Brandy, Bridesmaid

Last October in Ogunquit, Maine for Em and Jordan's wedding

Brandy Shoup has been a part of the “Cooper” family tradition for as long as I can remember. She grew-up “across the alleyway” beside Saint Michael’s, our childhood parish. Brandy's brother also went to school with me, but alas, nothing is more priceless than she and my sister getting into trouble for sidewalk-chalking an old garage in the church parking lot. The incident was even in the Butler Eagle (our town’s small newspaper publication). They, of course, weren’t bad kids—just artistic, I guess. Technically, it was vandalism, though. It’s a good thing the police found their actions to be relatively innocent, too. But she was breaking the rules with my younger sister—that’s why I liked her.

I hung out many an afternoon with Brandy and Emily, cutting hair, dying hair, dressing-up, and doing make-up. If you can name some of our childhood shenanigans, Brandy was usually around. And she recently did this for Emily last October—now ya’ gotta do it again, sista. ;)