My minivan is stuck in a ditch, I'm eating spaghetti, watching the Bachelor wedding (thanks DVR) and drinking the wine I bought from the gas station during my WALK home.
Oh, and did I mention I'm wearing my wedding dress? And veil?
No, I'm not kidding.
Today could best be described as Groundhog Day meets The Perfect Storm. So I figured go big or go home. Just put the damn dress on, Holiday...
Exactly 9 years ago today I was the Bride...to be. That is, of course, until an ice storm hit Atlanta and shut down the entire city.
I will never forget my rehearsal dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Don't ask. No, really...just leave it alone. Our guests were whispering over pasta and garlic rolls, all huddled in a corner, clearly discussing something rather important.
"So, Holiday...what's our plan B for tomorrow?"
"I'm sorry...what do you mean, plan B?????"
I saw the look of fear spread on their faces. I had absolutely NO CLUE. It was obvious. Someone had to tell me.
"Well, honey, there's an ice storm coming through Atlanta tonight...and while it's probably no big deal we should probably have a plan B." This, coming from my wedding planner, who is by far one of the coolest, calmest people on the planet.
PLAN B? REALLY?!?!
THERE IS NO PLAN B.
I AM GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW.
Yeah. Turns out I was WRONG. I was not getting married tomorrow. Little did I know, the ICE GODS had something different in mind and froze over the entire city. That was January 28, 2005.
Today is January 28, 2014. Exactly 9 years later. And guess what? The ice gods have spoken AGAIN. I'm pretty sure this day has a giant ice cloud hovering over it.
9 years ago tonight I dreamed of a fairy tale life...the perfect husband, a picture perfect wedding, and a house with a white picket fence. Okay, maybe not so much the white picket fence but you get the idea. If someone gave me a crystal ball and told me in 9 years I would be divorced, writing a book with my ex husbands' first ex wife, and driving a MINIVAN I would have laughed in your face.
Have you ever heard the phrase, "You plan and God laughs"? Yep, God is pretty much having a field day with me. I swear I couldn't make this up if I tried.
So when I woke up to snow this morning I just laughed. Of course it was snowing...I mean, really, why wouldn't it be? I left my house as soon as I got the message school was closing.
Within five minutes my minivan was sliding all over the road. Looking ahead I realized I wasn't going ANYWHERE. There were 8 school buses in front of me, none of which could make it up the hill we were facing. Lovely. This is awesome. Patience, Holiday, patience...
Fast forward 3 hours. I called the ex husband and told him there was no way I was making it to school. The road my neighborhood is on is one lane each way with very steep hills. NO ONE WAS GOING ANYWHERE.
I turned the minivan around and BAM. Just like that I ended up in a ditch. The minivan was practically vertical and I knew I was stuck. Having listened to my father as a child, I knew how important it was to be prepared. I was wearing UGG boots and had my ski jacket in the car along with a fuzzy hat and gloves. I started the long walk home.
Thankfully I made it home safely (with a bottle of wine tucked in my Louis Vuitton bag courtesy of the gas station). As I was walking through the snow I couldn't help but laugh. What a funny, crazy, wild day. Reflecting on the last 9 years make me smile but also made me cry.
What is it about being a bride that makes women crazy? Is it the veil? I dunno. I'm wearing mine right now and I feel more normal than ever. Maybe it's the crazy expectation that everything will be perfect? Or perhaps the veil blinds us from what we really want to see. What we really need to see. I think that might be worthy of it's own blog post one day :)
I can honestly say that 9 years later I have clarity. More clarity than ever. My sister (and Maid of Honor) would not take no for answer when she called me via face time tonight. We laughed uncontrollably as she took pictures of me in this ridiculous get up. We reminisced about what would have been/should have been my wedding night turned-girl's night IN at our hotel. That night I was surrounded by the family and friends I love most. The people I will love, no matter what, till death do us part.
Tonight I've experienced what some might describe as a full-circle moment. Sitting here in my wedding dress, eating spaghetti, snowed in thanks to an ice storm...but this time I'm alone.The funny thing is I don't feel alone at all. I actually feel pretty awesome.
Cheers to the next 9 years!
xoxo Holiday
p.s. the dress is way too big for me now...just another perk of trying this sucker on 9 years later :)
what would an embarrassing moment like this be without a #selfie?!?! Here ya go...
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