Starting to come together

So, I promised ya'll a fully detailed review of the wedding...here it goes...

I arrived home on Friday (the 12th) and went straight to the church for the rehearsal, which went off basically without a hitch (save for me trying to pretend it was my wedding and obsessing over every detail--oops!).  Said hi to my aunt and uncle, who I never get to see so that was exciting.  Then, we went back home for pizza, the closest thing to a rehearsal dinner a 2nd wedding will get.  The evening was concluded by my mom and I going to spend the night at my grandma's house, staying up to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies (I've been obsessed with Vancouver for the last week and a half, by the way), and then heading to bed. 

In the morning, Mom and I got up, went to my favorite boutique in town to have my dress steamed at the last minute (my mom used to work there), and then went to our hair salon to have our hair done.  It was a girly morning and I loved every minute of it.  Plus, my mom gave me a card that was seriously the sweetest thing I've ever read and reduced me to tears at 11 am...I should've known I'd be in trouble right then (luckily, there is such a thing as waterproof mascara).

And then we headed to the church, doing all the standard getting ready, taking pictures stuff (without seeing the groom, of course) and then it was time.  I was an absolute wreck throughout most of the ceremony.  When my mom walked down the aisle and I caught sight of Dave's face and hers, I lost it completely.  I bawled when my brother read from 1 Corinthians and when they exchanged vows.  Pretty sure I cried more than my mom.  It was just so emotional for me, for many reasons which are far too personal for a blog post, but all I can say is I'd never seen my mom look that beautiful or that happy.  It was truly spectacular. 

The reception was an absolute blast!!  My dad's brother's family was there, as was his step-sister's family.  Each has 3 kids and they are my brother's and my favorites and we rarely get to see each other so it was just great that they could be there.  If there's anything I've learned, it's that family is not just who you're related to by blood...it's who you love.  The power of love is always so potent at weddings.  I need to remember it all the time. 

Highlights/Results of the open bar:
1. The full-on dance-off between my cousin Grace (modern dancer), my cousin Iris (former Irish Step Dancer), and myself (obviously the ballerina).  It was epic.
2. When my now step-brother's friend asked me to dance (nothing ever going to happen there, trust me) and I said yes...hahahah
3. My brother wouldn't dance with me, so I asked his dweebtastic friend Drew to dance.  It was as awkward as it sounds lol.
4. My mom and Dave's first dance...it was gorgeous.
5. Just looking at my mom's smile.  Pretty sure it's never been that big or that beautiful before.

The night concluded at my cousins' house in drunken stupor.  Hadn't laughed that hard in a while and I think we finished 4 pizzas.  My uncle was a hot mess and it was the funniest thing ever.

The next morning, I sent my mom off on her honeymoon cruise (JEALOUS) and returned to school, unfortunately Valentineless, but it was ok.  I had experienced so much love during that weekend that I didn't care.  Can you believe it?  Perpetually single, cynical me didn't care that I didn't have a Valentine.  It was liberating and awesome.  I just felt like I had experienced this insane high all weekend and I'm still so happy.  It was amazing and I'm so glad I got to share it with my family.

Since then, I've been swamped by school, underwhelmed by ballet (haven't gotten to do a whole lot of rehearsal and wasn't cast in 2 of the 3 ballets for spring show, but it's ok), and focusing on eliminating negative energy from my life and still trying to let go because it is Lent after all. 

Spring Break is in a little over 2 weeks and I'm going to Biloxi to build houses and I couldn't be more excited.  I don't know anyone going, so I'm looking forward to getting to know some new people and hopefully making some new friends. 

On one last note, my friends are awesome.  Like, seriously.  Amazing.  I don't deserve them...they put up with so much of my melodrama and have the odd knack to calm/talk me down.  My neuroses is sometimes not easy to deal with, and they seem not to care.  So grateful.  Also, my mom is an incredible woman.  She deserves every bit of the happiness she is experiencing right now.  So happy for her.  And for our family.  Life is good right now, I think.  There are some things I'm overthinking, but I'm trying not to let them get to me.  The Lord says "Do not worry about anything" so I'm going to continue to attempt to let go of my fear and anxiety.  Your prayers are still needed.

Just remembered Mom is coming this weekend for DG mom's weekend!!  Pumped :)  Think that's it for now.  Almost Fridayyy!

Love deeply.

The wedding was amazing.  Period.  End of story.

I'll do a full recap soon, but I just wanted to say that it truly was incredible.  I am so unbelievably happy for my mom and my new step-dad and everything is wonderful and looking up I think.

