I'm sure through my various blogs and comments, you've all heard about my friend, Mandy. I met her my freshman year of college...despite the fact that I was totally absorbed with my boyfriend and going home every weekend. I'm not good at making friends anyway, so the way that Mandy and I became friends was pretty funny. My boyfriend came to stay with me one weekend, and we were planning to go out. I really wanted some other company besides him...(things usually didn't end well when he was drinking!) So I saw Mandy in the hallway, and just on a whim, asked her if she wanted to go out with us. She said yes, and the rest is history! We were
inseparable from that night on. We roomed together the following year, and the year after that! We lost a few roommates along the way...it turns out, we are the only two that can stand living with each other,
lol! Mandy is my very BEST friend, and we have been through so much together! A week before I was supposed to get married, her father(also an AWESOME person) and Mandy, called me up from Florida where they were vacationing. They asked me what I was doing, and then asked if I wanted to come to Florida! Well, needless to say, I was on a plane, headed south by 6 o'clock the next morning (did I mention I quit my job to go?!)!! The week that I spent in Florida holds some of my very fondest memories, and I have a beautiful scrap book that Mandy made for me of the whole vacation!! When we got home, we were preparing for my wedding, and I introduced her to my cousin...and again, the rest is history. They are now approaching their second anniversary and have a beautiful little girl.
Mandy means the absolute world to me...she is so much fun, so creative and inspirational and someone I know I can always count on! As a wedding gift, she made me a quilt, completely by hand and it was so beautiful and meaningful. It sits on my bed, right now. When I was pregnant with my daughter, Mandy taught me how to quilt and I made a quilt for Ayva, before she was born! I feel like we share such a deep bond of friendship, and even though our busy lives have brought us in different directions and we live at opposite ends of the state...when we do get together, it's like we never even missed a day! Mandy will be coming to stay with me next Saturday night, and I am sooooo excited!! We are going to hopefully have a fire Saturday night, and then get up in the morning to make the guys breakfast, since its Fathers' Day!!
This is Me, Mandy, my Cousin Chad, and My Cousin Brad...What a family, huh?
This is Mandy and I getting ready at her
Bachelorette Party!
This, coincidentally, is Mandy and I at MY
bachelorette party! Yes...that is a lime in my mouth!
This is the Quilt that Mandy made for me!
This is the Quilt that I made for
Ayva!
This is Mandy and I getting ready at her Bachelorette Party!
It's such a blessing to have good friends!! Looks like Mandy taught you well; that is a beautiful quilt.
ReplyDeleteThat is SO special that Mandy made you a heirloom piece!...It is beautiful....The fact that you also made a quilt for your daughter to carry on the tradition is wonderful....I have a special ladyfriend Sandy who crochets, and every baby that she knows is blessed with a blanket made with love....You just can't put a price on those types of gifts...Treasure the gift AND the friend ... PS. I need to get more technologically savvy....Visually speaking, my blog page looks like it was set up by Ayva compared to yours-ha!...I think I need to step into 2010 and get a digital camera...You've raised the bar with your lovely pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Lynnie. I'm looking forward to next weekend too. It is pretty crazy when we look back at all we have been through... we have some pretty amazing memories. It's funny how you mentioned the quilt, I am just finishing the one I was making for my mom. It seems I only make them for the most special people, my mom, you, Joe, etc. I'm so glad you like it :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I didn't get a chance earlier to comment on your Rogue Ballerina, but omg, it was adorable! I watched it with Abby before we went to her recital today and it got her really excited. Don't you just love having a little girl to do these things with?!
LOVE U!!!!
The best gifts are those that require time, you know! With every thread, every quilt square, every piece of batting, ever color choice, every decision about what goes where, Mandy was celebrating your friendship just like you were celebrating sewing for your little "mini-me." I'm not a quilter, but I'm a serious cross-stitcher and all my loved ones have several of my pieces. Of course, Tim and Char have the most! Thanks for sharing the pix!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you've got a great friendship in Mandy; who, where, or what would be be without our girls? What a great story of how you met, that could have gone either way you know? (Who's this stranger trying to pick me up & go to the bar? LOL!) It was fate, you girls were in the right place at the right time, and now she's your family. Beautiful pictures of you both and of the quilts. Maybe someday your daughters will be sitting together quilting :) Enjoy Father's Day weekend together, every moment counts when you have the privilege of slowing down and spending some over-due quality time!
ReplyDelete