Handbag love from Friday Harbor to Portland, Oregon

I alluded to in a previous post...and again teased with some photos that my friend Kelley and I had a seriously serendipitous Christmas.

This story dates back to August 14, 2011, the day after our dear friend Katie's dream wedding. Kelley and I were in Friday Harbor, on the San Juan Islands, waiting for the ferry to take us back to Anacortes so we could start our trek back to Portland.

We made our way through many shops, spending a considerable amount of time (and money) in the used book store, and window shopping at many of the cute boutiques. At one of those shops in particular, Kell and I were drawn to some fantastic bags, both clutches and satchels. In true fashion, we chatted up the sweet employee about these great handbags. She just gushed over the woman who hand-crafted each and every one of the bags, and although neither of us could afford one at the time, we took Winnie's business cards and tucked them away in our respective wallets.

At the time, I wasn't working, but I told myself I was going to surprise Kell one day when I could afford to buy her a one-of-a-kind clutch. You see, Kelley's always been the world's best gift-giver. Even when she lived halfway across the globe, she still managed to send thoughtful presents at the most perfect times. I've never felt like I've been able to reciprocate the feeling I encountered when opening a package from Kell.

Fast-forward to this past Christmas. My girlfriends and I had our annual gift exchange, and I drew Kelley's name. I was just thrilled. I remembered my plot to email the designer of the bags and ask her to create one for Kelley. I scoured my room for nearly two hours trying to find the designer's business card. I couldn't remember the brand of the bags nor the name of the boutique we found them. Finally, I found the card, emailed the designer, and got the ball rolling. Winnie proved to be as charming and kind as the store clerk described her. She was willing to work with my budget, and she sent me options for the clutch she was whipping up for Kelley. I was proud of myself for accomplishing all of this weeks before Christmas. That's a feat Kell's not quite familiar with. She tends to be a little last-minute when it comes to the annual gift exchange, and she didn't send her Secret Santa a gift until a couple months past Christmas last year.

When we got together to swap gifts, even Skyping in our long-distance friend who couldn't be there, I knew Kelley must have drawn me once we were the last two standing. She opened my card first, and once she read the first couple of lines, she almost shockingly turned to me and said, "NO WAY!" You see, Kelley, being the most thoughtful girl alive, had kept Winnie's business card for a special occasion such as this. She, too, had been in communication with Winnie. She even Skyped with Winnie to pick the fabric of my bag. Kelley also had a clutch hand-made for me. Can you believe it?

I thought it was the most special sequence of events only two old friends could have shared. I immediately contacted Winnie because I just couldn't believe this happened. The details of our stories varied, so Winnie didn't exactly know she was making bags for two best friends, but once I told her, she said it made perfect sense. I think it's crazy, in a magical sort of way.

We love our Momentum Handbags, and we love each other. We've been friends since the third grade, and it just goes to show the magic that accompanies true friendship.      

What were we thinking?

I still need to share the story of the magical handbags...and I will...but not tonight! The following photos add to the story. I'll let you enjoy these right now! 

Freshman year of high school, circa 1999. This was Halloween. Hence, I am wearing who knows whose blonde wig (still hadn't discovered makeup???), Kell's wearing a yellow furry bathrobe, Katie's too cool for a costume, and Matea's donning a boa on her head. I'd like to note I've owned that blue and white gingham shirt two separate times in my life. Kell and I had been friends since third grade, and this was just a month after meeting Matea and Katie. Pretty sure Mariel was there, too. Probably took this photo.  

Takin' it to the Max one summer night in 2006? I think we'd all just turned 21, right? Beavers baseball game and the Marathon Taverna? Apparently the open-mouth look was my pose du jour decade!

Ahhh...such a classic. Katie's magical wedding on San Juan Island. Twelve solid years of friendship and counting. 

Time flies by fives

Five years ago, I didn’t want to leave the comfortable confines of my high school. I had a blast. I thought those were the best years of my life. I tried to pack everything I could into four years. I met the greatest group of girls my freshman year, and even though I transferred schools after then, we’ve never lost touch. In retrospect, transitioning to a new high school was probably what shaped my outlook on life. I promised myself I wouldn’t fall into a clique or limit myself to certain classes or activities. As a result, I played three sports, had several leadership positions and a diverse group of friends. I surrounded myself with great people, I loved going to school, and I didn’t think anything could top those years. When my senior year rolled around, I started getting scholarship offers to play basketball in college. I didn’t, however, neglect my other sports or commitments. I especially enjoyed being the editor of my school newspaper. I knew then that I wanted to study journalism in college. I figured I would find a school that was the perfect fit for the whole me, not just the athlete in me. As a result, I chose Washington State University. Before I started getting recruited, I had never really followed college sports, and I had to pull out a map to find Pullman, Wash. I was nervous and excited to leave Portland, but if you asked me then, I would have never guessed all that I would experience in the four years to come.