Spotlight: Jackie!

I don't know how I'm going to be able to fit all of Jackie into one post.  I feel like I should do a separate series just on her.  For real, I've known this girl since I was 6.  I know a lot about her and have a lot of stories.

Getting fashion advice in 2nd grade.  Me as a 50's girl and Jackie as Jasmine.

Jackie and I met when we were in the same first grade class.  We were also in the same second grade class.  And then we weren't in the same class again until high school.  But we managed to stay best friends anyway.

At the beach!

Jackie had 2 cool older sisters, and a pool.  Which, in my 6-year-old eyes, made her the coolest person ever.  We probably spent every summer from first grade until graduation from high school swimming in that pool.  I would go to her house almost every day and play games, swim, read books, play Barbies, follow her sisters around...  When I got to the age where talking on the phone was cool, Jackie was the first person I talked to, and we would talk for HOURS (actually...we just did that about a week ago...)

One of our birthday weekend visits in college

Jackie and I have always been very different.  But I like to think we matched up pretty well.  We may not have agreed on taste in boys, or music, or clothes, but it didn't really matter.  We cared about each other and had fun with each other and that's all that mattered.

During the brief period of time that we lived in the same area after college

As we got older, we matured, and our friendship matured.  When we were kids, we kept each other entertained and busy.  When we got older, we supported each other, cheered each other on, and took care of each other through hard times.  When things weren't going well at my house, I would find sanctuary at Jackie's.  I felt like a part of her family.  In fact, whenever something was missing or broken in her house, she would tell her parents that I did it.  So, I got in trouble like a daughter, also :-)

My bachelorette party!

Jackie went to college in Providence, RI, and I went to school in central PA, but we still visited regularly.  I got to where I knew that drive to Providence pretty well.  She knew all of my friends at school, and I knew all of hers.  Our birthdays are exactly one week apart, so we were pretty good about spending our birthday weekend together.

It's been really exciting to see where our lives have taken us.  Jackie lived in Maryland for a little while after college, while I was living in Philadelphia.  When she moved back, it wasn't too long before I was moving to Louisiana.  Moving to Louisiana was really exciting for me, but it was hard to leave my Jackie.  When I met Philip and we started getting serious, Jackie was incredibly supportive.  I was fairly certain that most of the people in my life thought I was crazy for moving so fast with Philip (We were engaged 6 months after meeting, and after only seeing each other a handful of times).  But Jackie was excited for me and trusted my judgment.  And now Jackie's engaged and getting married next January!  I can't wait to see her start this next step in her life.

Jackie the fantastic esthetician making me look good on my wedding day!

Jackie is one of the bravest, most confident people I know.  And I feel honored that I got to watch her transform from a little kid to the amazing woman she is today.  I always wish I could be more like her.  She likes what she likes and does not pay attention to how other people might feel about it.  My college was a very low-key liberal arts school.  Not fashion-forward AT ALL (I would usually wear a comfortable hoodie and ripped jeans to a party, and I was not alone).  Jackie would show up from her school where she was a fashion major in whatever outfit she felt good in at that time.  She didn't care that no one at LVC put that much effort into their appearance.  She was the best looking one there and she knew it.  And she never second guessed herself.  If I could have half the confidence she had when she was a teenager now as an adult, I'd be a happy girl.

At my rehearsal dinner!

Jackie has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember.  I walk 60 miles every year because I never want to know what it's like to not have Jackie in the world.  She deserves a lifetime and I and everyone who loves her deserve a lifetime with her.  If you know Jackie or someone as awesome as her (if that's even possible!) consider making a donation today to put an end to breast cancer.

Not sure how much to donate?  Here are some numbers that are meaningful to Jackie's life:

$23 donation - In honor of her birthday on March 23rd!

$92 donation - In honor of the year we met!

$119 donation - In honor of her wedding day next year!

$86 donation - In honor of the year Jackie was born!

$27 donation - In honor of how old she is!

$60 donation - In honor of the miles I walk so that I can keep her around for many years!