My Best Friend's Wedding

I was elated to hear that on a late Saturday night, way past my dad’s bed time, both of my parents were making the 40-minute jaunt down to the airport to pick me up.  And I was even more excited the next morning when my mom realized that she’d accidently bought 2 more packages of bacon when we had 1 already stashed in the fridge. 

Once it hits your lips....

That was the beginning of what seemed like a very quick trip to the U.S.  I started my three weeks in Seattle, surrounded by friends and family.  The weather gods blessed the beautiful city and gave us gorgeous, sunny weather almost every day.  It was the perfect time to catch an M’s game with my lovely ladies, where I got my first ever foul ball!  Notice….it says ‘got’, not ‘caught’…if I had stuck my hand out for that ball it would have drilled a hole right through my palm (or my head – I’m not great with hand eye coordination).

The weather maintained for a fabulous Mother’s Day BBQ with my family.  And even though Dad stands strongly by his belief that Mother’s Day is a ‘Hallmark holiday’, he still slaved away on the grill, perfectly cooking my brats and chicken…uhhhhh I mean “Mom’s brats and chicken.”  I put myself to work in the kitchen, and played head chef as I bossed around all my cousin ‘sous’.  We ended up with quite the feast, including this delicious corn salad with chili-lime dressing.

Corn salad with Chili-Lime dressing

Dad grilling - don't worry about the creeper in the window...it's just my cousin

L to R: Me, Momma, and Auntie Janet on a beautiful Mother's day

Dig in!!

From Seattle I jumped down to San Francisco to visit my brother and his girlfriend.  I had forgotten how lovely the smell of fresh brewed coffee was until the aroma lifted me off the air mattress in the morning.  We spent one day scouring the city for goodies and snacks as we walked to the park.  We ducked in to an empanada shop, and gathered delicious banh mi sandwiches for “lunch round 2”.  After I removed the peppers from my sandwich, the remaining juices still sufficiently seared my insides. Those little suckers packed a punch, but the sandwich was delish!

Empanadas!

The following day, we really did look like “hunters and gatherers” as we decked out in costumes for the Bay to Breakers race as “the three blind mice.” (Although I guess mice aren’t really ‘hunters’…just ‘gatherers’).  Anyway, any day that I get to wear a costume is fun for me, but it’s not the average day that my brother allows me to draw a pink nose on him with lipstick. 

Mice refueling with Korean BBQ

After a fun filled weekend, it was on to Arizona for “the main event” – an honorable walk down the aisle at my best friend’s wedding.  I had been looking forward to this wedding for over a year, and was so excited to be reunited with my two best friends, Jess and Katie, and a new little addition to our crew – Jess’s adorable 8 month old son, Carson (the cutest baby ever). 

The three of us met in middle school – where you kept your friends close, and your best friends closer.  :)  It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come since the days of overalls and braces, and yet it’s refreshing to know we still have the same friendship that has endured the years and the distance. 

We laughed as we shared old memories – class projects we worked on together, crushes on boys whose names we hadn’t thought of in years, embarrassing stories, and nerdy rituals like our beloved “friendship notebooks” which we circulated between the three of us in high school instead of passing notes.  We even called out each other’s home phone numbers in unison – a testament that we were raised in the years before cell phones and text messaging (and perhaps also a testament that we talked on the phone too much).

High school...wow SOMEBODY went to Mexico for break!

Nerdy but sweet - friendship notebooks

On the day that I watched Jess walk down the aisle, I witnessed a new chapter of our lives unfold.  I felt truly blessed to be standing next to a beautiful woman, who’s stood by me ever since we were little girls.  It brings me great joy to be sharing my life journey with wonderful friends – both the milestones, and the little moments.  (Photos courtesy of Jason + Anna Photography)

Today I ask you to take some time to appreciate your friendships that have stood the test of time.  Life is a beautiful adventure, but it’s even more wonderful when you share the journey.