Law School Laura Gets Married

Last weekend, lots of old friends inspired me to write a blog post about face-to-face visits. The giggles, tomfoolery, and staying-up-late just did me in. I had a muse of a weekend, and it was fantastic.

So, what was the occasion that brought us all together, you ask?

It involved a little beach...

 ...a little baby. Her name is Emma, by the way, and she's due in August...and I got to pat on her and feel her kick and talk to her way too much, because her mom (my Christmas kindred spirit, Charity, remember?) is totally okay with me getting all up in her personal space. Are you lovin' this 'b' alliteration as much as me?? I hope so, because here's the biggie...

...and most importantly, a beautiful bride. Yep, it's true...the last of our law school girl group tied the knot last weekend. You remember October-5th-birthday Laura, right?  That's Jamie there on the left, by the way...she is one of my besties and was the first of the four of us to bring the group together for an amazing and memorable wedding. Amazing and memorable insomuch as I met my husband AND learned how to tie a square knot at it. I'm still deciding which of those two things is more blog-worthy. hehehe. But I digress...

Yes, yes, Laura was kind enough to bring together the entire crew from back in the day...at a fabulous beach resort, no less...to celebrate her special day. We sort of liked it. Okay, okay...it was heaven. From left, allow me to introduce you (for those who don't already know these folks) to a few of my peeps: Stephen, me (obvi), Adam, Charity, and Jamie.

And here's Laura with her handsome groom, Joe. She probably will laugh at the face she is making in this picture...and that is why it gets posted. That and because Laura-in-her-dress deserves a full-length shot...I mean, seriously, be a little more gorgeous, Mrs. Dixon.

Here are Charity and Adam P. He was one of my very first law school friends. Even before Laura. Even before Jamie. There was Adam. This kid is guilty of making me laugh so hard I cried in our very first day of Property Class...second row...middle of the class...right in front of my teacher...who proceeded to ask me if I was okay...and then I proceeded to laugh even harder as the tears just continued streaming down my cheeks. This is a hallmark of my 7-year friendship with APT...laughter. In copious amounts. Charity is one of the best friends I've ever had in my entire life. In many ways, our personalities and preferences couldn't be more different....but there's something about our souls that is the same. When we get together, we are leave-no-stone-unturned conversationalists. It doesn't matter if it's been days, months, or years since our last visit, we will find something to talk at least 3 hours non-stop about. Don't you just love a friend like that?

Somewhere along the way, Laura and Adam decided they should be brother and sister. So, they call themselves that regularly. In many ways, their relationship does have a certain siblingesque quality to it. They bicker like it. They tease like it. They goof around like it. They have fun like it. And, well, they actually LOOK like it...see??

We, on the other hand, do not look related. Sometimes, I think Laura and I don't even look like the same species. I mean, here she is with all of her fair and delicate features, pretty nose, and thin arms...and in walks the tanned funhouse mirror version of that. I met Laura a few days into our first year of law school, and we've been close ever since. She's a tough cookie to crack, this one, but in many ways, so am I...and therein lies the makings of our super-fun, sarcastic, silly, precious friendship. Circa 2003 - "Nobody gets you? Sweet, nobody gets me either...let's be BFFs!" And the rest is history.  

In law school, our class was divided up into 3 sections. We were Section 3. Someone decided we needed a gang sign to really represent. Someone else thought 'the shocker' was a good choice being that it's a righteously amazing 3-fingered gang sign. So, we throw that thing up regularly when cameras are looking at us...even when we wear wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses and seersucker suits and are standing next to people trying to enjoy a romantic reception dinner.

The girls. This picture puts tears in my eyes (and not just because, despite my Zumbaholism, I look pregnant in my bridesmaid dress). So many years. So many memories. So much connection. I just love these ladies. I am honored and humbled by their presence in my life. Good friends are so rare. I know their worth. I cherish them fully. Their happiness is my own. 



And, on that note, congratulations, Laura & Joe. Thank you for bringing us all together for the par-tay, and I hope you enjoy a lifetime of happy and precious memories together.