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In past blog posts, I've described the wide range of friends we are blessed enough to have. We don't discriminate when it comes to friendships......it is quite an eclectic variety; however, we are very particular about WHAT we do, and with WHOM.
For example, there is a couple in particular - we'll call them Mark and Jenny Meirtschin......mostly because that's their name. They are pretty accepting when it comes to the Garcia Crazy Antics. Thank goodness.
When I had my 40th birthday party (a story for a future blog post!), it was a 70s theme. Some of the costumes were amazing, but Mark and Jenny ROCKED it. They didn't do the regular afro or go-go boots...they came as Prom King & Queen 1970! The blue-ruffled tuxedo and the polyester dress were fabulous, and at the end of the night, they presented Adrian and I with the sashes they had they made for their costumes. But that show of kindness would come back to haunt them.
This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.
A few months back, we all decided we were long-overdue to get together. Adrian and I really wanted to bless Mark and Jenny and somehow let them know how much it meant to us, as we had taken those sashes and hung them in our closet where we could see them every day to remind us of that special time. What does one do with leftover fake prom king and queen sashes?? Well, they take the people who gave them such gifts to prom, of course!
And so we did.
We sent an invitation, letting them know the dress-code, but didn't tell them why. We really wanted this to be as authentic as possible, so we decked out Adrian's truck like a limo inside. Adrian put up white Christmas lights, there was an ice bucket containing various drinks, and we hung a dark curtain between the front seat and the back seat. It looked pretty legit.
This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.
Adrian and I dressed for prom - mostly from our own prom era, which is scary - put on the sashes accompanied by the fake-but-beautiful corsage Jenny had also given me from that night, and then headed out to pick them up. When we showed up at the door in our garb and sashes, welcoming them to Prom Night, I thought Jenny was going to drop. We stood at her front door, laughing so hard and so long until tears were streaming down our faces before a word had even been spoken. They weren't surprised though......she even said, "I somehow knew those sashes would surface again one day!!" We had Dollar Store crowns and a fake-and-tacky corsage and boutonniere we had made for each of them, which they willingly put on, and well, it's not a prom unless you stand by the fireplace with your dates and pose in awkward and ridiculous poses...and so we did.
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Next, Adrian ran outside, put on his limo-cap and held up the Meirtschin / Garcia Prom sign (he played the dual-role of the limo driver, too) and opened the doors for them to enter.
This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.
As we pulled up to our next prom destination - a cliché steak house, of course - they began to remove their crowns. Oh, no they di'in't! "It's prom night. Those crowns stay on." They looked at each other, remembered who they were dealing with, and obliged without (much) protest.
This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.
In we walked, heads held high, 30-and-40-something-year-olds dressed for prom...and OWNING IT. We delighted in prom food fare, splitting every dish, laughing and loving it until we were just about sick. Next destination? Dancing, of course! And so we did.
Luckily, we had done our homework ahead of time and we found a place within walking distance. And we danced our prom night away. (Side note on that: Mark has got some of the best and smoothest dancing moves you've ever seen in your LIFE!). We drove home, feet hurting, hearts warm and full, with a life-long lasting memory of a wonderful Prom Night.
And so we did.
Make the most of every single moment you're given, and take advantage of every opportunity. NEVER think you're too cool or be so embarrassed that you miss out on the things that might be considered unusual......and never let a prom night pass you by - so that you, too, can have life-long lasting memories that will make your hearts feel warm and full.