Weddings and Marathons and Tornadoes...Oh My!

When I was a little girl, whenever we would go to Durham to visit Grandmother and Grandaddy I would make a beeline for a coffee table book that resided in their front living room. Once the book was in my hot little hands, I would carefully perch myself on the bizarrely patterned grey couch, it's synthetic material itchy against my lanky limbs. The book with which I was completely enamored?

Oh yes, the eight year old version of me wasn't old enough to remember the wedding itself, but I could tell you about every detail from the hours I spent poring over the pages of this book. Now that I think about it, I have no idea how this book made it into my grandparents' house. Aunties, do you have the answer? However it got there, I. Was. Hooked. Forget Disney princesses, I wanted to be like Princess Di. Actually, I wanted to be one of her bridesmaids. Specifically, Sarah Armstrong, the one on the right.

Oh, the puffed sleeves! The sash! The lace! Getting to help arrange Princess Diana's train! It was all so magical to me. Thus began my fascination with Princess Di, one that extended into my twenties until the day she passed away. I wasn't old enough to watch her ill-fated wedding, but I skipped my college classes to watch her funeral.

And now her oldest is getting married. Wills. Sweet, charming, inherited his dad's hairline but his mother's love for philanthropy Wills. So you better believe I've made plans to watch tomorrow's Royal Wedding! I've downloaded the official wedding program, complete with a never released portrait of the couple.

I'm oohing and ahhing over the first looks into Westminster Abbey.

Seriously, those trees are swoon-worthy. So magical and a wonderfully unique floral choice. And here's the bride the day before her wedding.

Gorgeous. Happy. Glowing. And oh my word, I wish my hair would grow faster because I want it to look just like that!

Wedding coverage starts ridiculously early, but I plan to be watching and probably tearing up just a bit as these two take on the journey of marriage. Mawaige...that dweam wifin a dweam....

Sorry. Wrong Princess Bride.

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After the wedding, I'll pack my bags and hit the road for Nashville! My little sister turns thirty next week and in true Allie style (and a bit of a sister tradition), we're running a marathon.

Well.

Allie's running the marathon and, due to some training issues, I'll be power walking the half-marathon. And we'll probably finish around the same time. I'd be embarrassed for myself, however I've decided it's not worth it. But did you hear me, internets?

MY SISTER IS TURNING THIRTY!!!

Just wanted to make sure we were all clear on that.

Anything with Allie is guaranteed to be fun, so I'm sure I'll have lots of hijinks to report post-race weekend.

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In case you haven't turned on the news, Chattanooga was hit hard by storm after storm after storm yesterday. As severe thunderstorms/tornadoes go, it was hit and miss for the different areas of our city. Our neighborhood, thankfully, is pretty clear and the biggest inconvenience we've had to deal with is that we've been without power since yesterday morning. 

However, that is absolutely nothing when I look at the widespread damage and growing number of casualties cities like Tuscaloosa and Birmingham have incurred. It is heartbreaking. All you have to do is google the cities' names to find the pictures and videos that will leave you breathless. Please pray for the thousands of families in the southern states who have been devastated by this string of storms. Help as you feel led and are able. 

I'm so grateful for our community of friends and how we've been able to help each other in big and small ways since yesterday. I'm grateful for fun and pithy things like a royal wedding to momentarily lighten the mood. I'm grateful for an amazing sister to celebrate and a healthy body to move.

I'm grateful.