Justine’s First Best Friend, Ashley

Justine was a likeable and sociable person right from birth. She was an extrovert with a capital E. Friends were plentiful and for life. She managed to make time for each and every one. Her first BFF was Ashley Barron.

Ashley 11 weeks Justine 5 weeks

Ashley’s mom, Meribeth was a coworker of mine who just happened to become pregnant six weeks before I did. This cemented us as lifelong friends and our daughters (both of them, as our second ones were due on the same day!) as very good friends growing up. Meribeth and I raised our children simultaneously and in tandem. Meribeth even breast fed Justine once. I babysat Ashley and her sister, Jennifer for several months when their mom started back to work. I called them the “Bobbsy Twins”

Ashley, Justine, Candice and Jennifer
Justine loved Ashley and we made sure the girls spent many happy hours playing together as we (parents) met social obligations. One weekend Ashley and Jennifer would spend with us and another Justine and Candice would spend with Meribeth and her husband, Bob. 

Ashley is an artist. She makes illustrations for children’s books. She doesn’t just draw the scenes, she cuts each leaf, twig, body part and blade of grass out of paper and fabric. It’s absolutely amazing! Justine would be so proud of her friend.

Ashley Barron’s art
Ashley Barron illustrates children’s books
An article in the Toronto newspaper
My grandson, Oliver is very lucky to own a piece of Ashley Barron’s art

Here is her blog site if you’d like to see more of her art.

10 thoughts on “Justine’s First Best Friend, Ashley”

  3. This is such a sweet post, Cathy. Thank you for including me in her story. Your family played such a large part in ‘little me’ growing into ‘bigger me’ and I have too many memories to count of time spent together. Every now and then a previously unearthed memory will show it’s face for a fleeting second and I’ll try to corner it down, taking in what I can: birthdays, sleepovers, interiors of our houses, pools, backyards, what music was playing, a specific game, outings, malls and movies. As blurry and tangled as these sudden insights are, one thing is always clear as a bell and that is Justine’s voice and her laugh especially. That I will always have.

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