All Dressed in White: Thoughts on a Wedding

Sneak peak: Andrew's left chest and my left hip.

Our wedding outfits have been purchased!  We got Andrew the fanciest white silk shirt he's ever owned. And with the help of amazing friends, I found a dreamy, comfortable dress at an incredible price.

I have to admit, before I agreed to have one, I was a little scared of weddings. The hoopla, excess, and lack of success I've seen result from them left me a little incredulous. Two of the three big weddings I've been to in the last years ended at the year mark, and we are both from divorced families.  But I've known for ages now that I want to be with A forever and ever.  Marriage doesn't scare me one bit.  We've been through many difficult times and we still only love each other more and more. I admire Andrew so much and there is nobody who makes me feel better or more like myself.  I feel ridiculously lucky.

And the wedding?  I never grew up dreaming of the day and I am ignorant about most traditions. This hasn't been a bad thing. I knew from the start we couldn't spend a lot. While we are very happy, we don't have extra money. And even if I did I could think of many other places to spend it. I also don't want to go through motions that have no significance to me, I want something meaningful..

And everything has fallen into place. From our outfits, to our locale, to our invitations, to the people attending...it has been a labor of love and all extremely personal.  People we love have both talent and generous hearts. I am practiced at opening my heart to receiving these gifts.  It sounds strange, but I've witnessed the grace it takes to accept help, it is a common topic in yoga class, and I even read a book on it in graduate school.

Textures of Thanks

So much to be thankful for.
The colors and textures of this holiday captured me
As I meditated alone in my kitchen.
Savoring moments with beautiful plants
Carefully grown for us to enjoy.

Colors were collected for display:

Prehistoric pink proteas,
Purifying white sage, 

Cheery citrus boughs,
 And golden pomegranate branches 

Dotted with jeweled fruit.

 

Celebrating *true* riches 

With good-hearted people.

So much to be thankful for. 

Take Care of that Colon...

No one has ever become poor by giving.

~Anne Frank~

Colon health, is something most of us take for granted.  Our digestion and bowels function almost automatically and most of us give this process little notice.  But people who suffer from chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, are made constantly aware of this vital process.

People don't really talk about Crohn's disease or Colitis, because they are unpleasant and can be embarrassing.  Crohn's is an autoimmune disorder, in which the body attacks itself. There is no known cure or treatment for this cruel and often debilitating disease.  Beyond the more evident pain and discomfort, people who live with Crohn's often feel socially isolated and must cope with constant disruption to their daily lives.

More prevalent diseases, that the media makes us aware of us, are far easier to raise research dollars for.

That's why, one of my dearest friends and cousin, Janna, has been working hard to raise money for a cure. Janna will participate in a fundraiser for the Crohn's and Colitis foundation of America, running a half-marathon, held in Vegas in just over a week.  She has been going against her natural non-running disposition and training in the cold hills of San Francisco.  Though she has raised over $1500 she is still about $800 shy of her goal.

If anyone can give just a little bit ($5, $10?) I have no doubt Janna will meet her goal.

So, those of us who have healthy butts, let's give a breathe of thanks. Let's also give five bucks toward a cure.

To contribute toward Janna's requisite fundraising goal and to see active shots of her training, check out her Fundraising Page.