Mary Wells

Mary Wells is my cousin.

(I did not take this pic, I stole it from her Facebook...sorry MW)

She's brilliant and witty and has talent oozing out of her ears and GORGEOUS. She's always been that way. Even as a wee thing, her quick wit was unmatched.

She told me once when we were 7 or 8 that only genuinely beautiful people have widow's peaks in their hairline. She had a widow's peak...I did not.

We used to play dress up. She had an armoire full of dress up clothes and we used to don them all the time and play princess. She was the princess...I was the maid.

(another Facebook steal)

One time we spilled nail polish remover on one of those dress up dresses and the stuff ate a hole right through the silk. Aunt Debra was m.a.d.

(and another)

Mary Wells was a gymnast and a cheerleader and a singer and she composes her own music on the piano. She's photogenic and petite and unspeakably coordinated on the dance floor.

Me? I was the chubby one (still am, unfortunately). I had frizzy brown hair and horribly crooked teeth. My humor was more obnoxious than witty and my piano skills...lacking to say the least.

I had (have) zero coordination and sing through my nose. Petite is the LAST word anyone would ever use to describe me and I freeze in the spotlight.

Mary Wells and I, total opposites...or so it would seem.

As adults, Mary Wells and I have come to realize that we actually have a few things in common. And those few things are monumentally binding.

Mary Wells loves the Lord. She's devout and determined and insightful and has an incredibly generous heart.

She's not just my cousin, she's my sister. And I love her. Dearly. She's everything that I'm afraid to be and she does it with such grace. I admire her actually.

And she loves me. Just because I'm me. Because I'm different from her.

Mary Wells got married this month and I got to be there. Granted, I missed most of the ceremony because Izzy decided that sitting still for the wedding was NOT on her agenda, but I did get to see Mary Wells walk down the isle, and let me tell you...it was an emotional thing for me.

Seeing her in that wedding dress, walking towards this man who MUST be amazing in order to earn her affection and devotion was a little overwhelming. She looked so grown up. So perfectly beautiful. So deserving of what was before her.

It brought me back to when were kids and were playing wedding in her room.

She was the bride.

And I was the groom...

naturally;)