Meet my bridal entourage. A 6 part series.

Part 1:

Audra (Bridesmaid)

I have known Audra the longest of all my friends. Our journey began in Mr. Worell’s 1^st grade classroom at Glendale Elementary. I don’t quite remember exactly how we became buddies- when you’re that young everyone is just automatically friends, right?

“Hey…cool pencils. Thanks I like your Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper. Guess what? -Now we are best friends- yay!”

None the less, Audra and I built a friendship that would definitely experience its share of ups and downs, but alas would stand the test of time.

I have lots of fun memories growing up with Audra. My first night spent away from home was at Audi’s house. Her parents were having a Christmas party to which we deemed ourselves the entertainment for the evening (and by entertainment I mean two 6 year olds singing country songs on a karaoke machine.) Now that I think about it- maybe that’s where my fear of singing karaoke stemmed from!?! We also had alter egos that we could converse in for hours. (Maurty # 1 and Maurty #2) Maurty was an older, balding Jewish man, based on a character from the TV show “The Nanny.” (Don’t ask!) Audra and I got our first apartment together after high school. I loved that little apartment. You weren’t allowed to have dogs or cats while living there- but we still wanted an animal. So we both bought bunnies.  Hey-They didn’t specify “No Bunnies!” We even bought little bunny leashes and would try and take them for walks (or should I say hops?) And how can I forget our first time attempting to ski in the mountains of North Carolina. Two native Floridian teenagers riding the ski lift with high hopes. We thought we could ride the lift to just take in the sights. One by one, we passed the exits to which we CLEARLY should have gotten off at, but no- to the top we rode.

Our ski lift conversation went a little something like this:

Mary: “Oh man…we are really getting closer to the top and they aren’t stopping. Do we have to get off?

Audra: “Can’t we just ride it back down? I’m not ready.”

Man at top of mountain yelling as we approach the top: “Get ready to dismount ladies- this lift will not stop.”

Mary and Audra: WHAT?!?!?!?.....OK, OK..we got this…ready- 1…2….3 GO!

Mary and Audra: Face plant right into snow. Ski lift swoops over our heads and now we are stuck at the top.

I’m not even going to describe the methods we used to get down that mountain alive or the fact I may, or may not have created yellow snow from laughing so hard. :)

Audra is now a wife, a mommy, a nurse- and to this day one of my best friends.

We have a lot of history and I am very proud of her and all of her accomplishments. 

As we get older, we meet new people in life that share our common interests and lifestyles. I have met wonderful new friends this way, but I also think it’s just as important to hang on to the friends that were there from the beginning. The one’s that know who you are and where you came from.

To me that person is Audra-

And I am very happy she will be standing next to me when I say “I do.”