Every Friday I’ll indulge my order-crazed brain in a list of randomness. Welcome to my Friday Fives.

Another Friday Five post just under the gun! Tonight we went to a special presentation by the USU Winter Guard, so we’re just now getting home and we are SO ready for the weekend.  And what a weekend it will be. My dear friend, Amy, is getting married tomorrow in Ohio and although we won’t be there, we’ll be thinking of her and sending our love. Amy started out as my boss when I worked for the CSO in grad school, but quickly became a very close friend. Hard to believe it’s been nearly 10 years since we met!

Even though our contact has been somewhat sporadic through the years, we always seem to be very connected during the big events in our lives. I remember texting her all the time when she was saying goodbye to her Dad. She was there when I lost my grandfather with comfort and words of support. I remember sitting in the Box Office when she announced she was pregnant with her daughter and we’ve written 67…SIXTY SEVEN…emails back and forth in the last 3 months, raising each other up with motivation to hit the gym and wedding talk.

Amy’s an incredible person, so I thought I’d share with you five of my favorite things about her:

5. Arts Admin Amy

Amy really influenced me to pursue Arts Administration. She is not only dedicated to the arts in Cincinnati, but leads discussions on a national/international scale inspiring others with her determination, craft and creativeness. I really miss being a part of her team.

4. Musical Amy

Yep, Amy’s a horn player. (We really are the best stereotype out there.) When I worked for her there were quite a few horn players in our office (Amy, me, Bobbie, Issac, Pam…who am I missing?). You can always trust a horn player.

3. Boss Amy

I gotta go back to this. To this day Amy remains one of the very best bosses I’ve ever had. She cultivated an amazing team that really thrived under her watch, always having fun, but also always working hard and, no matter how close we were to Amy as a friend, always giving her the utmost respect she deserved. Now that I’ve been with a few other orchestras/operas, I can tell you that situation is a rare occurrence.  Many of the people I worked with were my closest friends in Cincinnati and we’re still all in touch even though the miles are many between us. Here are a few pics from our CSO days together (game nights, baby showers, office)…

2. Mom Amy

Amy is mom to Drew and Grace, who were SO YOUNG when I lived in Cincinnati–seriously, like thisbig. Grace had just been BORN! I have a stack of photo Christmas cards that chronicle their too-fast growth. I remember babysitting and Grace peeing on me before her bath, requiring me to call Amy while she was out to ask if I could borrow some pants. She also was so kind and patient to let me try out my budding photography skills…my very first photoshoot. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I still managed to take a picture of Grace that is still one of my favorites to this day. These three have had their share of dark times, but you’d never know it from their smiles, hugs and love for each other. Bobby is a lucky man to get this package.

Post-pee-on-Marci bath:

1. Friend Amy

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve struggled with girl friends in the past. I always would get fed up quickly with the pettiness, the passive aggressiveness, the competitiveness that seems to always come with the territory. But Amy’s different. She’s a real girl’s girl, not threatened in the least to raise up her friends higher than herself, higher than they thought possible. Because she knows if they rise, she rises with them. I’m lucky to call her friend, to know her support and understanding, to watch her grow.

And here’s to the new Amy, Mrs. Catanzaro! Congratulations to Bobby and Amy (and Drew and Grace!)! What a wonderful new family, a wonderful new beginning. I wish you all the best.