Wow... Got some news this morning that really blew my mind, to coin a phrase. This is going to need some serious (and tightly filtered) blogging in response. Happy? Sad? Relieved? Weirded out? Definitely. But right now, just sort of turning a little inward after the shock and thinking... I'm happy with who I am, where I am right now. I'm happy. ( Read more... )

Ian and I often end up in these wonderful deep talks that start over dinner and meander into a late night. We had a good one tonight, very cheerful, and very challenging. He's my best friend, and I find him so fascinating, and sometimes so alien. I love talks like these! Tonight, I discovered, rediscovered, or confirmed the following things about ( Read more... )

My father passed away when I was about to turn 14. Some of my most poignant memories of that time are what people said and didn't say. A close friend of mine since 1st Grade has, to this day, never mentioned my father's death at all. Her silence stuck out amidst even the most simple sympathies people delivered. I don't bear a grudge against her; I ( Read more... )

I grieved last year, a lot. I don't want to go through that again today. My thoughts and commentary on the anniversary of last year's tragedies are limited to pride in my husband. The CFO of his company was on one of those planes out of Boston. The CEO, a man Dave knows and likes a lot, was supposed to be there as well, but missed his flight. Their ( Read more... )

I've mentioned several times that the dead in my family continue delivering gifts at appropriate holidays. Grandparents I can't remember, my father, friends of the family -- they all set gifts under the Christmas tree and on the birthday table with a little help from the living. It's kind of an Irish thing, I guess. The dead not only continue with ( Read more... )

I'm barely arrived home from my wedding and honeymoon, a/k/a The Longest Vacation in Recorded History! After 19 days of a whirlwind of nervous wedding planning, joyous celebration with loving hearts, color, music, sun, fun, sunburn, island rum, the Lazy River, gorgeous blue Caribbean seawater, coconuts, bananas, love, love, love, I was ready to ( Read more... )

Dave and I leave for the wedding tomorrow, and I can hardly contain my excitement!

Bought my veil yesterday: $135. Shee-it. Shouldn't they wear masks with those prices? They're praying on my desperation. Oh well. It worked...This time. Bastards!

My mother gave me her engagement ring for Something Borrowed. I saved it for her when my family fell ( Read more... )

The past two weeks have been a giant whirlwind of travel and wedding plans and one extreme to the other in weather and seemingly culture. ( Press on... )

Atlanta was gorgeous last weekend, full of sunshine and blooming spring flowers! It did my heart glad to know it's springtime for real somewhere in the world. It certainly isn't in my front yard. It's been snowing all week. The temperature won't rise above 50 for another week. Ugh. I'm over this winter thing ( Read more... )

Anxiety nightmares about wedding planning are very common to brides, I'm told. If you have friends who are getting married, try asking the bride if she's experienced any nightmares during the planning. I bet you'll find yourself in an amusing conversation! ( Read more... )