When she’s not being the quintessential middle-child :) … she is so fun.
And funny. Good gravy she’s funny.
And this picture captures who she is, at her core.
She flew into town today.
I’m in heaven.
The menu:
Pulled pork sandwiches
Broccoli salad
Lemon-basil pineapple
Spinach dip
Creme-filled chocolate cups
Cookie bites
The decorations:
Mason jars and vases filled with sand and seashells
Candles, linens, and lilies covered every surface
Garlands of chocolate and fuchsia patterned flags streaming from doorways and windows
Sweetness in the air
The favor:
Hand-dipped chocolate strawberries
on a stick
wrapped with cellophane
tied with ribbon
(These surprisingly took me less time to make than I thought they would. Sadly I have no pictures to show for it.)
The games:
Kaycie asked JJ a bunch of questions beforehand and we tested Karly’s knowledge of her fiance. Every time she got a question wrong she had to put three Skittles in her mouth.
We also wrote down all the things she said as she was opening presents and read them back to her when she was done as “Things Karly might say on her wedding night.” Just looking over the list made me blush and I couldn’t bring myself to read it outloud … so Kaycie stepped in and read them. Despite my shyness regarding such things, it was quite funny.
The gifts:
Such generosity! Her arms were filled with necessities from her registry (and a few items of a more delicate subject).
As a side note …
and in case anyone ever wonders …
I just want mixing bowls and throw pillows at my shower.
The friends:
“I believe in the power of community and the solidarity and healing of women.”
-Sue Monk Kidd
The Bottom Line:
‘Twas a lovely evening — the essence of sisterhood.
I’m tired. Plum tuckered. Pooped. In fact, I’m so tired I can sit on my couch and stare at the wall for hours and not move. Which is what I did last night. Do you ever get that way? I feel like I gave every last ounce of myself and have absolutely nothing left. Oh, I was happy to do it. Sooo happy. But two weeks of house guests, rehearsing and conducting a youth choir for Sunday’s services, making an Easter dinner for family and roommates and friends, waking up early to take engagement photos, driving 2 hours for a 15-minute dress fitting, racing all day to finish the final shower details, rides to and from the airport, and still working a full-time job in the midst of all that has left me drained of all life. Oh yeah, and don’t forget taxes at the end of all that. I just gots nothin left.
Don’t get me wrong … house guests are lovely. Throwing parties are splendid. Mixing things up can definitely be fun.
But …
I’m really happy to have my house back. I’m glad my schedule is once again in tact. I love that my car is mine. Me and all my little idiosyncrasies (that come from being single for an extended period of time) have been reunited, and it feeeels so goooood.
But …
I’d do it all again if only to witness and celebrate happiness like this:
If only I could pry myself off this couch …
1. Finalize the menu and make the food
2. Finish the decorations
3. Decide which of my favor ideas I like best and make 20 of them
4. Gather the rest of the RSVP’s (WHY don’t people RSVP?!)
5. Hostess the best bridal shower of the year
6. Take her engagement photos
7. Attend the dress fitting
8. Smother her with attention
This is going to be the BEST week.
[the invitation]
p.s. if anyone has attended a bridal shower that had a “must do this,” “must make this,” “must eat this,” or “must decorate with this if I ever hostess a shower” idea, please let me know.
I have a hilarious story about how my roommate and I got stuck in the elevator at work last night ☺ … but that’s a post for another time. Today I have to, need to, want to share a story about my sisters.
I have two amazing younger sisters. One, who at times can be the most difficult person you’ve ever met, can also be the most loving, caring, and sensitive. She’s a fighter. A scrapper. And always a friend to the underdog. She’s climbed mountains in this life. Rugged and steep. And she always makes it to the top, no matter how long it takes. I admire her. And I look up to her.
The other is our baby. And that’s what we call her. And for the most part, that’s what we’ve always seen her as. But today, my baby sister had to do a really hard thing. It may 
have even been the hardest thing she’s ever had to do in her life to date. And while it’s utterly impossible to love her more than I already did, I’ve perhaps never been more proud of her. Today I saw her for the woman she has become. And what an amazing woman that is.
Now for the story … A few months back, the three of us went to the Colbie Caillat concert here in Salt Lake. We were so excited about it and I was particularly thrilled to be going with my girls. We arrived early so we’d get good seats and waited through the openers. After the first act, they announced the second – Trevor Hall. The name sounded familiar to us, but we didn’t think twice about it until he came on and Kaycie (our baby) screamed “Ohmigosh, it’s Trevor Hall!” He and Kaycie had gone to school together back in South Carolina. Actually we’d all gone to school together but 
he and Kaycie had been in the same grade.
My sisters and I all went to a private school that included grades 2 through 12, so although Kaycie was age 10 and in 4th grade when I graduated, we were in the same school. And we loved that. Even when “we” (i.e Karly and Kaycie, or Karly and I, never Kaycie and I) fought, like siblings do, we were always super close. And going to the same school, I think, gave us each, particularly Kayc, a measure of security. If something went wrong, we knew we could find our sisters. And we were really quite an anomaly. Most of the other siblings we went to school with were definitely not as close or as nice to each other. I even remember Kaycie saying one day how her friends thought it was “so cool” that her older sisters were so nice to her and included her and hugged her in the halls. But we never thought much about it. That’s just how it was for us.
So anyways, back to the concert. Trevor finished his set (’twas fabulous). Colbie came on (’twas seriously fabulous). And after the show we waited around to say hi. When the lines finally died down and Kaycie could get up to the table, she said, “You probably don’t remember me, but we went to school together …” and as she was finishing her sentence his eyes lit up and despite the fact that he was higher than a kite, he said, “Ohmigosh!” He recognized her and then added, “You have sisters!”
We all laughed and she said, “yeah they’re here!” And Karly and I waved. It was a seemingly funny thing for him to blurt out at that moment – “you have sisters!” But over the last little while I’ve thought a lot about his reaction. I’ve thought of all the things he could have said at that moment. Of all the memories from grade school he and Kaycie shared. But of all those things, the one thing he remembered about Kaycie was that she had sisters. And I love that. To me it says we three Maurer girls are “tight.” It says that the people around us know what, and more importantly, who, is most 
important to us. I love my girls and I love knowing that each of us has two cheerleaders in our corner no matter what. And I’m glad THAT is what people remember about us.
Kayc … I know you know that we love you most. But today especially, I hope you’ll remember that “You have sisters.” I can only imagine how your heart must hurt. I can only imagine the number of tears you’ve cried. But you are one amazing little woman. One amazing little baby. ☺ Kar and I are here. Your cheerleaders. Your safe place. You have sisters and I couldn’t be more grateful to be yours, especially today.
Tell me: Do you have siblings? What do you love about them?
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