The Gentry Family

Picture this: Two girls. Four houses between them. A whole summer ahead. I like to think of Lexi as my sister, since neither of us were graced by any in our own families. Many days growing up we were inseparable. We invented sidewalk angels. When it begins to rain, you run outside and get into a precarious position on the sidewalk. And then just lay there as the rain falls down on top of you. After a few minutes, you get up and see the silhouette of a person lying on the sidewalk. Genius. We made music videos together. Sometimes walking around our neighborhood, sometimes in her basement, and sometimes on a train somewhere between Scotland and England. The kind that you make people sign contracts for before viewing so they will never reveal to anyone the contents within--because they are that embarrassing.

One summer we had an idea. A dream, rather. We wanted to go to England together. I asked my mom. She said if I raised the money, I could go. Logically, being just 15, there was no way that I was going to raise the money. We sat in my driveway dreaming up the dream. We walked around the neighborhood brainstorming ideas. We saw a vacuum standing outside someone's house. Next to their garbage can on the sidewalk. Perfect. We could use this vacuum to clean people's houses. That is how we would pay our way to England. We dragged it home, plugged it in, and found out it didn't work. (Duh.) That didn't stop us, though. We raised our money, went to England, and had one of the best times of our lives. Thanks, Lexi.

This Christmas vacation we both ended up spending time with our families back in Utah. So of course we got together, and of course I photographed her wonderful family. I had such a great time! I bundled up so warm I was sweating. Poor Gentry's had to look so nice they were shivering. It's all worth it in the end, right?












Now Lexi is married, has a sweet baby boy, and lives in Washington. Now I am married, two kids in tote, residing in Texas. Life has moved on from those lazy summer days together and we have gone our separate ways. And I still love her like a sister.