January 3rd, 2012 by Kateastrophe

It’s the new year!  Thank freaking goodness!  I’m not sure I’ve mentioned it before but I have never been more ready for a new beginning than I am right now.

I realized as I started writing this that I should really include some pictures from our Christmas and New Year…but they’re at home and I’m not and so no pictures for now.  Maybe tonight I’ll do a post that’s entirely made up of pictures…hmmm interesting concept.

My birthday this year was really mellow and really nice.  It was a rough year for babysitters so there were only six people who were able to make it to my party, but it was actually really, really fun.  We sat around the table eating and talking and laughing until midnight, when we realized we had one minute to get out the noise makers and fake champagne, so we hurried and did that and then we played Minute to Win It games until almost two.  It. Was.  Hilarious.  Whoever came up with some of those games deserves a medal.  If I happen to do my picture post tonight I’ll also include a video of the Bobble Head game.  I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed that hard.   As for gifts, I got some really fun trinkets and games from friends and family, Matt’s parents got me the most awesome professional style popcorn popper  I’ve already used it like five times, just for myself.  It’s awesomsauce.  Finally, Matt dialed in with a sweet surprise of two day park hopper passes to Disneyland, which I am SO EXCITED about.  I love me some Disneyland.  All in all, my birthday was a huge hit and helped end a pretty crappy year on a really high note.

New Year’s Day was spent being extraordinarily lazy.  We woke up at eleven and then didn’t leave the couch until three at which point we decided we needed some food before crashing back on the couch until bedtime.  It was an awesome day of sluggishness.

Yesterday, we decided we were done being lazy and we packed up the Jeep for a four wheeling adventure to Box Canyon, which is about and hour and a half south-east of our house, near a tiny town called Florence.  It was an amazingly beautiful 80 degree day and the trail was awesome.  There were only a few times I thought my brain was going to bounce out of my head and I stepped on a cactus branch in my flip-flops while trying to pee in the wilderness, so that was…interesting, but we really had a great time.  I love having our Jeep and we high fived yesterday on never selling it.  Go us.  We ended the day with delicious Cafe Rio (oh how I wish there were one closer to our house) and drove home.  It was such a fun day, I’m glad we decided to kick the laziness and go do something.

Today I’m back to work after two weeks of blah - I mean I worked during those two weeks but it was all from the couch..  It was rough getting started but nice to be back in a routine that didn’t involve hours of Netflix, pajamas and my couch blanket - aka Snuggie.  I’m sure poor Matt thought he’d never see me with make-up or normal clothes on again.  I guess I had to wash my sweat pants at SOME point.

I’ve joined a lot of people in skipping New Year’s resolutions this year.  I really just want to focus on loving my life and being happy, so I’m not making any specific goals, I just really want to keep my chin up and have a positive attitude all year long, no matter what happens.  It might be the hardest thing I’ve ever set out to do, honestly, but I’m determined to make it happen.

August 23rd, 2011 by Kateastrophe

Matt’s birthday is tomorrow (he’s OLD!!) and I am the worst wife ever because of several things including his present arriving early - while I was out of town, of course - and it wasn’t right and now it’s sort of ruined.  Good thing that unlike me, he isn’t obsessed with his birthday.  The man just wants to spend some time with me and eat a good, manly hamburger.  He will also be spoiled because that’s how we roll with birthdays around here.  He might have to help me purchase his present but at least he’ll get exactly what he wants, right?  I have a few surprises in store still too.
I wish I had time for a thrilling birthday tribute to the man of my dreams but I don’t and honestly, I think he’d rather I didn’t do it anyway.  I’ll just say as I always do that I don’t know what I did to deserve the angel that he is and I love him more every minute.  This past year has been probably the roughest of my life and I would imagine close to the roughest of his and I knew at every second that he would have taken on all my pain and sorrow in a heartbeat even though he was feeling his own.  Nothing I could have fantasized or dreamt up about my future husband could ever hold a candle to what I have now.  Happy Birthday to him.

April 28th, 2011 by Kateastrophe

Just a quick update so you guys don’t think I’ve jumped off a cliff or something…

I’m doing really well, all things considered.

