Shiny Objects

It's 5:25 on a Saturday evening.  If it was winter, this would be straight up night.  But since it's only summer, I more like to think of it as evening.  It's 5:26 now.  And I'm drinking coffee.  Hot coffee.  Sitting on my patio in the 84 degree weather.  

I'm maybe not normal.  

I have been working on writing a little ditty of a story and a few minutes ago, I looked up and saw my reflection in my laptop screen and couldn't help but chuckle.  Blonde wind blown all over hair with serious roots...

Here's where I digress and say that on Thursday I turned to a group of ladies, grabbed a chunk of my locks, and said, "Now I'm not sure if you can tell this, but this is not my real hair color."  

Here's where I really digress again and say that I have a hair appointment on Monday.  

Now back to my reflection.  Crazy hair I ended up holding back with my fingers.  Glasses.  And a very distinguished forehead wrinkle crease thing between my eyes.  Like I was seriously concentrating.  I was.  It wasn't "like a" situation.  I was concentrating on what I was writing.  Thinking.  Pursed lips and all.    

I was focused.  

Until I became distracted with the joy of reflective objects.  

Look Something Shiny Syndrome.  I have that. 

 But here's what else I know I have.  

A sense of peace with who I am.  

I am at peace with myself.  It took me 28 years to get here.  To the place where I can honestly say I get who I am.   

And I'm happy with who I am.  

I can't tell you how I arrived at this place; it's not a series of pin pointable moments or a  book of how-to's.  I don't know the why and the how.  I suppose it's different for everyone.  Sow your own oats right?       

But I can tell you that I hope everyone gets there.  Life is way too short to not enjoy the shit out of your own company.    

I officially will now go back to what I originally was working on.  It's 5:39 now.  14 minutes of distract-ability at its finest.  Dang those shiny objects. 

Libby : Sneak

A couple evenings ago, I made the forty-five minute drive to a nearby lake to meet Libby and her family at my friends' lake cabin.  You see, it had been arranged by Libby's aunt for me to take her senior pictures.  I work with Libby's aunt and she thought we'd be a match in style so she set it all up for us to meet in the middle and do the pictures at her lake cabin.   

Let me just say this, if I have anything close to this going on, then I feel like doing a fist pump, a star-jack, and a donkey kick all at the same time.  Because Libby?  Well, she has style.   

We had a fabulous time together.  And at the end of the night, when we were all sitting around the campfire, Libby said to her aunt, "It was fun and chill because she is young, hip, and happening."  

I will take that from a teenager.  I sure will.  

But I'm pretty sure Libby deserves 97.5% of the credit for the results.  

These are just a tiny morsel of a sneak from our session.  I might add that none of these are even the one that caused me to become so excited my gum flew out of my mouth and onto the dock. 

I'll be drinking coffee tomorrow morning and editing the rest.  The makings of a lovely Saturday morning. 

The Big Day

Moe and Joe's wedding day couldn't have been more spectacular.  The location was out of this world.  The decor was spot on to set the mood.  Everyone was spiffed, coiffed, and looking their finest.  The weather, albeit hottt, was not windy nor rainy and in this state, that's a gift.  Family and friends were present. 

The makings of a wedding celebration were all accounted for.   

The best part though?  Better than anything that could be bought or created or planned for...was that love took center stage.  I've been at weddings where the details of the ceremony and the reception and the dance over shadow the real purpose, the joining of two lives.  This was not one of those.  Moe and Joe's love for each other was guest number one.  I can't really use words to describe watching them share their vows because saying that it was special seems cliche and not packed with the meaning it needs.  But, it was.  It was special.  Like we were watching something big.    

When clouds came over the ceremony at just the right moment, like they had been ordered to provide much needed shade to us all, a tear ran down my cheek.  Because I knew that it was Erin's brother Matt doing his part and showing us he had the best seat of all.  He would have loved to have been able to be standing up there with his baby sister.  

Even though his physical presence is no longer with us, Matt's presence was not lacking that day, nor any other day in the lives of his sisters.  He was there.  Giving his blessing through the clouds.  

And just like any good celebration, fun was had by all.  Even a frog enjoyed the family wine.  All of those people who joined in the fun and visited and laughed and sipped their cocktails under the shade of the tent were there for one reason.  To show their support for two people they all love in some way.  

It's not every day we get to witness and be a part of something big.  Moe and Joe's wedding was  a big moment.  But I have a feeling their life together will be even bigger.       

The Run Through

Erin is my cousin.  She and I are cut from the same cloth and I love her like a sister.  Dad-o started calling her Moe because he is all about nicknames and she was engaged to Joey when it started.  Moe and Joe.  It made sense.  It has stuck.  

But Moe and Joe aren't engaged anymore.  Because now they are MARRIED!  

I was privileged and honored to be a part of their big weekend as Moe's personal attendant.  I love a job like that because it involves being organized and doing a little bossing.  Both attributes I keep in my right pocket at all times.  At the rehearsal, I also found out I would be running the sound system for the wedding ceremony.  Ummm...I think Moe forgot about my attention wandering tendencies when she assigned me to that job.  There was a whole lot of knobs and buttons and I sometimes see things that are sparkly and forget about what I'm supposed to be doing.  So I was nervous and made the groomsman who was in charge of setting all that up explain the run down of which button did what job about fifty-three times.  I like to make sure my bases are covered.  

Anyway, besides DJ Amy learning to run the sound system the night of rehearsal, there was magic taking place.  

The scorching hot sun that had baked us earlier in the day started to chill and sink, family and friends all gathered for common love of two special people, a sacred ritual of "with this ring" was practiced, tear and heart filled speeches were given, laughter was shared, the family wine made its appearance, and to top it off...a contest of water balloon capped the evening.  A soaked bride and a guilty groom.  Perfection. 

Who doesn't love a little friendly competition?  Not anyone in my family that is for sure.  Because Moe took getting soaked like a champ.  Didn't bat a bride eye.  

 

Moe and Joe's rehearsal was an evening that made me think, "Yes, real love is possible."  Because  those two goofballs who can laugh with each other and have fun with each other...they have it.  They really do.  And it was an honor to witness.