Rochelle’s Garden

 Some of the beautiful sites in my best friend Rochelle’s garden. 

Giggles

I found this adorable picture of Ellie and her mama from 2017. All smiles, giggling as she reached for my phone. 

My Tribe

I got tagged in tribe challenge on Facebook and decided to celebrate some of my longest and most impactful relationships.

What better way to kick it off than with my longest friendship - Laura. Our parents were friends before we were born and I only lived four months without her in my life. There must be thousands of photos of us together. My first sleepover was at her house. I can’t even begin to count how many shenanigans we got into or how many horror stories are parents could tell. No matter how much time passes between seeing each other we never miss a beat. She is smart, stunning, a wonderful mother, and I don’t think that anyone has made me laugh more than she has. 

Visiting Washington D.C. with Laura in 2011.

I’ve known Emily since I was three years old. The list of shenanigans and blackmail photos is probably a hundred miles long. We were both obnoxious Leo’s but any time we got together we dialed it up to eleven and broke the nob off! I had a rough year when I had gone to visit her in California but when we were together I just remember laughing for days straight. She is someone who can turn the most mundane trip to the grocery store into a ridiculous adventure and a story for the ages. I have seen her grow from some difficult times into the amazing woman she is and never lost an once of her sparkle. She is beautiful, wild, and unstoppable. I have enjoyed every minute of her company. 

Visiting Emily in California in 2016.

My third longest friendship is with Rochelle, who I met when I was six years old. We were neighbors and she asked me if I wanted to be friends. My family moved when I was nine years old and I don’t know if I would see her again. We were miraculously reunited in middle school when after three years of changing schools I ended up at the same school where her mom was a teacher. We recognized each other immediately and it has been delightful wackiness ever since. I can’t think of any other person who can bounce between art and science topics with such enthusiasm and fluidity. She also taught me the value of hugs in middle school when she wrapped her arms around me when I was having a bad day. I have been a hugger ever since. She is extraordinarily kind and exquisitely unique. Watching her raise her little girls has made my heart melt.

Hanging out with Rochelle and her daughter Ellie in 2019.

I have known Amber since I was fifteen. We met in Marine Biology in high school when she sat next to me. I loved hanging out at her house eating nachos, talking about boys, and watching MTV. Not long after we got to college my relationships with my first roommate and my boyfriend collapsed. I would not have come out of that mess as well as I did without her help. Her straight forward, no nonsense approach to problem solving is something I have always admired. When we became roommates I experienced a physical and emotional stability that I hadn’t known in years. We were always laughing, sharing clothes and cooking up a storm in the kitchen! I’ve watched her take on grad school and become this incredible teacher and roll model. Seeing her ride the roller coaster of the adoption process waiting to be the mother she already knew she was. The outpouring of love that she has for her children is so incredibly special and they couldn’t have ended up in a more wonderful home. I am so proud of her and everything she has accomplished! She is fearless, radiates grace, and is completely unstoppable! 

Enjoying a girls weekend in Tampa with Amber in 2013.

I met Mariko at Dandelion Cafe back in 2008 when I was looking for an internship. She was working on the WET show for the Fringe Festival that year and asked if would be interested. I said yes. Working on the WET show was unlike anything I had ever done before and was the first time as an artist that I felt like I was part of an art community. I was so impressed that when the show was over I told her that “she would never be rid of me”. Over the years it is incredible to see what was accomplished. Working a myriad of jobs within DRIP I learn what I was capable of and acquired skills I never thought I would have. She is the reason half of my clothes still have paint on them. Most people that I know in Orlando I met thru her. She is innovative, boundless, and compassionate. It is so hard to put into words just how much of an impact she had on my life. What an incredible ride! 

Mariko and I in the DRIP venue on I-Drive around 2012; before all the renovations. 

I met Tink somewhere in 2012 shortly after we got the DRIP venue on I-Drive. My first memory of you was going out to eat at Cici’s pizza. I remember I thought she was intense and very smart. She was instrumental in getting the show off the ground and keeping it running. I couldn’t believe how much she knew about lighting at such a young age. Through the long hours we got to know each other very well. I so fondly remember our many conversations on the loading dock, our little pre and post show sing-a-longs, and our 3am gas station snack runs. Her sass and spunk are truly legendary. And she was reason I got into the SCA. She knew I’d love it right from the start and it brought so many wonderful people into my life. She is the common link between my two wild adventures. I am so proud of all she has accomplished and how she has grown as a person. She is strong, a unique mix of crazy and down to earth, and immensely fun to be around.

With Tink on her wedding day in 2017. 

Ellie's First Birthday

My best friend's daughter celebrated her first birthday. I was so glad I was able to capture some of her special moments! 

She loves lasagna just like her mom!

Little Ellie

Little Ellie was born on April 5th, 2016 to my best friend Rochelle and her husband Justin. I got to visit her on April 11th. 

Resting peacefully in her father's arms. He told me that she sometimes has a faint smile on her face and loves to kick off her left sock. 

I met Rochelle for the first time when I was six years old. Our parents were neighbors and remember her waving at me through the fence asking me if I wanted to be friends. We were friends for years until my family moved when I was nine. We didn't move more that fifteen minutes away, but for two kids before the age of cell phones and video chats I might as well have moved across the country. We lost touch but miraculously ended up in the same private school half way through the year during fifth grade. We immediately recognized each other and picked up right where we left off. She taught me that value of getting and giving hugs after a bad day and often gave back rubs to the other students on the playground. No surprise she ended up in the physical therapy field.

We ended up in different high schools but went to the same college, where she met her husband. I've had a lot of friendships that have drifted apart over the years but I've always felt close to Rochelle. Seeing her hold her baby girl and realizing how long I've know her brought tears to my eyes. Rochelle and Justin are going to be fantastic parents.