This miscarriage was hard, and will probably continue to be so but I’m finding some small bits of silver lining.  My maternity benefits increase substantially after a full year on the job.  I get six weeks 100% paid leave, FMLA leave AND short-term disability.  Also, the VP over our department just announced she is expecting around the same time I would have been and another girl on my small three person team is getting married the same week.  Had all of us been out at the same time I sort of can’t imagine what would have happened.  Now I just have to get up to speed by October and ready to take over some extra work.  I was DREADING being in my third trimester during the hottest months of the Phoenix summer so it’s nice that I can try to avoid that.

The recovery from my D&E has been a total breeze.  I was tired for a few days but back at work the next Monday.  I got a recommendation for one of the best fertility specialists in the state and I have my first consultation a week from Monday.  He won’t start testing right away but  at least we can get a plan of action together to figure out what is going on and how to fix it.  I’m an action person and I’m really anxious to have a plan and a list of things I need to do in order to try to find out what’s causing these issues.  Even if it’s not great news, at least then I’ll KNOW and be able to process my options with all the information in place.

Work has been a big factor in keeping my mind off of things.  I’m getting busier every day and I love not having time to sit and think about what’s going on with me.  I have things like average order size to increase so I can increase my quarterly bonus.  It’s a great incentive to not wallow.

I’ve also started on an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication.  You guys, it’s awesome.  I know that there’s still a stigma around mood elevating medication but within 24 hours I had stopped crying on my 30 minute commute to and from work, at lunch and anytime I was alone.  I am sleeping well,  my appetite has stayed decent, my energy is up and I feel like my coping skills have improved significantly.  I asked for the medication because I know I suffered from some postpartum depression after the last miscarriage and I wanted to avoid that crash when it inevitably happens in a month or so.  I did not expect to feel so much better so quickly and I’m so grateful that I am.  I still feel sadness and loss and all the things that I should be feeling but they aren’t dragging me down with them.  I can process them and move past the waves of sadness without feeling like I’m drowning or trapped.  I don’t want to sound like a pill-pusher but I am truly a believer in recognizing when your body knows it’s not doing OK and doing what you need to do to get back to good.   This time I knew that was help in the form of meds.

My other form of help comes from my wonderful girlfriends.  They have truly saved me.  I can’t even begin to list the kindnesses that have taken place over the last week and a half.  I’m so so so so so lucky to have such wonderful friends all over the world.  I’ve received visits, flowers, cards and emails from friends in Virginia, Rhode Island, Canada, Australia, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Nevada, Utah and probably ten other places I can think of  and of course here in Phoenix.  One of my oldest friends called right after she woke up with a start one morning to tell me that she felt she needed to make sure I knew that I had a circle of women with me every step of this process, supporting me, suffering with me and pulling me through my darkest moments - even if they couldn’t be there in person, their prayers, light and spirits were with me.  I believe this with all my heart.   I have been blessed with the most wonderful friends in the world and I just want every single one of you to know how much I appreciate you.

My family has again been so wonderful through all of this.  My sister was once again with me every second, making sure I had everything I needed…including bowls of Easter candy waiting out for me when I got back from the clinic.  My mom, dad, brothers, stepmother and grandparents have all been checking on my daily, all with with offers to drop everything to come to my side if needed.  And of course my husband…he is my rock solid foundation and I know with him by my side I can get through anything.

Despite feeling like life kicked me in the gut again, I know that I’m one of the luckiest girls alive because of the people that surround me and love me in spite of my huge list of flaws.  I don’t ever have to worry about falling because I have so many wonderful people willing to hold me up and carry me if necessary to help keep me upright.  I cannot thank the Lord enough for sending all of you (and many not reading) into my life.  I cannot feel sorry for myself when I have such a blessed life.  Thank you for being part of it.

