An Ode to Sara Ehrhardt

My dear, lovely Sara has been my friend since the awkward age of 16 when we were exchange students in Wilhelmshaven, Germany together, along with Ailsa, whom loyal blog readers already know.

Sara is actually a redhead. It is my birth defect that I too wasn't born with red hair. She has milky white skin and beautiful curls and I was always so jealous of her when we were in Germany. Maybe I'm just channeling her now as an adult!

I fake this coloring with the use of hair dye and good makeup technique...

Sara's a natural.

Natural is a great word to describe Sara. She's a free spirit, but grounded enough to have a great career as an Engineer. An Engineer. I have a friend who is an Engineer. Most of my friends tap dance. Not that there's anything wrong with tap dancing, but seriously. Not only is Sara an Engineer (I'm so impressed I keep capitalizing it!), she's also done a lot of work for Engineers Without Borders Canada, doing things like building irrigation systems. Thank goodness for someone like Sara, who not only has the brains to build such things, but the heart to inspire her to do so!

However, she is not currently working specifically as an Engineer (is one always an Engineer, even if using their skills in a slightly different avenue?) She is currently employed by Finance Canada in the International Trade and Finance group to work on Canada's international assistance budget and climate change. Brains, a heart of gold and milky white skin. Who's not jealous?

All in all, the best way I can sum up Sara is that I think she is Super Woman. I think there is nothing she couldn't accomplish if she desired it. She follows her heart, and has the abilities and the passions to make things happen.

I am grateful to have known her this long in my life, and just so humbled to have her donation towards my crazy marathon goal. I carry her with me every day in little ways. It's that way when you know someone as long as us crazy Exchange Student girls have known each other, when you share something as obscure as a year living in a small coastal town in Germany. She, and all those girls, share a large part in the woman I am today. And I am always grateful for that. Always.