you don't own me.

On Saturday I had to work for half the day and then I headed down the Natchez Trace once again. This time to attend an Engagement Party for my longtime friend Mary Claire Bell. I was excited to see friends who were long over due for a catch up: Mary Claire, Brooke, Margaret Claire, Anna Claire and Ivy. Oh, and of course celebrate the engagement of Mary Claire and Benjamin.

I'm not really sure when Mary Claire and I met because we both shared a mutual friend {Rachel Douglass} who we both hung out with in the Kindergarten-4th grade days. Rachel moved to Vermont in 3rd grade and then Mary Claire and I were in the same class in 6th grade. That is where the friendship began. Mr. Williams 6th grade homeroom King Intermediate School.  She lived only a street over so then began many days of walking back and forth between neighborhoods and spend-the-nights at each others house.  Our friendship kind of lagged in 7th grade due to a new school and no classes together but revitalized in a big way in the 8th grade. This is when the best friends thing began with another one Brooke Collins who has been my BEST friend since babyhood. Brooke and Mary Claire played basketball together, Mary Claire and I lived so near each other and were school friends, and Brooke and I were best friends. The perfect 3-besties combination.

When the three of us would get together, it would be insanity. It still is on some level. We three have always been obsessed with the movie First Wives Club. We always felt the three characters in the movie pretty much were the three of us. Mary Claire was diva, spontaneous, dramatic and flashy dresser Elise, Brooke was funny, jokester Brenda and I was by the book, high strung, classic dressing old soul Annie. We've had so many memories revolving this movie. We plan to sing You Don't Own Me at some wedding festivity for Mary Claire. can't. wait. for. that. one.

We three went to separate schools, have separate friends, and basically leave separate lives but when we come back together we just pick up right where we left off. Such a wonderful kind of friendships. I'm so glad we got to all be together at least for one special night.

-J