April 5th, 2011 by Kateastrophe

A few weeks ago when Matt and his friends decided to do a semi-spontaneous (for them) trip to Vegas to watch our college team, the BYU Cougars - and don’t forget about Jimmer - play in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.  I was thrilled to get out of town and spend the weekend in a fancy pants hotel despite not being a huge fan of Vegas as a vacation spot.  That whole Mormon thing just takes some of the lustre out of gambling, drinking and smoking at will.  Call me crazy.  I do, however, love the restaurants, the shopping and the shows.  So I suppose I have a 50/50 love/indifference relationship with Vegas.

We stayed at the Aria for the second time in a year.  We love it.  It’s new, it’s clean, it’s posh and it’s not eight million dollars like the Cosmopolitan (which was actually my first choice.  Boo $400 a night).   We ate at some of my personal favorites - Max Brenner and Serendipity.  We attempted my favorite breakfast at Hash House A-Go-Go but the hour and a half wait was more than our starving selves could handle.  We tried STK at Cosmo which had amazing food, but was SO LOUD.  And apparently making a reservation means they’ll sit you at some point within half an hour of your arrival.  What the what?  If the food hadn’t been so good I would give it two big thumbs down but it’s sort of an in-betweener for me.  Maybe better on a week night when they aren’t trying to make it a club AND a restaurant?  The hotel was amazing though and is absolutely worth just hanging out in for a few hours.  Someday when they lower their rates to less than my mortgage I’ll stay there.

Unfortunately, I missed the really great game where BYU beat New Mexico for the first time this year and Jimmer (if you don’t know who he is, please do yourself a favor and go find some of his highlights.  I’m close to being talked into naming our first child after him - boy OR girl - I love him that much) scored a career high 52 points.  The new job prevented me from taking a day off so I had to fly out that night.  The second game - the championship - was rough.  San Diego State handed out a butt-kicking to the Cougs.  Also?  San Diego State fans are officially my least favorite humans.  It’s rare that people offend me and get under my skin and this crowd was really able to do that.  Insulting my religion and things that are sacred and special to me at a college basketball game with the kind of disrespect and language that they were using is just crossing the line.  I’m all for a good Mormon joke and poking fun at people’s quirks but this was OUT OF CONTROL.  Needless to say that walking away from that with a loss was painful but what can you do?

Oh and we shopped.  I have a new best shopping friend in Matt’s friend’s wife Courtney.  We made out like bandits at Coach, Kate Spade, Banana Republic and a bunch of other stores at the big outlet mall north of town.  Courtney actually did much better than I did but we both walked away with some treasures and matching necklaces we accidentally both wore the next morning.

We had a great time and I think maybe we should make it an annual tradition.  I loved getting to know Matt’s friends and their wives better and spending time with my husband away from our busy lives and responsibilities is always a bonus.  We SUCKED at taking pictures on this trip but managed to get one halfway decent one on our last night out.  It’s only halfway decent because my fat head managed to block out half of Matt’s face but he’s almost really smiling which is rare in pictures and he’s a total babe.  Rawr.  Also, I was wearing sequins. Because it’s Vegas and I could.

 After this trip I decide Matt and I just don’t travel enough, especially considering the relative lack of ties we have to home on the weekends.  There are a multitude of reasons for this and some (many) will even say that I’m lying and we travel more than most people, but I would disagree.  Our Europe trip has been put on hold AGAIN thanks to the new job.  Many of the weekends we’d use to travel end up spent catching up on our much needed and much missed sleep.  Plus I think my idea of travel includes a plane and exotic places I’ve either never seen before or am dying to see again.  The places we can go on our short weekends are limited and, let’s be honest, sort of lame when compared with places like Venice, Paris, London and the other cities I dream of spending all my time in so rather than trucking to Tucson (which we did once.  Snoozer.) we sort of just stay home and try to save up time, energy and fundage for big trips.  But I’m going to try to forget about that and be a little more adventerous and find places to go on little weekend excursions.

