“Where everybody’s happy and we all know, we can come back anytime”. The closing lyrics from a song titled, “Marquette”, by my loveable, talented, whole-hearted friend … Andrew Michael Burri. Well, last weekend I was lucky enough to make a trip back to Marquette to celebrate the wedding of two people who have been there for me, through what Lindsey would call … “the good, the bad, the ugly … and the fuckin’ ugly”. Let me tell you a little bit about them:
- Adam. The oldest of two siblings, a pilot and a die-hard Phish fan. One of my best friends since high school, despite the fact that he got me in trouble in Mrs. Moyle’s 6th grade Home-Ec class for saying “Shit”. He has a slight obsession with my toe, which failed to grow after
an unfortunate run in with an end table when I was four. In college I would often wake to him, on my bedroom floor playing air guitar with my Frisbee or reading me excerpts from “Where the Wild Things Are”. I love him for his spunkiness, weird facial expressions and ability to turn even the worst days into a good one. - Molly. The youngest of two siblings, a cosmetologist and a dachshund lover. One of my sisters best friends, which in turn has made her one of my best friends. I like to think of her as super-glue. She understands me, she understands my sister. As a result she has tolerated, listened and helped mend some of the roughest sisterhood patches that Angie and I have been through. On top of that, she rolls some delicious sushi and is great at collecting recycled Halloween costumes at music festivals. I love her for free spirit, her beautiful freckles and her ability to rationalize even my most irrational thoughts.
I would like to think it was Angie and I that brought these two together. As I mentioned before, growing up our house was open to everyone. On any given weekend or summer evening you could find the class of 2004 upstairs and the class of 2002 in the basement. Under the same roof our interactions became frequent, the class of 2004 started making appearances in the basement and eventually we started throwing joint parties (don’t worry mom, root beer kegs only). In an environment bursting with friendship, laughter, speed quarters and pajama parties Adam and Molly’s encounters began. Their encounters lead to innocent flirtation. Their flirtation morphed into a relationship. Their relationship resulted in matrimony.
Adam and Molly met when two social groups collided, their relationship brought two circles of friends together, their marriage a reunion, of not two, but one, big loving family. Music festivals, friendcations, holidays and traveling adventures have brought us together in small groups throughout the years, but it was ultimately Adam and Molly that brought the “band” back together again. Yoopers and Trolls. New Yorkers and Washingtonians. Illinoisans and Californians. We all traveled back to Marquette to celebrate a marriage. A marriage based on friendship and love. It was a weekend full of hugs, I-might-piss-my-pants-laughter, tears, late night swims, cross-family bonding and just all around good times. We were all reminded of who we are, where we came from and how it feels to be truly loved, appreciated and cared for. When I boarded my flight back to Seattle, I couldn’t help but feel lucky. Lucky to have been able to celebrate with Adam and Molly. Lucky to have such amazing friends. Lucky to be surrounded by such a supportive network of parents. Lucky to have grown up in one of the most beautiful, welcoming places on Earth.
Cheers to Adam and Molly. Cheers to Friendship and Family. Cheers to Marquette.
Day 9,395. “Where everybody’s happy and we all know, we can come back anytime”.
Cherrettie
Forever Paisley 
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