....

Angel and I were 11 years old when we met at a mutual friend's birthday party in the middle of the summer. We hit it off, but didn't see one another again until the first day of school. I was in the middle of a crowded hallway, amidst a sea of unrecognizable faces, when all of a sudden I saw Angel pop up over everyone else, meet my eyes, and yell, "Hey, I know you!" And the rest, as they say, is history.

I remember going to her house when we were younger, and her sisters had matching bob haircuts and her mom drove a giant yellow Cadillac. Her brother was barely a toddler. I remember finding out that her mom was in college, studying to be a nurse. I remember being so impressed by that, because she was the first mom I knew who was in college, and I couldn't believe she'd been out of school for so long and had the guts to go back. And I could see how hard she worked, while still taking care of four kids. That was unfathomable to me at that age. When she started working at U of M, I used to wonder, "Now if I have a baby, would it be feasible for someone to drive me all the way to Ann Arbor to deliver it?"

I remember their old cat, Kermit, who her mom was convinced was a boy. We kept telling her, "Um, I think Kermit's pregnant." And I think up until the kittens were actually born and looking at her, her mom would answer each pregnancy assertion with, "No, he's not, he just ate a rabbit."

Kermit birthed many litters and one of the kittens from those litters birthed my cat, Knuckles. Angel's brother wanted to keep Knuckles because he looked different than every other cat in the litter, but Angel's mom insisted that I take him home, because she knew he'd lose interest in the cat before I would.

I remember family vacations, and being invited along and taken to beautiful cabins in Hocking Hills, and fed delicious food. I remember getting in trouble in high school, and never being judged by her, always being accepted...

When Angel moved to California, there was an ice storm back here in Michigan. I lived in an apartment with well water and we had no power, but on day 2, I had to go back to work and desperately needed a shower. I called Angel's mom and she said, "Yup, we have power, come on over!" Without Angel even on the same coast, she welcomed me over to intrude on her morning in a house full of people who I'm sure also needed the bathroom.

When she got sick, and Angel would visit, she would still be kind and generous, never letting on that she was exhausted, and in pain. I remember going to her house last summer, and even though everyone kept telling her that she didn't need to, she would ride around on a golf cart and pick the vegetables that had grown on the farm. Then she insisted that I take a carload of them home, and come back whenever I wanted more. I kept meaning to make zuccini bread out of the giant zuccini she gave me, but never quite got around to it...

And even in her last weeks, I remember sitting on a stool in her room, laughing about her dogs with her and shaking our heads at each other over sibling rivalry happening in the other room. Always smiling, even then...

Thank you for all of your kindness and generosity over all of these years, Tina. The world is a worse place without you in it.

Half-A'd Update

I noticed today that I have not updated my blog for a really long time. And that I always say that. I am a blog slacker. But I have been working my regular job, and working a second job, and being married, and not cleaning my house, and there were all these pool parties I had to attend...

As you can see, my slack-y-ness is not my fault.

I will try to visit you more often...

Engaged-iversary

Awesome Things I Have Witnessed Recently

- A girl at the beach at Lake Michigan, talking to a bunch of her friends in a bikini, while nonchalantly scratching her crotch. I mean, really going to town on it. While they all just kept talking to her like she wasn't almost knuckle-deep.

- Two girls at the Tom Petty concert, dancing as if they were on ecstasy throughout the whole concert, NOT to the beat of the music. Except during one slower song, and I'm pretty sure they were to the beat that time purely by accident.

- Another crazy broad at Tom Petty who broke down in tears because the usher told her she was in the wrong seat and that her correct seat was actually in a better location. She didn't want to move. To a better location.......

- A customer at the bank who said, "The tax place was closed when I got there! Are they only open in the morning?" To which I responded, "I don't live around here, I'm not sure. Did they have hours posted on the door?" "Yeah, they did." !! Seriously?

- My DVD player tried to hold True Blood hostage, so we had a war, which I won...now if only the battle wound on my finger would heal...

- A 50-60 year old man, riding his bike down 223, wearing a bright, flourescent green shirt so your eye was really drawn to him...with his penis hanging out of his shorts. And either he was really happy about riding his bike...or good for you, buddy!

- My Brazilian brother, Eduardo, in town with his sister and girlfriend. Short visit, but a great one!

- Bobby giving the boys dolphin rides in Lake Michigan, while other confused swimmers watched, and Bobby's girlfriend Sarah and I laughed... (p.s. there is video...)

A Long Winded Post About a Gal's Wedding...

I have been totally MIA when it comes to this blog. I hope the three of you who read it haven't missed me too much, haha. Obviously I was very busy planning my wedding, then having my wedding, then being on my honeymoon. Then I was busy being home and getting back to normal, non-wedding life. Which has been super busy. I have a lot to share, but for today, I will stick with sharing some of the highlights of the wedding (well, highlights from my point of view, anyway)... :)

** While waiting for our turn to walk down the aisle during the Rehearsal, my dad pulling out a bottle of water, taking a drink, and telling me, "This will be gin tomorrow."

** While waiting for our turn to walk down the aisle during the wedding, my dad turned to me and said, "I hope I don't take too much attention from you. I look really good today. I hope some people will actually look at you." Then as we were walking down the aisle, "I hope everyone's not just staring at me..."

** The night before the wedding, my sister Lauren and our best friend Holly spent the night at my house. When we were growing up, the three of us did EVERYTHING together. Always. Since we were like 1. So the 3 of us spending the night before my wedding together was very appropriate. We had a ridiculously good time. We ran around my apartment, drinking beers and shooting each other with Nerf guns ("someone" shot me in the eye; I won't name names, but I do remember yelling, "NOT MY EYE! I'M GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW!"). We ran next door to Stuart's apartment and hung out with him for awhile, then came back for more beer and tons more laughs at my place. The perfect ending to my days as an unmarried lady.