I started this weekend.  I requested a Jeep ride without a destination.  If you know me, you’ll know my least favorite thing to do is drive around aimlessly with no goal, no idea where my next meal is going to come from and the possibility of needing a bathroom and not having one.  I threw caution to the wind (literally - you should have seen my Jeep hair) and we drove around the outskirts of Phoenix for almost four hours, listening to music, talking, laughing and just having a blast.  It was awesome and now I’m praying the heat spell we had last week was a fluke and we have at least a couple more months of awesome weather so we can do it again.  I’m hoping for a trip to California in the near future and I’m trying to come up with somewhere new and different that’s within driving distance.  Maybe New Mexico?  Maybe I can pretend it won’t make me crazy and set off without a specific destination and we’ll just find a place to stay?  I may not be that brave yet but we’ll see…

Eventually, so help me, we will get to Europe and have the vacation of a lifetime (scratch that, MANY of them)but until then, here’s hoping for some amazing adventures a little closer to home!

February 15th, 2011 by Kateastrophe

Well, Matt and I have become “that couple.”  We were out shopping at Target on Saturday (looking for light bulbs.  Aren’t we exciting?) and as we saw all the Valentine’s cards and candy, we realized that neither one of us had even thought of what to do for the other for Valentine’s Day.  

We decided to move it to next Saturday.

See?  That couple.

In fairness, it was on a Monday.  And we’ve been insanely busy.  Matt’s financial deadline at work is always the 15th so the 14th is the worst day of every month for him.  Since giving my notice at work I’ve been “blessed” with insanity and a side of drama to usher me out the door.  Plus the stress/anticipation of a new job is building steadily.  Matt’s been sick for ten days and I’m fighting it off.  We both pass out on the couch around 9:30 every night and have to drag ourselves into our bed whenever one of us is concious enough to make it happen.  Last night was no exception.  Again, that couple.

However, we have big plans for Saturday.  We’ve got nothing to distract us from the day togetherness and we have reservations at the Brazilian chiaroscuro restaurant in Scottsdale and I’ve got some other fun stuff up my sleeve.  Hopefully we can salvage this holiday although, as my husband pointed out in the Target candy aisle “We love each other every single day.  We don’t need no stinkin’ Valentines.”

 Sigh.  That couple.

January 3rd, 2011 by Kateastrophe

Here’s to love, laughter and a brand new year filled with endless possibility and a little bit of magic.

Love, Matt and Kate

November 15th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

My husband has a brother named Mike whom I’ve never met.  He passed away in a car accident a long time ago.  Today would have been his 33rd birthday.  It’s a tragic story for so many reasons.  He was young and in the prime of his life.  He had been called to serve a mission for our church in Brazil, the same place my husband had just returned from serving his two year mission.  They were excited to both speak Portuguese and Matt was already planning a trip to go pick Mike up when he was done with his mission.  Mike was fun and joyful and wonderful.  And now, as long as they live, their family has a hole in it.

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to be there for Matt and his family because I didn’t know Mike.  I only have pictures and stories and sometimes they evoke pain instead of happiness.  I try hard to be respectful of any feelings and emotions this time of year and I try to help in any way I can but I’m sure I fail.  I’ve started some traditions to help remember Mike on his birthday.  Matt and I have sent flowers to his parents every year since we’ve been married.  It’s not much but I feel like it shows his parents that we are thinking of them and that we will never forget. This year I had a little “Remember Mike” birthday party.  I served his favorite food (pizza and chocolate cake) and we looked at pictures Matt’s Mom sent to us and talked about the memories behind them.  It was hard and it was fun all at the same time.  I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for Matt’s family to think about the days when Mike was still here but I hope that somehow talking about the good times helps keep his memory alive.  Besides, I love learning about some of the things that Mike and I have in common because as it turns out, there are quite a lot of those things.  I also love learning about how we were different and about the things that he struggled with.  It makes him much more real to me.

It’s hard to understand why God would take such a wonderful, vibrant young man from his family.  Sometimes I think it’s maddening and infuriating and just downright unfair - something I feel like I’m saying a lot lately.  (I maybe have some pent up rage??)  However, as unfair as life sometimes is, as I’ve also been saying a lot lately, I believe that God gives us hard experiences to make us stronger.  I also believe that sometimes the lesson we are supposed to learn or the reason for a trial or difficult life challenge may not be made known in this lifetime. Yes, sometimes that makes me mad.  Sometimes I think we deserve explanations for why we suffer. Most of the time, much to my dismay, I don’t get my way.  Life is hard and it’s hard for a reason.  None of us can grow and progress unless we are stretched to our limits.  I’m grateful to believe in a God who is well aware of what those limits are and who will never, ever give us more than we can handle or stretch us too far.

