About

This blog is about 5 women.  It is about being best friends for 15 years.  It is about everything.

It’s about being a woman.  It’s about being single and about being married.  It’s about dreaming of motherhood and about being a mother.  It’s about finding fashion, finding time, and finding yourself.  It’s about remembering your budget while building your dreams.

Its 5 friends laughing and crying over what it is like to be somewhere between a happy hour glass of wine and the sounds of whine that follows two year olds and teething.

When you’re little, you dream about who you will be one day – a veterinarian, teacher, broadcast journalist…the opportunities are endless.  As you get older, you learn more about yourself, and one day something special happens…you know yourself.  Your likes, dislikes, and fears.  What makes you laugh uncontrollably, or makes you cry instantly is suddenly there for everyone to see, raw and imperfect

I grew up in a small town, wanting desperately to fit in.  Whether I did or not, I’m still not sure.  Along the way, I met people who had a lasting influence on my life, morphing my character and optimism into who I am today.  Each day, on my way to work, between my the fact that I need to go grocery shopping, and need to improve my relationship skills, I make a decision to have a good day and remember that I am ultimately in control of my happiness.

I am from Lancaster County, and much of my family resides in the Eastern PA, but I live in Pittsburgh and made the decision to move out here after college, for me (and only me).  I put most of my time and effort into my professional career as a Development Director, and also into my relationships with my husband, Lance and our two dogs, and my best friends and family.  What I treasure most about my best friends is that no matter where we are in our lives, what mistakes we have made, and how many miles are in between our daily lives, we love one another and have a resilient bond.  Someone told me once that I was resilient – recovering from adversity like a bouncy ball smacking on the pavement.  I carry that with me, knowing that I can achieve anything I want to.  It’s all up to me.

 

I am Rachel.  I met my best friends in 6th grade.  Katie’s father was my teacher.  That year my father passed away.  I was young and it was a time of life that is naturally hard with the traditional growing pains of a teenager from a less than fortunate family.  I don’t remember that year clearly, it blurred past.   Most years of middle school are hard to recount.  I do remember that this is when Katie’s family took me in.  In time things like dance, and boys, and parties brought me close to Meagan, and Kristina, and Carolyn.  Often I took the harder routes to learn my life lessons.  I skipped out on high school and chose waitress life before committing to the idea of College.  After graduating from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, from there living in Baltimore, Maryland, and later Chicago, Illinois for my career in higher education.  Eventually I realized my heart was where my family of friends is – good old Pennsylvania.

Since moving to Pittsburgh in January of 2014 I have been searching for a career I love.  I am lucky to be living with a man I love.  Actually- I am living a life that I love.  I’m the last ‘single’  lady in this group of friends, but I am hopelessly in love with it all in the mean time.

I am extraordinarily normal and one of 5 children – which allows me to be the most empathetic and sympathetic person you might imagine.  My friends will call me free spirited, sassy, and sarcastic.  I hope to leave a life where people remember I was hard working, generous, and I hope everyone will say I threw a DAMN good party!

Thanks for getting to know me, I hope through 5andwhine that you learn a little and laugh a lot!

 

I grew up in a traditional family with an older brother and two involved, supportive parents. I was naive throughout my childhood and thought that every family had a mom and dad, went to church on Sunday mornings, participated in sports, and vacationed all summer long. But as the years progressed, and I was introduced to my best friends, I was quickly faced with the reality that life is not the same for everyone. During high school and into college, my thoughts and actions were continually challenged and shaped by the world around me. This is where my drive for new experiences and travel began.

 I am a teacher by trade. However, I live for a new adventure, seek after the unknown, and, most of all, I love to be able to look back on an experience and say, “I accomplished that.” My husband and I share the same outlook on life and are currently renovating our second home.  We see the hidden potential and enjoy making it our own, one day…one project at a time.

 I am still learning to trust myself and have faith that I am capable of accomplishing whatever I put my mind to. My faith in God has grown stronger over the past few years, as I constantly seek Him for guidance and reassurance. At church a few moths ago, we were introduced to the idea of “focusing on the approval of God”.  This single thought continues to shape the decisions I make in my life, including this blog. I am excited to share this journey with my best friends and guests who visit this site.

     

Who knew that growing up in small town America would give me such great insight into the true meaning of coming home.  After graduating from college my now husband and I moved to California to experience West Coast living (against the better judgement of our friends and family).  In 2009 we took off for the Pacific and my search for my dream job in the fashion industry.  After working retail management and then at an online wholesaler we knew that our real place was in PA. Although leaving was one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to make we knew that being closer to our family was something that we both needed/wanted.  Now were living the newlywed dream in Pittsburgh in our first house, and being close to family and friends has been so amazing. 

 I grew up in a relatively normal household, a teacher mom and a purchasing agent dad, 2 brothers and a baby sister, a dog and numerous cats.  I loved dancing, singing, and anything that had to do with hanging out with my girlfriends.  I was boy crazy and had big dreams of being a wife and mommy.  I met my husband in college and 6 months after we married we found out we were expecting.  In October of 2012 we met our sweet and sassy Sydney.  6 months after Syd was born we found out I was expecting again. Our beautiful and cuddly Elliot was born in

November of 2013.

My dreams of wife/momma hood has been far exceeded.  When someone tells you pre-kids how amazing parenthood is, you don’t realize just how amazing it is.  The love I have for my two beautiful little girls is unimaginable and the love I have for my husband since birthing them has grown in leaps and bounds.   I never knew my “niche” in life until I met Sydney and Elliot; they are the reason I was put on this earth.  I have truly learned the meaning of unconditional love!

Through all of the normalness of my life there has been one major constant.  My amazing group of girlfriends.  These girls know everything about me…what makes me tick, cry, laugh, and even pee my pants.  Many times they have been my backbone, my cheerleader and my conscious.  They have helped shape me into the woman I am today.  Yes, I may be a little judgmental, sometimes cynical and overly emotional but they love me for who I am; and for that I am forever grateful!

 

Advertisement