Introducing....Kate Wright!!

Excited for snow in Boone, NC on a trip to visit Anna.

Catching the bouquet at Kate's wedding in November.

Name: Kate Wright (Miss Kate whenever referred/spoken to by Ms. Jean)

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Current City: Atlanta, Georgia

College: University of Georgia

Major: Special Education

Occupation: Kindergarten and 1st grade Special Education Teacher at Sope Creek Elementary

Connection to the Queen: Her daughter Abby's life long friend

One "must have" for the 3-Day: Best of Hanson playlist, on repeat

Favorite Quote: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him " Colossians 3:17

Favorite Elementary School Memory: Man...hard to choose. Too many good ones. I'll have to go with the one where our principal took me and Abby out of school on a school day to go to Tanners for lunch. We told the waitress that we were twins (even though we look nothing a like) and that it was our birthday. We got a free piece of cake :)

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: My other life long friend Anna made my husband and I's guest book for our wedding...it is so beautiful. It sits on our coffee table so that I can see it every day.

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen: Again, very hard to choose. One day Ms. Jean was driving Abby, Nancy, and I somewhere. We were all under the age of 10. We were driving down the street when Abby said "Mom, STOP, there's a lady!" Ms. Jean slammed on the brakes because she thought Abby saw a lady in front of the car that she was about to hit. What Abby actually saw was a lady in the side view mirror running after Ms. Jean's minivan waving her arms frantically. Since Ms. Jean had come to a complete stop thinking that she was about to plow someone over, the woman had time to run up to the car. Ms. Jean, cautiously, rolled the window down about an inch. The woman pleaded for Ms.Jean to take her to some church to try and get money for her sick babies. After some thought, and 911 being pre-dialed into her cell phone, Ms. Jean decided to give the woman a ride. I myself was doing some pleading of my own as the woman walked to the other side of the minivan to get in for Ms. Jean to PAH-LEASE take me home! I was scared out of my mind and did not want this lady getting into the car. I thought for sure this was all just a ploy so that she could pull a weapon out on all of us. Tears streaming down my face, Ms. Jean in her quick thinking told Abby to climb to the back seat, take her sweatshirt off, have me lay my head in her lap, and cover it with her sweatshirt. We rode for about 15 minutes with this woman in the car until we reached the church she needed to go to. As I peeked out from under the sweatshirt right as we pulled into the parking lot- I to this day can see her face, with her gold teeth, looking back at me with some crooked smile and saying "I'm gonna get you". From that day on, Ms. Jean and I lovingly bickered back and forth on whether this woman actually said that or not every time the story was brought up. I stuck to my guns, and she to hers. Regardless, we both laughed hysterically every time. Love and deeply miss that lady.

Introducing.....Dennis Nathaniel Byrd II

Den's Birthday

In L.A. for some hilarious adventures with Den after Junior Year

Name: Dennis Byrd

Hometown: Spartanburg, SC

Current City: Kennesaw, GA

College: UGA

Major: Sociology

Occupation (if applicable): Business Development Leader (I sell Mushrooms!)

Connection to the Queen: Great friends with Abbs

One "Must Have" for the 3-Day: A cool pair of sunglasses. You have to look stylish, right?

Favorite Quote: "Bloop, bloop, bloop" ~NeNe Leakes from the Real Housewives of Atlanta

Favorite Elementary School Memory: In second grade I won the best readers award. That was the first time I realized that I was actually kind of smart!

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: In 6th grade I made a clay pot inspired by Egyptian art. Today it is hanging in the Smithsonian. And by Smithsonian, I mean it is in my mom's closet.

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen and/or one of her kids: I have had many hilarious moments with Abby, but I think the most memorable was taking pictures in the photo booth at our good friend Amy's wedding!

Introducing.....Blais Hickey!!

Here is the first installment of "Get to Know Queen Jean's Supreme Team!"

Nancy and Blais as Arthur and Buster (I think...?)

Name: Blais Hickey

Hometown: Atlanta

Current City: Chapel Hill, NC

College: UNC Chapel Hill

Major: Global Studies and Environmental Studies

Connection to the Queen: mother of my best friend

One "Must Have" for the 3-Day: crazy socks

Favorite Quote: "Celebrate we will for life is short but sweet for certain" -DMB

Favorite Elementary School Memory: Playing Gotcha at recess and beating Mr. Aglira!

Favorite Craft project you've ever made or had given to you by someone: A sign one of my teammates made for me before the state cross country meet

Funny Story/Memory of the Queen and/or one of her kids: I went to Disney with Nancy, Jean and Jeff. We were having lunch outside one day and Jean told me that she hates birds because they always pooped on her. I didn't believe her but, lo and behold, that afternoon when we were walking around the park, she got pooped on! I thought it was hilarious, but she definitely didn't.

A Note From Hart

What is the glue that holds Abby and I together?

Yes we have known each other for 12 years, we played volleyball together, we’ve been to Europe and flown back in first class together, our mothers are teachers and our dads are great cooks, we had almost every class together in high school, we have the privilege of having a last name that starts with an “H”, etc. etc.

But I think the real bond that will always link Abs and I is our feet.

I officially fell in love with Abby when I found out what size shoes she wore. I was no longer the only 12 year old with a shoe size almost equivalent to their age. In our gym uniforms, Abby and I looked like two capital letter L’s. Our tall, gangly bodies were securely fastened to the ground with size 11 anchors. We knew the embarrassment of being told that women’s shoes didn’t come in our size. We had felt the agony of being sent to the men’s shoe department. We had suffered the cold sting of not sharing shoes with tiny-footed friends. At last! A sole-mate!

And that’s what Abby has been to me. A friend with large tootsies and an even larger heart.
Deciding to walk with Abby in the 3 Day was probably the easiest decision I have ever made. When someone you love has to go through something you can’t even imagine and an opportunity rises for you to help out in the smallest way, you take it. And besides, I couldn’t let her be the only woman in men’s shoes out there! In October, I will be walking in memory of Ms. Jean but in honor of Abby because there is no greater testament to Ms. Jean’s life than her daughters.