Penny Malwitz, Maid of Honor

Penny has always been more like a big sister to me than a cousin; we even look like sisters. I was her matron of honor when she got married several years ago and there was no doubt that she would gladly return the favor, especially when we decided to get married at Walt Disney World.

When I was younger I spent many summers with Penny and her family at their lake cabin. I can still remember the endless lazy summers spent in bathing suits at the lake… Sleeping on the top bunk bed and bonking your head on the ceiling when you sat up straight, eating Fruity Pebble breakfasts in the yellow gingham curtained kitchen, walking down the dirt road to the resort candy store, having to use the outhouse, being green from the lake water and learning how NOT to water-ski (aka drinking lots of lake water and dredging the bottom of the lake while everyone is yelling “Let go of the rope”).

Thanks for all the great memories.

 - Johna -

I often have to remind myself that Penny and Johna aren't sisters. When they're standing side-by-side, you'd swear they are. Penny was one of the first people Johna couldn't wait to call and tell that she was engaged, which showed me how close Johna and Penny still are, even though they can't get together as often.

Beyond being Johna's virtual-sister, I have two things I'm most thankful for when it comes to Penny:

1. She introduced me to the only thing I like at Don Pablo's, Queso dip. Without this, dinner there would be unbearable.

2. At Penny's wedding, she pretty much pegged her bouquet right at Johna, solidifying Johna's place as the next one to get married, and causing an entire room to look straight at me knowing "I'd be next."