Today I am grateful for the knowledge that I have that families are forever - Mike will be with his family again someday and I will have a chance to meet him and got get to know him. I believe he is in heaven with my future children and grandchildren, preparing them for this wild Earth ride.  I don’t think the LDS Church is alone in the belief of being with our loved ones in Heaven but I do believe that the focus we put on the eternal nature of families makes us unique and gives so much comfort when hard things like this happen.  We speak often about the Plan of Happiness and why we believe the Lord sent us to Earth.  Worthy members of the Church are sealed together for time and all eternity in our marriage ceremony…not just until death do we part.  Our entire focus is on keeping families together.  I love that.  That is my truth.  I’m so grateful for a God who has a plan (he must have known that I’m a big fan of plans) to help us all return to live with Him with the relationships we’ve formed on Earth intact.  As hard as it is that Mike isn’t here, I’m so glad to know without a doubt that he’s alive and well watching over our family every single day.

————-

***If you’d like to learn more about what my family and other Mormons believe, you can visit the new and improved Mormon.org.  There is a whole section of questions and answers, a live chat feature (ooooh, aaaaah) and a way to find the testimonies of people just like you.  You can also request a free Book of Mormon here and even schedule an appointment with the missionaries if you would like.  I try hard not to be preachy and I truly respect the beliefs of all so please understand that I would never force this on anyone.  Despite being raised in a heavily Mormon society, I did my best to study other beliefs and religions and after much soul searching and prayer, THIS is what I believe and know to be true. The comfort and peace as well as miracles and blessings my beliefs have brought to me over the years are undeniable.  If you’re searching for something more, do me a favor and just look into it.  If you’re curious, look into it.  Either way you can learn something new and maybe help people understand that Mormons REALLY don’t have horns and we REALLY aren’t all polygamists.  And yes, I’ve seriously been asked both questions before.  Also, I’m also always here to answer any questions you might have.  You can email me anytime at kateastrophe(at)cox(dot)net***

August 31st, 2010 by Kateastrophe

Six years and 24 days ago I moved to Phoenix in the middle of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad summer heat.  I packed everything I had into my little Corolla S and a small Uhaul.  I put in a mix CD of songs about “Breaking Away” and “Changing Lives” and made my way down the freeway, following love and a new job.  I cried because I was leaving home and scared that nothing was going to work out and I’d be stuck in Phoenix with nothing.

Lucky for me both the new job and the love worked out in a big way.

Matt and I were married ten months after the move.  He is my heart and soul and even though there are moments I miss my home town, being near him IS home.

The job I kept until a year ago today and I still miss it.  I think I truly grew up there.  I got my first big promotion, my first real title, went on my first business trip, earned the trust and respect of big important people and got my first huge, eye-popping raise at Vcommerce.  I made friends I’ll never forget, saw things that changed my life and learned things that have made me a much better person.  Walking out the door was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever done.

However.

This year has given me a lot of new experiences and most importantly, new perspective.  Some crazy (CRAZY!) things happened recently that made me realize that being let go was probably the best “accident” of my life.  Not being at that company or affiliated with some of the people there right now is a really, really, REALLY good thing.  My new job isn’t “ideal” but it’s wonderful.  It’s low stress, secure and the people here are awesome.  I’m learning a lot about a new industry.  Every day it seems new opportunities, some a little more up my ideal career alley, are forming for me.  My expertise and input are valued and utilized here.  Plus, I’ve got a kick-a Assistant Vice-President title that comes with officer level stock match.  It’s awesome. 

