50/52 & 51/52

—Rachel

This girl is special. I was ten when she was born and I completely fell in love with her chubby baby cheeks and infectious laughter. I remember standing in her old kitchen tickling her little face with my curly hair. I remember my mum picking me up from school with her in the car and getting to spend the whole afternoon playing. I remember carrying her around on my hip in 6th class and the boys teasing me about ‘my baby’. I can’t wait until I have babies of my own someday and she will come and hold them and kiss their faces and get to experience all I have with her. She is bright and bold and unafraid to speak her mind, all good qualities if you ask me.

—Fiona

I don’t know what Fiona saw in me when she asked me to be Rachel’s godmother at twelve, but I am grateful that she did. I am grateful of her open door policy, her expanding dinner table—always with room for one more, for her vitality, enthusiasm and commitment to seeing the beauty and magic. Fiona never sits still and has more energy than anyone I know. I will never, ever understand her desire to get up and swim in sea in the morning, every morning, all year round but I admire whatever is inside her that motivates that desire. Sometimes friendship stick around for so long that they become more like family. Fiona and her husband and sons and beautiful girl are family, simple as.