Late Night. Can't Sleep.

So...I hate to be emo and angsty and make myself sound like some sort of desperate girl, but this is what I'm feeling right now:

I'm so ready to be in love.  My heart is open and my arms are wide.  I have so much love to give, but haven't found anyone ready to receive it.  I know, I know, I know (!) patience...stop worrying..."your time will come"...blah blah blah.  But right now, I'm lonely.  And my mom is getting married on Saturday (which is probably the single greatest thing to happen to our family in the last 15 years) and I just want that.  At the risk of sounding like a bad pop song, I want someone to want me.  And I'm tired of waiting.  I'm frustrated and sick of this. 

Ok, I'm sorry for being so annoying.  And I'll probably delete this post in a few days because it'll probably sound terribly pathetic to me tomorrow morning, but it's late and and cold and I'm tired and I'd pretty much give anything to be snuggling next to someone who loves me right now. 

I'm done now.  Bye.

WHO DAT.

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their amazing Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts!!!

Ok, so I'm a Bears fan.  Yes, a Chicago Bears fan.  Yes, I live in Indiana.  No, I don't like the Colts.  I have been living too close to Indy for a year and a half now.  No disrespect, but Colts fans are obnoxious...or at least they were when I was at Nick's tonight with some DGs.  So proud of the Saints and Drew Brees (oh, and that epic touchdown by Tracy Porter--AN IU GRAD--who pretty much secured the win).

Ok, this post was really just an excuse to post the above adorableeee picture of Drew Brees and his son (OMG!).

And to gush about my favorite commercial...nice work, Google.

A Numbered Update

It's been a little while...my apologies for my lack of blog posts over the last two weeks.  I've been a crazy busy hectic mess of a person.  So, here's for an update:

1. We finished learning Serenade, have now run it through twice (once Thursday, once Friday), and I'm fairly sure that I'm going to be able to get through it.  I need a bit more stamina though.  Does anyone know where one can buy it?  Thanks.

2. Along those lines, we start Agnes de Mille's Rodeo on Monday.  The man setting it will be here through Spring Ballet, so it won't be as stressful, hopefully.

3. I have a paper to write that's due Monday at midnight and I am procrastinating like no other.  Blah.

4. My mom's wedding is exactly one week from today!  I am so, so excited to go home for it and to see family that I never get to see.  :)

5. Yesterday, IU held a symposium called "Check Your Label: Elements of Conscious Consumerism," which featured several social entrepreneurs who are doing amazing things with fair trade and the like.  One of these was Blake Mycoskie, CEO and Chief Shoe-Giver of TOMS Shoes.  I've been a fan of TOMS for quite a while, so it was a definite treat to hear him tell the story I've heard for so long and to see his passion for his company in action.  Also, he's super good-looking.  Anyone know where I can find someone like him?  If you do, please let me know.

6. Valentine's Day is approaching.  It makes me want to throw up.  Anyone want to be mine?

7. The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics start on Friday, and I couldn't be more pumped.

8. I need coffee.  Now.  But the stuff downstairs just doesn't cut it, and it's much too cold and the wind is howling much too loudly for me to get up the energy to walk to the Starbucks in the Union.

9. I saw the IU Opera Theater's production of Lucia di Lammermoor last night.  While it ran a little long (almost 3 hours!), I was incredibly impressed by Angela Kloc's (Lucia) performance.  It was kind of unbelievable, especially considering she's only a first year grad student!

10. I need to see several movies before the Oscars, including The Hurt Locker, Crazy Heart, and It's Complicated.  I also want to see Dear John, despite the not-so-great things I've heard about it (Channing Tatum is a god) and Valentine's Day, but I think I'll wait til after next weekend, when the theater isn't overtaken by lovesick couples (ew).

11. Had my first IUDM Alumni Relations Committee meeting and am so excited about the work that we're going to be doing.  We have a very large task at hand, trying to expand our alumni base and bring them into the foreground of the marathon, but the committee is full of creative and talented people, and I'm confident we have the necessary tools to do this.  It definitely made me feel better about everything.

12. Finally, I still feel like God is preparing me for something awesome right now, but He still hasn't quite revealed to me what that is.  I'm continuing to pray about it.  Those of you who pray, would you mind praying for me to have patience and to not lose my trust in His plan?  That would be fabulous. 

I think that's enough of an update for now.  Not much else to report.  Hope those of you on the east coast are staying out of the cold and snow...we were expecting more snow in Btown, but it looks like we got about 6 or so inches and a lot of wind instead.