A best friend's wedding

Recently, I had the chance to attend the wedding of the girl who was my best friend from fifth grade through high school. This is the person who sat with me at lunch every day in elementary school, listened for hours to my teenage angst, and dreamed with me about the future. She was a friend who in some ways was very different from me –– in religious perspectives, athletic ability, hair color, height. But, we had fun talking about boys, listening to music, and exchanging ideas. Sometimes with all our differences we marveled that we were such good friends, but somehow we stuck together and I believe made each other better. Our unique backgrounds seemed to make the friendship more interesting.

Still, at moments during the last several months I questioned spending the money to fly from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Utah for the wedding, partly because Renn and I are trying to save up enough for the down payment on a house and partly because, since we're not as close as we once were, I wondered if she'd really care. But, I suppose what was important is that I cared. I'm so grateful my husband never stopped encouraging me to go to the wedding, and that we were blessed that he got a new job that allowed us to afford to do so. I'm also grateful for my parents who babysat, sent their love, and loaned me their car. There was something so sweet about seeing such a significant person to me on one of her most important days. I was glad I could show my love and support in person.

I was relieved when Lexi's mom immediately came up to me to thank me for coming when I arrived. Other of Lexi's longtime and newer friends, as well as her extended family members whom I'd met over the years, also welcomed me. So many memories came back and I felt touched as I saw the gentle grace with which Lexi handled her wedding. She chose what she did carefully, regardless of tradition, and decided instead of gifts to encourage donations to one of two charities, in the newlyweds honor and in honor of her new husband's mother who passed away recently. The blue wild flowers she chose for her bouquet matched her eyes and her outdoorsy, natural personality, as did her simple, elegant dress and jewelry. She kept her wedding small, which gave it an intimate, one-on-one feeling, which is the kind of person Lexi is. It also allowed her time to visit with her guests. Instead of a traditional wedding cake, she had her favorite, flourless chocolate cake. Her uncle, a minister, married her in an outdoor ceremony up Big Cottonwood canyon that emphasized Lexi's view of marriage as a beautiful, important life commitment.

I saw Vanessa, Laura and Sarah, whom I hadn't seen for years and it was fun to see what they were doing with their lives.

I also met the man Lexi married and liked him, and was impressed that his father and brother seemed like good, nice people. That wasn't a surprise since they are from the Midwest after all! From what Lexi has told me, his mother was an amazing woman as well. It was also nice to see my friend's parents, whom I hadn't seen for years, and who while I was growing up fed me endless plates of nachos, took me to University of Utah basketball games, and shuttled Lexi and me all over.

And, of course, I stayed to enjoy the dancing. I was glad I did, as it gave me some time afterwards to talk one-on-one with Lexi and connect with her on a deeper level. Plus, she thanked me for staying the entire time.

I wish Lexi and Mason a courageous, joyful, beautiful life together.

I'm glad they've found a true friend in each other, and I'm grateful for the friend Lexi was to me during one of the most formative, and in some ways difficult, times of my life.

"Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend? People can be so cold. They'll hurt you and desert you. Well, they'll take your soul if you let them, oh yeah, but don't you let them." – James Taylor

Cinderella goes to the ball after marriage and two children

When Cinderella's fairy godmother appeared, did she also give her a bath? Do her hair? 

I wonder because Saturday when the clock struck 10 p.m. I finally did get to go to the ball, thanks to my fairy godmother (i.e. a friend and visiting teacher who offered to watch my kids).

But before that happy moment, I spent a whole day with time running out.

When the clock struck 7, 8 and 9 a.m. I was making biscuits for breakfast, helping the two sweet baby sisters eat breakfast, and taking a shower, hoping to go snowshoeing.

When the clock struck 10 a.m. I felt weary, and just needed to sit down. Perhaps my lack of sleep, due to my nearly five-month-old was showing, because I felt a sort of exhausted sick. I ended up falling asleep and when I woke up I felt much better.

When the clock struck 12 p.m. We still needed to get too many things done to go snowshoeing, in order to prepare for the ball! I began sweeping the floors, then warmed up leftover soup for lunch and fed children.

When the clock struck 2 p.m. I somewhat grumpily attended a leadership meeting with my husband and my two children, hoping to go snowshoeing after.

When the clock struck 4 p.m. it was over and the greater vision I had for life more than compensated for the lost two hours, but it had taken long enough we postponed our snowshoeing.

When the clock struck 4:30 p.m. I was serving hotdogs for dinner and then was cleaning the bathroom.

When the clock struck 6 p.m. I told my handsome prince that I needed to stop cleaning and start getting ready. He was still washing dishes, putting away laundry and placating children. Shall we call him Rennderella? But, there's a reason princes don't need fairy godmothers in the old stories. It takes them like 30 minutes to get ready. To look extra nice that evening Renn did spend an extra 30 seconds putting some gel in his hair.

As the clock struck 7:30 p.m., I had finished pumping milk for my daughter, and was in my bedroom feeding my baby, half dressed, thinking I'd failed with my hair, and then my fairy godmother arrived. I told the prince to tell her I'd be right out and I was. She said I looked great. I told her my dress had come for the magical price of $1 from Keewanaw Consignment where they were clearing out the old stuff, priced just right for a graduate student budget. She took our picture and we were off to the Library Restaurant, a wonderful kind of place where they decorate with books and letters of the alphabet.

At the Library Restaurant, I took more pictures, enjoyed a dinner of salmon and Mediterranean salad (my husband and I always order two platters and then split each in half),

and attracted the attention of a boy at the neighboring table who seeing me with my camera and fancy gown, asked if I was a spy.

Then my husband and I went to the Snow Ball -- frequented by first year students -- and at first thought all everyone did was sit at the tables and talk.

But, when the jazz band started their tunes the couples came out and turned, swang and swayed.

Renn and I chatted with a retired couple who took a picture for us

and then danced part of a swing song and all of a slow song, before hurrying home to get our kids before the clock chimed 10:30 p.m. We were late by about five minutes. Fortunately, I brought boots and slipped them on to walk through the snow to the door as my glass slippers vanished into thin air.