Less about me... More about Meghann!

So... I've been neglecting nearly everything I'm supposed to have been doing. Working out, eating right, being productive, blogging... I mean you can probably read through my blogs and find myself saying I need to "restart" or that I'm going to "restart" about a thousand and ten times. One of these days I'll mean it! Anyway - I've been procrastinating doing the rest of the blogs about my bridesmaids... But I'm going to do one today! So, less about me... And more about... Meghann!

Meghann and I go back - WAY back. Like to before we were born. My dad grew up with one sister. He also had a cousin Mark (random - I know, but follow me here). Since Mark and my dad grew up with only sisters, they had each other for "brothers". They even sorta look a like. But then again, they're related, so it's not that weird. We call my dad's first cousins Aunt & Uncle since they're pretty much just that. I have the absolute pleasure of spending Thanksgiving every year with my "aunts" & "uncles" (and this year my actual aunt & uncle who used to live in California got to be there, too!). Anyway... Moving on. Mark had two boys and one girl (Meghann), and my dad me and my brother. So, as you can guess, Meghann (who is a year younger than me) and I were the closest things to a sister each other ever had - and still are - and we always said we'd be maid of honors at each other's weddings. Well, the time has come, and she is, indeed, one of my maid of honors.

Over the years at our annual Thanksgiving get together we have had so much fun. We've gone to movies, gone on Target shopping trips, gone out to the bars, gone to the casino (most of these with our other cousins), and one of our favorite things, buying board games (the first one we did was Candy Land) and making them our own by writing and drawing on them with Sharpies. She went to my senior prom with me (well not with me, but with me, my date, and a good guy friend of mine as her date - we even snuck her into my yearbook by getting her into the picture of the senior girls). She came out and visited me at college in DC. I drove up to Michigan to spend her birthday with her. And well... You get the idea. We love each other. And it doesn't matter if we go an hour without talking or a month - I always know she'll be there and we can pick up right where we left off without skipping a beat. While I think our relationship is awesome... I think what I need to talk about more with Meghann is how AMAZING SHE IS!

Meghann is one of those free-spirited, down-to-earth, loving wonderful people that when you become friends with them you realize you are one of the luckiest people in the world to have befriended such an awesome person. Hearing her sweet voice on the phone always puts a smile on my face and warms my heart. I think what I love MOST about Meghann is that we're so different. I? Have nearly the rest of my life planned out. I mean we're talking I know I want to have a child when I am 32 years old. Yeah. Weird - I know. Don't worry, I won't freak out if it doesn't happen - and I'll explain my reasoning in a later blog... Back to Megs. Meghann? Goes where the wind (or should I say water?) takes her. She has an AA in Architecture - so clearly she's smart and amazing. And? She's a master at scuba diving. Literally. She is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. What did I do this summer? Sat behind a desk. What did Meghann do? Went scuba diving in the British Virgin Islands (and taught others to as well). She's got her AA degree, become a master diver (as previously mentioned), worked at after-school programs, Sea Base in the Florida Keys, a camp in Indiana, and Camp Adventure in the British Virgin Islands, lived in Martha's Vineyard, and driven and flown who knows how many miles going from place to place in the past couple years. Where I need to have everything planned and perfected, she just goes with the flow and goes where the opportunities take her. Which are some seriously amazing places - as you can see. I mean - she's seen octopuses, bull sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and juvenile spotted drums (those are her favorite) - not behind glass or contained at some aquarium or zoo - but actually SEEN them. Not to mention she's bad ass. Seriously. She has the Sailor Jerry's anchor tattooed on her foot. Yeah. But not the beat you up and fear for your life if you meet them bad ass, but the fearless adventurous bad ass. You now what I mean? She truly lives the life so many of us only dream about. Not to mention she is literally one of the nicest people I know. You know those one-upper types? The type that like you went to an aquarium - they went to the ocean. You swam with a dolphin - they own one and it lives in their lake that they own in their back yard. And half the time their replies are complete BS. Now Meghann? She could one-up about 90% of the stories people tell - but does she? No. Does she even brag a LITTLE bit? Not one bit. When I got engaged and set the date for nearly 2 years away did she say "Well, I'm not sure. I don't know what I'll be doing then."? No. She said she'd be there. The week before she may be swimming with exotic fish off the coast of South America or sky-diving over Africa (okay maybe not - but you get the idea) - but she'll be there, standing right next to me.

I don't know if I've ever told Meghann just how amazingly PROUD I am of her. She's incredibly brave. She's super smart. She's gorgeous. She's humble. She's extremely kind-hearted. She's loving. She's creative. She's the adventurer so many of us wish we could be. She's a truly beautiful person with a beautiful soul. And did I mention her hair is awesome? And she has done SO much. She lives life to the fullest every day, and I am so indescribably proud that she is not just my cousin, but one of my very best friends. I am the honored one to have her as my Maid of Honor and standing by my side at my wedding. And thank you, Meghann. For being a wonderful cousin, a supportive friend, and just an over-all good and genuine person. You are truly one of my favorite people.

I love ya, Meghann/Megs/Eeghann/Eeghs...

Love Always,
Rin/Kat-Kit/Kate/Katie