Erica's BIRTHDAY (yep, this is delayed!!)

For real...this is LATE. Oh my gosh. Because what do you know? I actually wrote this a few weeks ago when it was actually Erica's birthday and now that I was sitting here thinking how it's my friend Emily, Ashley and Courtney's birthdays tomorrow, I was looking back through some of the birthday posts I have done. I was looking on my blog. Kept thinking to myself, "where is the one I just wrote for Erica?". After searching, I got into the edit view and searched some more and realized, yep. For sure didn't ever publish that post. I wrote it, but no post was published. What a sweet friend I am!! WOW! No excuses, as I do remember there was a lot going on that day, but still- here it is for all the world to see! Her birthday was in December (not that late) on the seventeenth day. Yep, December 17. Like I mentioned, late. So sorry Erica, but here you go :)

So this is my friend Erica:

Yep, you guessed right. That was her on her wedding day, earlier this year (you can see more on that here), where I was honored to be one of the matrons of honor with our friend Vanessa. Doesn't she look beautiful? :) It was quite the day in Dallas when she and her husband, Andrew, finally tied the knot! Now, while they are still not actually in the same zip code- yet!!!! - they are doing an amazing job of making a long distance marriage work and even though it's hard, I'm so excited for their future and can't wait to see what is next for them.

So that's Erica now. But Erica then. Yep, that's the girl I'll always remember. Now you see, Erica is from Nebraska. She was the one Pi Phi in our pledge class from Nebraska. And that was a big deal because everyone she knew went to University of Nebraska and consistently shouted "GO BIG RED" in her ear growing up in hopes that she would never go anywhere else (who would DARE?!). Well, she did. Apparently that subliminal messaging didn't work for her. She came to K-State, joined Pi Phi and the rest is history. She has this amazing Jimmy (the SUV, not my husband) that she would always drive us around in freshman year because she moved into the pi phi house a semester early and that was so super cool. She loved pearls...and still does. She loves her friends, her family and is passionate at about everything she does. Erica was a leader on campus in college for the St. Jude's children's research hospital fundraiser and I'm pretty sure her love and dedication for non-profit organizations never stopped from that experience. And that love showed in her friendship because she was always so caring, around and willing to listen and could always always have a GREAT time- and still does!!

Picture break---haha! Here is a pictures of Erica's birthday party at our apartment senior year of college. And guess who made that picture? Yep, that would be Andrew himself, her now husband. They weren't dating, but just good friends :) I love this picture!

The four of us at Emily's graduation party in Manhattan!!! Love you girls!

After a fantastic 4 years of college- with lots of nights out to fraternities, date parties, house parties, tailgates, Aggieville, double dates, late night chats and snacks....and oh so much more :) Erica again, did the brave thing (which shouldn't surprise you if you know her) and pursued her dream of working in Dallas at a PR firm. A great PR firm. One of the best. And it wouldn't be anyway else. And yep, she rocked it. Her clients loved her, her boss loved her...and while she did love it, she wanted more of a balance and more responsibilities and you know, just more...which I can completely understand. And she got an amazing job at Cooper Aerobics, where she works with Dr. Cooper-who literally invented the term aerobics. Pretty cool, huh? Um yeah, I think so!!

Now she and her wonderful husband Andrew are in the middle of figuring out their next steps and where they will begin making their life together. Don't tell her this- but I'm hoping for a little closer to KC than Dallas is, but I do love the Dallas trips :)

Here is a great picture of Erica and her husband, Andrew, from their delicious Mexican rehearsal dinner in Dallas!

And here is Erica and...haha....a small man that we ran into on the streets of her New Orleans bachelorette party. I forced her to take a picture. I think she was upset he was so short. I'm sorry Erica, this is just such a funny picture. What a fun weekend we had there for your bachelorette party!!

Anyways, Erica- cheers to 2-6 and here's to many more wonderful birthdays full of happiness, love and health! Love you and hope you have a great day!!!

Fun times with the Dallas girls :)