Sunday, January 11, 2009

My Thoughts

What is this???  A post without pictures?  I know, weird right!  I always have pictures but this time, I have something to say…

Emily’s wedding was a really big deal for me and it really got me thinking.  I mean it has totally been like memory lane in my head since then.  It was so much fun seeing friends I hadn’t seen in a really long time.  I was reminded what it was like to be around people who really know me and with whom I can truly be myself without even trying.  It was wonderful.  I am so thankful for the friends I have now but there is nothing quite like catching up with those you share history with.

Because Emily and I have been friends for, forever I feel the need to say something. I just feel I have been planning this wedding as long as Emily has so I have had sometime to think about what I would say.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I am someone who needs closure so this toast is really more for my own sake than anything else.

Anyway, here’s my toast to Emily and Aaron

Emily and I have been best friends for what feels like forever.  Although we have known each other since we were kids I believe that our friendship really began in 7th grade when our mom’s got us together to go see Annie.  They wanted to make sure we had good friends as we entered the harsh world of Jr. High.  Turns out our Mom’s were pretty smart because it worked!  We hit it off and became best of friends right away.  Although we didn’t go to the same Jr. High, we did go to the same youth group and we quickly bonded.  Some people remember Jr. High and High School as painful times.  It’s just the opposite for me.  I will forever remember those years as some of the best years of my life.  I know that without Emily it would not have been that way.  We had so much fun together.   We made lasting memories no matter where we went… So many memories from youth group, teaching 3 yearold Sunday School,  trips to Hume Lake (winter and Summer), SEMP, Mexico, Costa Rica,  countless late night sleepovers, a particularly memorable trip to Oregon to go to Jesus North West and to meet the Cleavers, I still can’t believe my mom let me do that but I am  so glad she did.  We bonded through so many things but I think the thing we bonded over the most was boys and our obsession with wedding planning.  To be honest I blame Mike and Kate who had us in their wedding when we were just in 8th grade.  It’s funny that Mike would end up to be the one who would marry Emily and Aaron.  Amy is a little to blame as well because she was the older sister who was in a serious relationship at the time and actually had reason to start thinking about weddings.  On the trip to Mike and Kate’s wedding Emily introduced me to our very first Bridal Magazine and it was all down hill from there.  From then on whenever we went on a trip we would always stock up on bridal mags, and talk weddings the whole trip long.  I think that both of us were surprised when we got to college and found that most girls had never owned a bridal magazine.  They hadn’t picked their colors or their bridesmaids or anything.  They would say things like “but I am not engaged” or “I don’t have a boyfriend” and Emily and I would be like "so?"  We didn’t just plan the wedding, we spent a lot of time talking about marriage as well.  Some of my fondest memories will always be our late night conversations when we would make predictions about who we each would marry.  Although I think we had some pretty good ideas, some how we never predicted Aaron.  That would have been hard because we didn’t know him at the time.  I am so glad that God brought these two together.  My favorite question since Emily and Aaron got engaged has been “how do you like Aaron?”  It’s my favorite because I honestly couldn’t have predicted anyone more perfect for my best friend.  I love that she is totally herself when she is with him.  I know he will always cherish and take good care of her.  Aaron, I am proud to call you my new best-friend-in-law!!  So, here’s to Emily and Aaron.  It was a beautiful wedding, better than we even planned and I pray God will bless you as you start your new life together. 

I love you both!!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Picture me with tears in my eyes! Heidi-lou-lou, That is the sweetest toast, I am going to send it to my friends. Emily was also blessed to have a friend like you in her life. To add a couple memories..... Toilet papering, santa windsock and sharing in your wedding. Love ya, Peggy

Anonymous said...

Picture me with tears in my eyes! Heidi-lou-lou, That is the sweetest toast, I am going to send it to my friends. Emily was also blessed to have a friend like you in her life. To add a couple memories..... Toilet papering, santa windsock and sharing in your wedding. Love ya, Peggy

BruceandBarbara said...

Oh, so nice! You are such a good friend to my little girl. My "boys" consider Emily as their little sister and they are very protective of her. They are very happy with her choice of Aaron! I think they will be so happy together. I'm glad Mark & Chris were part of the wedding and that we all (except Sarah) got to come down for the fun! You know, it's funny...I NEVER thought about my wedding or even getting married when I was a young girl (that was my sister's thing and probably where Em got it from!). The only thing I did was practice writing my married name when I liked a boy. Well, I've used up enough of your space. Keep the fun blogs comin'.

BruceandBarbara said...

Hi, me again :) Please tell your parents that I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to them more. I saw your mom for a minute but didn't get a chance to talk to your dad. I was really focused on the picture taking and I wasn't feeling to well BUT I did have a great time!

Emily Valko Monroy said...

Wow . . . that was so sweet. I wish you could have said that at the wedding. You are such a good friend and you made my wedding so special. But what are we going to do with ourselves now that we're married??? No more bridal mags :(

Emily Valko Monroy said...

I'm a nerd. I just felt the urge to go back and read this since it meant so much to me. THANK YOU! I am so glad I have you as a best friend. You made my teen years so much more FUN and special. And now, even though we don't see each other as much, I know we'll always be friends.

I'm sad our wedding-planning days are over. We need something else . . . hmmm, any ideas? ;)