"The Girls" .... and the Big White Dress

I'm going to apologize in advance for being a sucky blogger this week. I'm positive this post will be the only one I write because I just took a look at my planner and realized I'll barely have time to throw together a turkey sandwich for dinner these next few nights. Why so busy this week, you ask? Well, because I'm flying home to Minnesota on Thursday to attend the wedding of the year......

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For some reason or another, God (and Santa) never fulfilled my childhood wish of having a sister. However, growing up I had something even better: two cousins (one a year older than me, and one a year younger). We were, and still are, "The Girls."

Kristin, Me, Ashlan

I was privileged enough to grow up with these two. My sister-cousins. 

We did everything together as kids: took family trips to the cabin, DisneyWorld and Oregon; arabesque-ed in dance classes; wore the same 1st Communion dress 3 years consecutively; pretended we were horses named Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate who lived in a "stable" behind our Grandma's living room chair; had sleepovers in our matching sleeping bags; played with our Littlest Pet Shop sets; watched "The Land Before Time" on repeat; occasionally fought and made each other cry (what kids don't?) and did everything we could together.

We shared the "fun" and gawky adolescent years: helped each other survive the halls of middle school and high school (I was always thankful Ashlan was a year older than me -- it meant she had to do all of the scary stuff first and then was obligated to get me through it when it was my turn); played sports together (for awhile, until I smartly realized sports just weren't my thing and switched to choir and drama); watched "The First Wives Club" until we had all of the choreography down for the "You Don't Own Me" dance at the end; had Humanities classes together; received Christmas presents from our Grandma that were all the same thing but in either a different color or different scent for each of us. 

And of course, we all grew up, graduated high school and went our respective ways for college, one right after the other. We've shared clothes, apartments (I was lucky enough to be roommates with Ash for a couple of great years), secrets, laughs, tears and life changes. 

We've gotten through many hard times - break-ups, disappointment, the death of our Grandma Irene and perhaps the toughest, the passing of Ashlan and Kristin's dad, and my uncle, Tom exactly two years ago to this day.

Miss you, Uncle Tom.

We've been through the thick and thin, and now........

 ASHLAN IS GETTING MARRIED SATURDAY!!!

"The Girls" + Matt (left, Ash's fiance) and Grant (right, Kristin's fiance)

Three months ago while still living together in Roseville we couldn't get over how drastically our lives had changed within a year. We had been two single girls, living in the city, working hard and, occasionally, playing hard. Within a year, Ash was engaged and had bought a house and I was moving to New York City. It still seems crazy to me.

So, Thursday night, I sprint home from Singing Technique class, hail a cab at 8th Avenue and arrive back in Cannon Falls 4 hours later. Friday and Saturday will be filled with pretty dresses, hair appointments, singing (I'm honored to sing "The Prayer" at the ceremony), champagne, photos, family, laughs and tears (funny how those go hand-in-hand) and L-O-V-E.

I'm so excited.

Here's to you Ashy. The best cousin-sister/roommate/bestie/shoulder-to-cry-on/inspiration a girl could ask for. 

Love you. 

~B.