, and I can't wait to have her as part of mine as a bridesmaid!
Ali | Bridesmaid
Oh goshhh.. Last, but far from being least! Ali is my favorite Ginger, for reasons that far exceed the obvious fact that she is in fact a redhead. I met Ali through work, and the rest is history. I'm a firm believer that the people in our lives are put there for one of three distinct reasons: to teach us something, to become a permanent part of our lives, or to introduce us to things and/or other people that then become permanent fixtures. Ali is all three of those. She has a heart on fire for Christ; the strength and resolve of her faith and hope are admirable, and for that alone I have an enormous amount of respect for her. As a friend, she's been miles away from me for a couple of years now, but never further than a text or a phone call. She's candid, honest and tells me what I
need to hear in instances where most people would just slide by telling me what I
want to hear. We've built an impressive foundation in the short time I've known her [what, like going on 5 years now?], but I couldn't imagine life without, and that's precisely why I couldn't imagine this life
moment without her.
Maricor, my cousin.
Becky, my advisor.
Heidi, my sister.
Marianne, my soul sister.
Kalyn, my fellow wanderluster.
Brittany, my professional goal.
Ali, my ginger counterpart!
Assembling the ideal troop of equally-bizarre, quirky and absolutely wonderful in their own individual ways women was an easier concept to imagine than to execute for me -- or so I thought. Now that I'm here, staring down the last 4 months of pre-wedding everything, I can't envision doing this without these women and the rest of the our family and friends who've supported us so far and so much. These ladies are incredibly dear to my heart, and while they're not the only ones I would coin as such, I am truly and immeasurably grateful that they will be standing by me in October. ♥
Four. Months. To. Go.
Whoa.
xo | cmd