This job also helped me make some personal decisions that I don’t think I would have made at the last job.  The baby we lost wasn’t planned but when I was pregnant I realized that if it’s something I choose to do, I can do this job and be a good mom.  I don’t know if I could have balanced things as well at the old job.  Now I feel a lot more comfortable with the possibility of (gulp) having a baby (shh don’t tell).  I have more time to try to be a good wife, sister, friend, chef, exercise junkie, house cleaner (ha! yeah right) or whatever I want to do after work.  I’ve read more books and I’ve spent more time getting to know wonderful friends from church and the neighborhood.  I might even have time to start teaching voice lessons and put that Musical Theatre degree to use!

Needless to say, this job has been a really good thing for me. 

So, as is always the (cliche) story with my life - anyone’s life, really - years later I can look back at the things which, at the time, seemed like the end of the world and realize that they were truly for the best.  Sometimes I look back and feel lucky to have been lead to where I am.  Sometimes I look back and am proud of the decisions I made to get to this place.  Sometimes I laugh at the follies that landed me here.  No matter how I look back at it, I have zero regrets. 

I love my family.  I love my friends.  I love my home.  I love my job.  I LOVE my life.

I can’t wait to see what happens the next 2,214 days.

August 24th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

My hottie-patotie of a husband turns 35 today.  It’s so strange to say that number because growing up, someone who was 35 was old and established and . . . old.  Now I look at Matt and he’s far from old.  One could probably call him established considering we own a house and have these weird career thingies and we almost had a baby and all that stuff.  But old?  Nah.  Just look at that face.

I remember the day I met Matt.  He was with his younger brother Taylor and at first glance I really thought that Taylor was the older of the two.  Matt was 28 at the time and I swore he was 23 or 24.  Matt has this gorgeous baby face that tricks everyone that way.  Plus he still had (and has!) all his hair.  Going to school at BYU where it wasn’t uncommon to find tons of 21 year old balding men, this in an of itself is impressive.  No one believes me when I tell them how old he really is.  In fact, he’s older than most of my close friends husbands which is even weirder considering some of them have 4 kids.  It just throws everybody off.  Anyway, the point of this long, rambling paragraph is that Matt doesn’t look his age.  At all.

In some ways Matt doesn’t act his age either.  His favorite outfit is a pair of Dickies shorts and a Cotton/Poly (MUST have polyester so it doesn’t wrinkle) button up PLAID shirt.  He accessorizes with flip-flops and a hat, usually of the Hurley variety.  Unlike many men I know, he thinks that getting tools as presents is just a way of asking him to do more work.  He wants toys.  4-wheelers, a RZR, accessories for the 4-wheelers or the Jeep . . . anything along those lines or something in the technology family.  We’re getting to the point where there’s not much left to buy him because he has ALL OF IT.  LCD TV, Blu-Ray, Surround sound, fancy computer and monitors, Xbox and accessories, iPod, extra TVs for the man-cave and his recent birthday gift of an iPad (which has caused him to stop sleeping because he MUST.PLAY.ALL.NIGHT!) has completed the technology takeover. I’m not sure there’s anything left to get him.  Next year for his birthday he’s getting socks.

Despite his being difficult to buy for, in everything else he is a self-proclaimed simple man.  I asked him what he wanted for dinner, expecting something along the lines of a delicious steak something involving a large slab of meat.  He surprised me with a request for 5 Guys hamburgers.  I was taken back because it seems like a $5 burger is something he could have every day but it’s what he wants for his birthday dinner.  I can totally deliver on that.  His other request is chocolate cake.  Without icing.  Another easy thing to deliver on!  At least his food requests are easy!

In the almost seven years I’ve known this man, I’m still surprised (and sometimes confused!) but him, but every day makes me love him and his gorgeous baby face even more.  I love the balance we have created in our life together.  Where I am complicated, he is simple and vise versa.  Where I lack adventure, he has it in truckloads.  He is the yin to my yang or the yang to my yin or whatever Confucious say.  He is a rock of stability and responsibility but he doesn’t let those things stop him from being hilarious and fun-loving and gruff and manly and everything a girl could want in a husband. 

Happy Birthday to the best man I’ve ever known.  I hope I can make your 35th year of life the best one yet!

