The Evil Twin

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MAY 10. Today I celebrate Katie Murphy for being a huge impact on my life. I met Katie through my cousin's wife. They were best friends and Katie and I were in the wedding party. It was a catholic wedding. We high fived on the "stage" when the priest annouced 'I now pronounce you man and wife'. I call her my evile twin and jokingly always say she is the evile one. I don't even know what year that was, but it was one of the best days in my life adding her as a friend. Katie and I have been great friends ever since through thick and thin. She throws a huge Easter party every year - and she has 11 total siblings, so the family could just show up and you'd have a party - but no less than 100 people are there every year. Her family is one of the most incredible family ecosystems that I have ever known. That many siblings, her parents, although divorced can be around each other with no drama which is amazing in today's day and age. She and I witnessed my cousin Drew's birth. That was an amazing experience to go thorugh together and I will never forget it. Among other things, Katie is the ringer on my bowling team. She out-bowls the guys on my team almost every week. She is a huge softball player as well and is a killer pitcher. Back about 15 years ago, I recommended Katie be hired as a print PM at Ketchum and we worked together. That formed some lasting friendships amongst a bunch of girlfriends that still hang out today - Jana, Jen, Lori Blaylock, Suzanne, Chantel, me. On top of all this, almost every year, I go to Edisto beach with Katie. She and I are pretty much alike - no nonsense, direct, don't take crap and not into that prissy girly shit, but on the flip side, we are only butch when we need to be. We can't take wimps and pretty much hold people accountable because you should.  

 The biggest impact that Katie Murphy has had on my life is that when my cousin Kent and his (now) ex wife Mandi split up, she DID NOT CHOOSE SIDES. Mandi was her best friend. Trust me, Divorce messes with Friendships bigtime and this situation was not immune from that. I always respected Katie because she did not stop talking to me or Kent, or Mandi - she treated us all as friends as she did before the split. And nothing changed after. This is and always will be impactful to me. In addition to this, her family is the same way. The Murphy's are salt of the earth people. I cherish Katie's friendship. We just celebrated 50 years of her being on this earth. Here's to 50 more! (ok, maybe only 30). Love you Katie!

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