My Best Friend's Wedding

Did I tell you my best friend is getting married this weekend? Exactly 6 months after she stood on the altar witnessing what so far has proved to be the most magical and wonderful event of my life, I will do the same for her.



Here she is practicing her straighten-the-dress moves on my wedding day. Can we take a moment to look at the size of her waist? Did I mention she has had 2 kidlets?

Tina & I met the summer before freshman year of high school when we both tried out for dance team. Tina has very naturally curly hair and back then she brushed it out. And she wore no make-up and didn't pluck her eyebrows and swore she would never kiss a boy because they had germs.

I like to remind her of these facts now.



Back then I had eyebrows the size of large caterpillars but at least I had the decency to separate the two by plucking in the middle. Not that Tina ever had a unibrow like me.

We've made a lot of memories since then. We've been thru boyfriends, schools, careers and the birth of her children. I couldn't count the amount of carpet picnics we've had over the years. We'd feast on cheese and crackers and anything else we could get out hands on as we lay on the floor and giggle and gab.

We would talk about everything including the day we would get married and what it would be like. I can hardly believe that those dreams are all coming true.



We once cancelled dates with our high school boyfriends, lying and saying I was sick because we wanted to go out to dinner together. Matt & Chasom, if you ever read this- we're sorry... almost.

We went to Olive Garden and ate no less than 45 bread sticks.



Once when her oldest was a very little he shut the sliding door to the balcony we were on and somehow managed to lock it. He was inside... we were outside. Near panic ensued. Of course, noone in the surrounding apartments seemed to be home. Our cell phones were inside with the now crying child. I can still remember him smacking his hands on the glass doors and crying mama over and over while we tried to figure out what in the heck to do. He didn't know how he locked the door, let alone getting him to unlock it.

We were several stories up and contemplated who could jump and call for help after we inevitably broke our legs in the fall. Eventually I found a hammer and busted a hole thru the wall so we could reach our arms in and unlock the door. Yay memories!



On December 5th, 2009 we got ready for my big day. We spent the morning getting glamorous and taking pictures. She had been checking in with her mom sporadically to receive updates on her grandmother who was in the hospital with lung cancer.

When I arrived at the church just a bit after the wedding party I looked around for Tina and didn't see her. A few minutes later she walked into the brides room and I asked how her grandma was.

"I think she must be here with us right now, watching over us today," was her reply. Her grandmother had just passed away. Oh, how she loves her grandma.

We all had a cry, just minutes from the start of the ceremony. My heart ached for her.



Oh I wish you could have all met her grandma. She was amazing and kind and beautiful. Whenever I would see her she would hold my hand and ask me how I was doing. She would ask what I was up to and I knew she was genuinely interested. She was and still very much is the pillar on which her family stands. She is dearly missed by her entire (and very large) family but she is very present at all of their gatherings.

I knew Tina was crushed.



But you know what? Tina just pulled herself together and walked down that aisle to be with me. When I looked over at her during the ceremony she was right there with me. I expected her mind to be elsewhere but when I looked back she was focusing right back on me. She was in the moment feeling the joy I felt.



I am sure she was feeling the heartbreak of losing someone that she loved so much. The shock and the ache of it very real. Somehow she stood by my side... for the entire day and into the night... and she celebrated with me.

I was reminded why I love her so much.


Here we are dancing with her son, my godson during the reception.

I was reminded why she is my best friend and how she is always there for me when I really need her.

I am so looking forward to this weekend and all the excitement surrounding it. I am looking forward to sharing in the memories.



So that one day we can laugh and cry together as we look back on all these special moments we've both been witness to. So that when we are old and grey we can sit (somewhere more comfortable than on the floor) and have a picnic and giggle and gab about the years gone by.



But mostly I'm looking forward to seeing Tina enjoy her big day. I can't wait to see her glowing in the excitement and reality of getting married.

There is nothing like seeing someone you love, surrounded by people who love them, as they bask in pure happiness.