August 5th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

So I have a question for you married peeps.  Did you cry at your wedding?  Or even on your wedding day?

See, I didn’t.  I got a little blurry eyed when the sealer in the temple pronounced us married for time and all eternity but I didnt’ get any real tears because I was just so HAPPY!  Now, I’m not saying people who did/do cry aren’t/weren’t happy.  I was actually shocked that I didn’t cry because I’m a HUGE bawl baby.  I cry a lot.  At lots of different things.  So my expectation was that I would cry all the live long day.  But that day I didn’t.  It was almost like I physically couldn’t!

I remember my sister-in-law bursting into tears of joy when she and her husband were married.  I don’t remember if my sister cried but I don’t think so.  I have been to several other weddings but not a ton and I’m thinking it’s about 50/50 but I’m curious as to what you think. 

Anyway my point in asking this was . . . well there was really no point other than to introduce my topic which was that my little (HUGE) brother got married this last weekend!  I cried like a baby when she came down the aisle.  My sweet brother got all teared up too.  I’m sure everyone in the room did.  It was amazing and gorgeous and everything a wedding should be.  My youngest baby brother was missing which was rough.  He’s finishing up his Army training and we didn’t think he could come but then his commanding officer told him he could come and there was much rejoicing in the land until there wasn’t anymore.  The commanding officer of the commanding officer caught wind of it and said absolutely not.  We missed him a lot all day long.

There was some . . . interesting family dynamics taking place so there was some tension.  My parents are divorced.  Have been for 23 years.  Dad remarried about 14 years ago and we love our “other” Mom, Lisa.  But they are getting divorced now and the term “messy” doesn’t really adequately describe what’s going on here.  Also, Lisa has a new boyfriend and Dad isn’t so peachy-keen on that.  My Mom remarried about the time Matt and I got married and there’s been some weirdness there.  THEN the brides parents are divorced.  Her Dad has also been remarried for a long time but it seems that might not be working out either.  Do you see where I’m going with this?  Lots of people who used to be married but aren’t and lots of people who are married but might not want to be all in the same room for a family event where we all had to behave.  HIP HIP HOORAY!  Lucky for us we only had one “incident” and it was between the least likely parties - the “other” Mom and boyfriend.  Interesting and strange all at the same time.  And it didn’t really affect anything substantial so we all came out unscathed. 

The person who didn’t come out unscathed was one of the groomsmen.  Long story short, his ex-girlfriend showed up as a guest of an invited friend and that was no bueno.  He proceeded to drink himself stupid, have a fight with his NEW girlfriend and somehow found himself on the 15th floor of the Marriott pounding on every.single.door then passing out IN THE ELEVATOR but with his head OUTSIDE OF THE ELEVATOR while the door tried endlessly to shut.  We shall just call it a party in a box.  Security wasn’t so happy and neither was my just married brother with the threat of everybody being kicked out of the hotel if he didn’t handle the “situation.” 

Never a dull moment, right folks??

My only personal complaint for the whole day was that my hairstylist personage didn’t quite understand what I meant when I said I wanted a loose, sideswept bun type thing.  I ended up with a huge mass of curls shoved to one side.  It didn’t look bad it just wasn’t what I wanted and it took FOR-EV-ER.  Also, I don’t know what in the hell she did with hairspray and a curling iron but my hair might never recover.  My pride and joy, my once silky locks have turned into course, puffy . . . something that’s not my hair.  I’m using massive amounts of conditioner (which I never ever use) in an attempt to repair some of the damage.  We’ll see how it goes. 

Small pieces of drama aside, Sean and Kristin were married and happy and gorgeous like Ken and Barbie and we’re expecting Malibu Barbie babies at some point in the future.  I’m super excited to have Kristin in our family even though she is tiny and tan.  I look like a giant pale and tragic vampire next to her but what can you do?  She’s Polish (I think?) and I’m Irish (I know) and that’s just the way it is.  At least somebody in our family is likely to have tan babies.  Mine will for sure be iridescent. 

Wait a minute . . . how did I get from wedding to babies so fast?  I must totally be Mormon.  Weird.