Let’s Do This Thing

I’m on the airplane headed to my daughter’s wedding.

It’s been a busy, frenetic few months getting ready for this event.

The proof of that is right here on this blog where no posts have appeared for several weeks.

I’ve received notes and nudges from readers and friends, asking me to write a blog about wedding planning.

I did that once, and can you believe I didn’t have time to post it?

The hardest part about maintaining a blog is writing the material, not posting it!

But for some reason, I never had a free minute to actually get the thing published on this space.

Now, that I am sitting on an airplane heading to the wedding, I don’t want to post that one.

It can wait.

I’m enjoying having a mind at rest.

Rather than trying to keep a million details straight in my head, I am fighting the urge to stand up in this plane and yell, “My Annie is getting married! Can you believe it? You should see her dress! And do you know, I have the best friends and family in the world helping, supporting, and celebrating with us?”

If I had the guts to do that, I know I’d jump up and down, shrieking like a little girl because I can’t contain my giddiness.

There’s a burst of joy in me that I don’t think I can get out any other way.

I might have to embarrass my children and burst into the room where all the bridesmaids are staying, and get them all to jump up and down on the bed with me while we scream because we are so utterly thrilled.

Other that wanting to let my excitement come out in the form of a girly screech, I want to squeeze and kiss all the faces of the people who are helping us and sending their love our way.

From our talented group of friends, we have an amazing cake decorator, a florist, a make-up artist, a professional decorator, videographer, photographer, graphic designer, letterpress printer, quilter, framer, send-off specialist, and hair stylist.  And, I’m probably forgetting someone in that list.

We have friends who have hosted bridal showers, and friends who are flying to Utah just for the wedding. From the engagement to the wedding day and beyond, we have friends and family who are sharing their unique talents and even perks with us, and making this wedding more memorable and sentimental than we could have imagined.

When I start to think about all the practical ways we could spend money instead of having a big party, I remind myself of the value of celebrating these big life moments.

Some things in life should be a big deal. And, I’m good at making things into a big deal – for better or worse.

Did I care that my neighbor thought I was crazy to run around to several flooring stores to round-up carpet samples to turn into magic carpets for an Aladdin birthday party?

And, did I care if someone believed it was over the top to have a friend dress up and act like Miss Frizzle to entertain the crowd of six-year olds for a Magic School Bus Party?

No, I did not.

I do not believe in ordinary or boring.

I’m not a fan of uninspired, bland, and humdrum.

No, I believe life must be celebrated in big, bold, beautiful, inspiring ways.

And weddings are the biggest, boldest events of our lives.

So, as I head to Utah for this wedding, I can barely contain my delight.

I want to elbow the large man sleeping in the seat next to me, and the even larger tattooed man sitting next to him, and say, “My daughter’s getting married! Can I tell you about it?”

I will refrain because I’m generally polite like that, but I don’t know how long I can contain this growing excitement because, have I mentioned, “My Daughter is Getting Married?”

Bring on the party. Bring on the son-in-law.

Let’s do this thing.

Stay tuned for tips on planning a wedding and other lessons learned, but for now, let’s just be happy, have a party, and celebrate.

This is one, big life event that absolutely deserves one.