Ah, Yes, the Joyous Event

OMG! THANK YOU ALL for all your words of congrats and good wishes! It really means a lot! Seriously, what a wonderful world it is when you are greeted so warmly.

It's been an interesting voyage ALREADY since we announced our engagement. Like so many big life events, there is already trepedition and worry and stress being expressed by many people about what shall now be referred to as THE WEDDING (trademark pending). A Lot of people have opinions. A lot of people are scared. I know that weddings, while widly considered joyous events, are also a pain in the ass, and for most of the participants and many attendees, they are a subject of much griping. Believe me, as someone who has already planned an aborted wedding, been a bridesmaid a few times, and attended several, I know what a wedding can produce in the way of neurosis and baggage. On the other side of it, I've also witnessed great miracles of tansendence on wedding days.

Still, if I had the money, I wouldn't hire a wedding planner, I'd hire a THERAPIST to be on hand for the entire process. There's no getting beyond THE FEELINGS weddings produce. Relatively sane people can be reduced to raging puddles of insecurities, while borderline types should be kept away from sharp objects and gun cabinets. When you have a patchwork family, made up of people who aren't necessarily pleased they are still sewn together, it gets, shall we say, INTERESTING. Interesting is one way to put it, CERTAFIABLY TOUCHY is another.

We are getting married IN A YEAR, and already there are (cough) CONCERNS. Why spend money on a wedding at all? Why have an event that just stirs the shizzle? Why not just elope? All good questions. Yet, I want one--even if it's rickety and taped together and totally coming apart at the seams. I mean, how great is it that you get to make out with someone in public (to cheering), wear a fun dress, and eat good cake all in one day? Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

Ultimately, the dream for me is to be surrounded by the people I love and the people who have helped bring me to this commitment. I also would love it if the war in Iraq would end, and that the lion would indeed lay down with the lamb, but you must learn to PICK YOUR BATTLES. I say, if it's too much (emotionally and/or financially) for people to come to a wedding, that is absolutely their business and they should not attend. It isn't a jury summons, it's an invitation--so people should be free to come or not.

Then again, there are also some miracles already at work. A friend has already offered to provide a cake AND a possible honeymoon spot (thank you, MINGO!). Don't laugh, but I've already found a wedding dress and it's comfortable and beautiful and CHEAP. Given that it is only week 3, with an entire YEAR to go, it will be interesting to see where all this leads us.

In the mean time, I have appointments with my shrink lined up, an excited happiness still buzzing in my heart, and LOTS OF TIME to keep me going.