Goin' To The Chapel...

Long ago and far away, when I was a junior in college and still had my pre-babies body, I spent a semester in London. I went partly for the adventure, and partly to get away from the most challenging roommate ever.

Long ago and far away. Pre-babies! Ha!

One of my roommates in London was Kris. She hailed from sunny California, and I had traded the Great Frozen North for the Semi-Frozen Midwest for my college years. (Kris later visited me in the Semi-Frozen Midwest in January and nearly froze to death. But that's a story for another time. I'm not sure she's forgiven me for that yet!)

We became good friends, and had many adventures in during our semester in London. I vaguely recall one night when we decided that wine spritzers would make laundry night much more tolerable. They did. I remember lots of laughing and not much laundry.

When Jeff and I got married, Kris came to the Semi-Frozen Midwest in June to be our photographer. It was her wedding gift to us, and it was priceless. She not only took great formal pictures, but took pictures of everything else that happened, too, from me at the breakfast table to my family doing some crazy dance long after Jeff and I had left the reception.

I've been to San Diego to visit Kris, too. I think she worried the entire time that my pasty, white Midwestern skin would get burned to a crisp. And, because she can't imagine living away from the ocean, she tried to ensure that we spent as much time as possible in sight of the Pacific. We had a great time.

Me, Caryn (whom I also met in London), a friend of theirs, and Kris. San Diego ~ 1998.

Over the years Kris and I have kept in touch in spurts, but every time we reconnect, we pick right up where we left off.

So last week when a heavy, cream envelope addressed in beautiful script arrived with a return address of San Diego, I was breathless with excitement. Kris was getting married.
I tore open the envelope, scanned the invite and then ran to the computer and dashed off an email titled "Yay!"

When the invite arrived I immediately started trying to figure out if I could make it to Kris's wedding. For Jeff and I both to go would be impossible, but maybe, just maybe, I could sneak away?

I checked ticket prices and hotel prices and started figuring out logistics. And then I started debating the cost and how little time I'd get to see Kris, and if it would be better to go later instead.

I almost let my head make the decision instead of my heart.

And my heart leapt for joy when I got the invitation. My heart cheered that Kris had finally found the man of her dreams and was going to get married. My heart wanted to be with her on that big day.

So, I'm going. I'm flying out on a Friday night, and I'll be back by Sunday afternoon. It will be a short trip, a crazy trip, but most of all, a JOYOUS trip.

Sometimes love trumps logic.

© Trippin' Mama 2010