Pick me up

This is from my "makes me happy" bookmark folder. Sometimes I just need a break and I often head here.

Turning air into matter

I found this post on A Practical Wedding. It is from Pitching My Tent by Anita Diamant. I will be heading to the bookstore to pick this up!

Why marry? Because marriage publicly affirms the possibility of moving toward another person without reservation. With that momentum, we are propelled toward the center of the heart, toward the center of the universe, and however far that gets us is farther than we'd otherwise go alone. Why marry? Because every wedding enacts a personal connection to the universal story of the human hope for wholeness. Because by stepping into the hyperbarically charged space on the altar (in front of the priest, under the canopy), the bride and groom join in a dance that goes all the way back to the beginning of memory. Getting married is an attempt at turning air into matter, transforming the ineffable workings of the heart into things that are "real": the invitation, the dress, the ring. The words that constitute a wedding are magical incantations of the highest order. In the presence of witnesses and voiced by a vested authority, two people are pronounced a single unit. Ta-da! And by the way, the legal arguments for extending the marriage franchise to queer couples simply acknowledge that gay men and lesbians are members of the human family, complete with photographers, caterers, and the challenge of juggling Thanksgiving between two families of origin. Every wedding is an invocation of peace and wholeness and connection and joy. Good wishes flow from family and friends, through history and community, with wings and prayers and everything that might turn out to be holy in the universe. So that's why Jim and I got married --- to receive that shower of blessings, hoping with all our hearts to make them last."

What beautiful words. And a beautiful understanding of this institution.

Books in Hardcover

I went to the bookstore this weekend after a wonderful trip to Atlanta to see friends. As I was walking around looking for my next good read, I was reminded how much I love hardcover books.

There is something special about the heaviness. It feels substantial as I read. I love the sound as I drop it on the floor and roll over to sleep. And how the dust jacket flap serves as my bookmark.

Call me crazy.

I'm reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave. It is wonderful - hope to finish tonight!


And my weekend was joyous! I got to spend some quality time with some best friends. When we're together it feels like we've never been apart!

Buried

Under papers at work that is!

So I'm trying to find some joy this afternoon...just enough to get the motivation to get back to work!

I've been chatting with some friends recently about trying harder to stay in contact and know things about each other's lives. These are friends that I love very deeply. I am so encouraged by friendships.

They literally feed my soul.

So I'm looking forward to reuniting with them. Both physically and emotionally and spiritually.

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



{This weekend I definitely didn't watch 7 episodes of The West Wing on Saturday instead of cleaning house or spending time outside...that would have been such a waste of time!}

{I absolutely did not give up after 13 minutes on the elliptical! Why would I even have bothered going to the gym?}

{And there is no way I watched my dog tear up an entire roll of toilet paper. It is not even possible that I was too lazy to get up and spoil her fun!}

And those are just a few of the things I did not do this past week!

So this is about finding joy. But for the past week I haven't much felt like writing about joy. My cousin lost his 3 month old baby last week. It's startling to see how so much can change so quickly.

We were in Tennessee this weekend for the funeral. A mother's grief is indescribable.

Where does that leave me? Searching for those things that bring me joy...in the middle of great sadness. And if I look deeply enough, they are not that hard to see.

a gifted and caring husband

a family full of love and support

time. to be with the ones I love

Great Weekend!

Friday

Lunch with HK and shopping at The Summit!
bought these:

in Ricepaper (plus eye pencil in Indigo and lip glass in Spring Bean...they are eternal)

And this flower for my hair!

Then on to the BJCC for Wicked! with my mom and friends that might as well be family.

I wish wish wish I could turn back time and see Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Mendel on Broadway!

Saturday

Breakfast at the Original Pancake House (heaven) then goodbyes

Stopped to pick up special beer for John and arrived home to find my Easter present...

a Wii Fit!!!

Sunday

He is risen indeed!

Very much missed my family Easter celebration!


But luckily had some substitute families to spend some time with. And, we were outside a lot so I got some sun!

Talk about finding my joy!