Portrait by Ann Bertschin Photography

This Gurl.  My KD.  She’s been a force in my life since 7th grade.  Cheerleading brought us together; a love for great music, roller-skating and dancing solidified our friendship.  When I think of Kerrie, photographic moments in time run through my mind: getting ready for an outing. . . lip gloss, curling irons, hot rollers, music blaring, Mary Kay makeup (remember the lip palette with 6 colors?), some kind of musk perfume (Jovan or Coty), combs in back pockets.  The list goes on.  Even though Kerrie and I lived in the same county (she in Locust Grove, me in McDonough), our homes were probably 15 miles away from each other.  In the mid-eighties when both of us would be home on break from college (we went to different schools), that distance wouldn’t daunt her and her Datsun B-210 from coming to scoop me up to make the drive to the Atlanta nightclubs: Limelight, Sneakers, Confetti, Baby Doe’s, etc.  Our “thing” was to commandeer a speaker that both of us could fit on, and dance on it all night long.  Then came marriage and babies, and even though we lived states away from each other at this point, we’d always pick right up wherever we left off.  I distinctly remember one visit that she and her daughter, Lindsey, came to visit us when we moved to South Carolina.  It was our first real adult visit.  We both had marriage and a baby under our belts.  Just KD and I sat at a bar and dissected life since seventh grade.  We talked about our parents’ lives and how their relationships had helped mold our own.  I came away from that visit with a renewed appreciation of my “other” parents, Pat and Warren Davis.  The years in between have been filled with such great memories, happiness, joking, laughter, singing, dancing.  .  . all the very best things in life.  True friendship.  Old friendship.  Like, this person knows me.  And loves me.

B-Team cheerleading pic. Kerrie is one of the posers, bottom right 😉

Although you won’t glean it from Kerrie’s answers below, she’s a very accomplished woman.  She has always been one of the smartest people I know (dean’s list throughout college).  Could read something once and it was hers.  She’s a “big picture” girl who still has a great understanding of small details.  She’s thrived in both corporate  and academic worlds.  She makes friends wherever she goes, and literally never meets a stranger.  That quality has served her well.  She’s revered in her career, community, and church.  Kerrie is Gold.

The stuff about her that is really interesting, and gives her even more depth is the stuff I’ll never write about. The idiosyncrasies that make us lovable, if only to each other.  She’s one of my friends with whom I could retire in a Granny-Pod.  And that about says it all.

This is my Kerrie Davis Ward.  February 28, 2016 is her 50th birthday.  Isn’t She Lovely?

Once again, getting ready at the Davis home. This is Kerrie and me before our 5th high school reunion. Both just out of college with big girl jobs.

What did you do within a year of graduating HCHS in 1984?Went to college, started dating someone I didn’t grow up with, met a lot of new people from different places!

Describe your life since graduating high school.  What are you doing now?    I am happily married, working for a major university, enjoying my 3 children and very active in my church and community.

What activity brings you great joy?    I love reading, supporting school activities and sports with my kids, and spending time outdoors.

Do you still see any of your friends from high school?  Explain.    I keep in touch through social media which is such a great tool as most of us are so busy with family, jobs and extra curricular activities – it’s a great way of keeping up with everyone.

How do you feel about turning 50?  What does “50” mean to you?    It used to be a big scary age that meant one had arrived at being “old.”  Now, everyone I know who is my age or older is looking better, taking better care of themselves, dressing fashionably and it seems like the age gap is shrinking.   My kids tell me all the time “I’m not old” – and I can trust them to be brutally honest.

Portrait by Ann Bertschin Photography. MAC Power Point eye liner in Buried Treasure. Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, NARS’ Orgasm blush, Glo Minerals Satin Lip Pencil + Lucas Paw Paw Ointment (for gloss), L’oreal Voluminous Mascara.

What do you do to maintain your looks? (hair, makeup, skin care, exercise, etc.)   Water is key – it makes me feel better, and I feel like my wrinkles are less present once I’ve had my 80 oz for the day.  I’m very basic with my skin care routine – but I am diligent – I always wash, exfoliate and moisturize my skin and I always use sunscreen.  I have colored my hair in the past, but not lately.   I’ve been blessed with good genes so my hair is graying slowly so for right now – – I’m ok with embracing my natural color.  I exercise in moderation due to my time limitations.  I try to “work in” natural exercise in my everyday living.  I take the stairs, walk a little farther to the car and  try to keep moving once I’m at home at night.

Knowing what you now know, what advice would you give your 18-year old self?    Limit those empty carbs and fill up on those veggies you love so much!

What guilty pleasures do you allow yourself?    A bit of dark chocolate and red wine are my decadent pleasure – they are rich in taste and texture so I feel like I am having a treat.

Name a couple teachers who were important to you in your educational years, and why.    Oh to only pick a couple … Rebecca Rummel-Weimer (Spanish, French teacher) – She was so accomplished speaking 3 languages and having the basics of Mandarin.  Living in a small town, it was so fascinating to hear all her stories of places she had been and things she had done.  It was very inspiring.  Mr. Demme was my high school geometry teacher.  He made math fun and interesting – but the person he was and how he treated others is what stood out to me the most.  He was always fair and even-tempered and seemed to fit in with everyone.

What does the next decade hold for you?  What are your dreams and wishes for this decade?    As I move my children to their next phase in life, I want to go back to school to pursue my Masters.  I also want to tackle some of the creative home projects I’ve been inspired to try – thank you Pinterest. Learn more, do more, share more and enjoy more!

At my wedding.

Keith Urban concert.

“Let’s meet in Statesboro” Poolside with KD. Just a random visit in between CHS and The Grove so we could catch up.

The Hens. 2006. “Too Sexy to Be 40” Thanks to Kay, Kerrie, and Terrie. This trip to the beach will go down in infamy.