** When I put my dress on before the wedding, I got a lot of "Ooohs!" and "Ahhs!" But when I put on my veil...that's when I think it all got very real and I got a lot of sniffles...

** My best friend Angel cried during the wedding rehearsal, which I thought was very touching, and then throughout the wedding, I could hear sniffles coming from the bridesmaid side behind me...I think she started a crying chain, haha....but I thought it was very sweet. Myself, I was OK until I got to the end of the aisle with my dad and Cory was standing there, and I knew it was the part where I'd be given away...I teared up, then I looked at Lauren and made her tear up...Pf's can never withstand another crying Pf...gets us everytime...haha...

** From my point of view, I couldn't see my flower girl, Nevaeh, go down the aisle. She was very shy about the whole thing during the rehearsal, so I was hoping she wouldn't freeze up during the wedding. When we came down the aisle, I could see that she hadn't quite frozen up all the way...she managed to drop big bunches of flowers in two places- at the beginnning of the aisle, and the end. I guess she threw the first bunch, got shy, then saw my friend Bethany's husband and daughter holding out candy, which is how they coaxed her down the rest of the way. So she got to the end. threw one more bunch, and jumped into the pew with them...and the candy.















** Instead of saying, "I do," Cory said, "Definitely!" <3

** We were so blown away by the love, affection and generosity of everyone who came to the wedding. It was amazing the amount of people who came to town, and from how far away they all came. We had family from all parts of Pennsylvania, DC, and Kansas; friends from all over California, Kentucky, Michigan; my friend Darren came all the way from Georgia and my best friend Angel came all the way from Tokyo!! She was one of my bridesmaids and she flew in the day before the rehearsal! I know she had to be exhausted, but she didn't show it and was the perfect bridesmaid. ;)














** My dress was ridiculously huge in the skirt.



It was exhausting to wear because it weighed so much, but I wouldn't have changed a thing about it, I seriously LOVE that dress (I miss it already!). But, to go anywhere before I had it bustled after the ceremony, it took most of 7 of my bridesmaids to carry it. And my poor gals had to put my shoes on, take them off, put them back on when it was time for the garter, and take them back off after. Sara also put my garters on for me before the wedding, cause I forgot to put them on before my dress. Obviously, all of my bridesmaids are very good sports. They are lucky that I got so swept up in the wedding business that I didn't ever use the restroom while I had the dress on. Cause that woulda been tricky. Believe me.

** Cory and I danced our first dance at the reception to Neil Young's "Harvest Moon". That was a really great moment for me. So romantic, and so wonderful. I had that song in my head for days afterward. Another great dancing moment was when "Weak", by Belinda Carlisle- a song I specifically requested the DJ play- came on. I couldn't find Cory anywhere and really wanted to dance to it, so I grabbed my friend Stephanie and we slow danced to it. Also had a great 3-gal dance circle during "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey.















** The kids at the reception were so much fun!! I had a lot of dance requests from the little girls, who all kept telling me I was beautiful and that I looked like a princess (did I mention I love kids? haha). Our friends' son Timmy is very shy, but at one point, he told his dad, Tim, and our friend Bobby that he really wanted to dance with me. So I tried, and he got very shy and refused to dance and ran away. So I waited until he was dancing with Bobby, holding hands, and I ran up, broke in and held hands with both of them and joined their dance. That worked, and he was thrilled. My friend Candaise's daughter Audrey was out there busting a move the entire time- she was tireless!- and SO adorable.















** Instead of smashing each other's faces with cake, the DJ suggested we smash it on our best man & maid of honor's faces. So we lured them up there, and tried to do just that- but Cory moved faster than me, so he got the side of Dustin's face but when I tried to get Lauren, she saw it coming and darted away, so I only got her arm...but still, better them than me, haha...















** Cory and I banned synchronized dancing from our wedding. We just don't like it. The DJ pointed out that lots of people do like it and would probably request the synchronized songs, so I told him to blame it on me and tell them that I said no, and come see me for details, if necessary. So my neighbor's daughter came up to me, very disappointed, "The DJ won't play 'Cha-Cha Stomp'!" I said, "I know, sweetie, I don't like those songs so I told him not to play them. Why don't you request a different song?" "I tried, but he wouldn't play that, either- he said it had too many cuss words!" She is around 8. And couldn't think of a non-dirty song to request. Yikes!

** Our friend Bethany was our photographer. During the reception, the three of us went outside to take pictures. My cousin Claire's son Dakota came with us, and "helped" us out by blowing bubbles at us while we were getting pictures taken. He's very artsy. ;)

** After the wedding, we had an after-party at my parent's house for the bridal party, their partners, out of town friends, and of course the fam. On the way there, my mom stopped at Circle K with me and Cory for beer. And we walked in and found Angel, Dustin, Lauren, Bethany, Sara, Aaron, and Dawn. All at the same store. At the same time. With no planning.















** At one point, during the after-party, I was standing outside under the overhang (what we call the cement area with an overhanging awning off my parent's garage). I was drinking a beer, chatting, laughing, having a great time- and I heard the tornado siren. And I remember noting it, and shrugging, like, "Eh, I'm sure it's fine." Luckily, for us, it was- but apparently tornadoes hit all around us and devastated a lot of areas. And we all just kept partying, totally oblivious. Oops.

** I know I'm missing tons of highlights, such as my sister's Maid of Honor speech, which was amazing...















...but I also know that wedding highlights from someone else's wedding aren't as interesting as I'd like to think, haha, so I'll stop now. Except for this....

** This picture may be the best picture ever taken of all time:

Best Day Of My Life....

Happy

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Spring and Summer are our reward for getting through the winter...