Over twenty years ago, Megan and I met at school. She was shy, which I would never believe now, but at the time it was true. We were friends immediately the way it happens when you’re young. We played soccer together and shared skipping ropes. In the summers we went to camp together and traipsed through the woods, flung water balloons at the enemy, made dresses out of seaweed and slathered ourselves in mud. She kicked my butt every year in shot put.

As we got older, our friendship evolved. We became more like sisters than friends, I like to think. I know that even if Megan hasn’t agreed with every decision I’ve ever made, she always has my back. And I have hers. Our friendship survived me moving away from Ottawa for almost ten years. While I was off at school, travelling, and working, Megan herself was elbow deep in post-secondary. And she met Ben.

Ben is the calm to Megan’s passion and the easy-going to Megan’s drive. These two fill in each other’s empty places. They’re better together, and together they’re waiting to welcome a little boy. He’s due to arrive any day now, and Megan — who never lets anything hold her down — wanted me to take maternity photos of her at 8.5 months pregnant, even though it involved jumping over snowbanks and wading knee deep through fresh powder.

Congrats, Megan and Ben. I can’t wait to meet your son!