Hope is on the way…
Kelly Estey is just the brightest most beautiful color blue to me. Robin’s egg, Tiffany blue. Her eyes. Her clothes. We have been friends for a long while. Started our businesses around the same time. And, helped each other along the way.
We have a lot in common… including bad reactions to poison ivy and this stubborn will to try to do everything by ourselves.
She has a fleet of cars and employees. I have a lot of spatulas.
Earlier this year, Kelly announced she was having a baby by standing next to a church sign that read, “Hope is on the way.”
In this case, Baby Hope. A little boy that Kelly and Will Hope are counting down the days to meet.
Today, I was so honored to cook for the home-spun Baby shower celebrating all the happiness to come. I always put so much into all my jobs. But this one… well, it felt extra special. Maybe it was the way her mother was so excited, talking about the bohemian theme that just suited Kelly so well. How her eyes laughed in giddy giggles revealing all the surprises she had in store.
How everyone would sit on pillows and dine on tablecloth-covered palette, decorated with wild ferns.
I felt it.
And I used my creativity, my love for Kelly and my passion for cooking to create some of my most favorite work to date. Pulling up in the driveway today (her father smiling. Kelly’s father is simply the best. He saved my driveway from caving into what I am certain would have been the depths of hell one winter) I was so proud.
Every speck of the seats and trunk was covered in homemade goodness – tied up in ribbons and bows. Tiffany blue pearls, bohemian raffia, baby roses from my garden and herbs I grew from seed.
Cathy had asked if I could create this new thing she saw on Pinterest called, “Jarcuterie”. I did a little googling and designed three different styles of my own.
It was so much fun.
Twice before the shower even started Cathy messaged me to say how beautiful it all was, how happy she was; it meant the world to me knowing I had done my best.
I had the best day thinking of everyone enjoying my food! And now, sitting here tonight with an empty fridge, I only wish I could have been a Monarch butterfly lingering in the backyard. I would have loved to have seen her face.
To see her laugh. To see her steal a chocolate cupcake. And chuckle over the tiffany-blue pearls covering the vanilla ones. How I put Oreos in the brownies – eye roll – really?! And chocolate chips! How I managed to cram over 100 little glass jars onto wooden trays so everyone could eat and still feel safe.
It makes me smile thinking of it all. And, just how lucky I am to have such wonderful, bright blue people like Kelly in my life. I don’t just cook. Or cater. I care. And that’s what makes all the difference.