Claire's Sixth New Friend: Celebrating Moms!

In college, one of my best friends, Katie Goodsell, introduced me to one of her friends, Adam Miller. I just referred to him as Katie's friend and then didn't think much about him (Sorry Adam!). Well, turns out, Adam and Katie started dating a year after graduating from college, then, before long they were engaged and now married. I have now spent an insane amount of time with Adam (enjoying every second of course!); celebrating birthdays, weddings, engagements and holidays together and most recently celebrating the life of his amazing mother-in-law, Jill Goodsell, after her long and hard battle with cancer. This weekend as we celebrated Jill's life and passions, I had the opportunity to get to know Adam's mom, Julie Brinson. Julie is a 6, 7 and 8 grade science teacher from Walla Walla, WA and a mother of three great children, two of which are getting married about 12 months apart (this lady can handle stress!). Julie and her husband and their 10 year old daughter drove across the state of Washington to be with Katie and Adam this weekend and support them as they mourned the loss of Jill and celebrated the beautiful things she did with her life. I am really looking forward to seeing Julie and the gang again soon at the next family function (Is it awkward that I go to every Miller/Goodsell family function? Maybe a little.) Julie, thanks for raising such a great man to take care of my best friend! Cheers to mothers!

Julie and I sitting in Jill's beautiful garden in Woodinville, WA this weekend.

Katie and her mom Jill at the Crosby, Stills and Nash concert at Chateau St. Michelle in 2010.