StacyCelia.com

It was one of the best weekends ever. I didn’t even want to leave Cleveland.

It began with a car ride home with Ashley. She is such an amazing person. Although we went to high school together for years, I never knew it her the way that I do today. Maybe it’s because we’re both on the same page. We both have journeyed into our newly confident skin, despite how difficult it can be to wear it sometimes. She is a friend that insists and reminds me constantly that who I am is who I should always be. The ride flew by. I laughed so hard, I couldn’t believe it. Seriously. We were trying to recall Michael Walter’s old street and neither of us could remember “Letchworth.” Until she did, and even then I need to pass the sign for it to feel right. Adam and I walked into my mom’s house by 12:30 AM.

My mom and I went to seven places on Saturday. Each one was amazing for a reason unique to the one before. When I walked into a bridal suite at the second venue, I started crying. I don’t know what came over me. Yes I do. I take that back. I think it derives from the fact that in Chicago, while I have a dozen girlfriends that I see a lot and talk to and love, they are not friends with each other. I often long for the days when I had a close group of friends in high school or camp. Or even college at the beginning. While I wouldn’t change a thing in the world, I got to admit that I often wish I had that here. And plus, life is often different when you’re living with your new best friend who you happen to be in love with. And so, when I walked into this room, I realized that it will be my bestest friends in  the world celebrating with me on the best day of my life. To be surrounded by women who have shaped my life so dramatically, comforting me, making me laugh, etc., is to be sent into my new life with a whole lot of love. See? Do you see how disgustingly cheesy I am? It’s unreal. My mom and I held hands a couple times on Saturday. At one point, even she cried.

When I walked into a ceremonial room that was set up for a wedding that night, my heart started POUNDING. I was shocked. I immediately felt super nervous. Excited, but also like holy (^*%!!! It was surreal and so exciting. Equally.

So I found a place and I found a date. September 13, 2009. IT’S SO SOON!!! The same weekend we got engaged, I think.

That night, my mom and I met my father at Maggianos. Best dinner. Best parents. My dad made both my mother and I cry of laughter - no joke. I cannot remember laughing that hard in, literally, years. The back-story is that my father is ADDICTED to gum. Some sort of yum that, like a “gusher,” gushes vanilla mint. Yes, it’s great gum, but he has a problem! Not only is he a horrible chomped, but he also chews it all day long. According to my sister Meredith, he also SLEEPS with it in his mouth. Coo-Coo! Anyway, every time I’m with him, I beg him to stop chomping. My mother has too. He is ALWAYS chewing it. In any picture of him from the past six months, you can see the white glob in his smile.

After a lovely dinner where I recapped the entire day for my dad, my mother asked him for a piece of gum. No problem. He took out a slice of gum and pushed it across the table.

“What’s this?” my mom asked.

“That’s your gum.”

“I don’t want that gum, I want the kind you have.”

As it turns out, my father has his gum in one pocket and generic gum in the other. His habit costs him 30+ dollars a week and he can’t afford to give it out after all the requests he gets.

“See? Don’t tell me that this isn’t amazing gum,” he said while pulling Chiclets directly out of his pocket. Later that night I saw his stash in his trunk. Packs and packs of both kinds. Enough to feed his addiction and put the critics in their place.

I woke up Sunday morning to head back to finally see Jason and go to that mock dinner. (La Shana Tova, everyone. Happy and Healthy!) Dinner with my future family was wonderful. Very festive and happy. I was thrilled to have Katie there and so excited to see Jenna and Joe who I miss very much (Jason’s cousin and his fiancé who moved to DC this year). At the end of the night, we started talking about gym class and different games and balls. Nerf balls. Soccer Balls. About 7 minutes worth of talking about balls. Um, yeah.

Anyhow, back to the grind. I’m so happy. So not stressed. And so holding my breathe for the playoffs. Go Cubs Go!