Rehearsal Dinner Day!!

What a day. My last day as a single woman. It is wonderful and surreal at the same time. After all of the hustle bustle today I'm home alone in a dark quiet house. The calm before tomorrow when Eric and I get married.

This morning I picked him up at his hotel at 8:30am and the day flew from that moment on. At 9:40 the chair rental company came and set up 125 chairs in my mom's backyard. They did a great job. After that Eric went to get his mani pedi...my man likes mani pedis! I think it's cool! Then we came home and were able to eat lunch and rest for about 2 hours. Miracle. Then I had my mani pedi. Kathy, my favorite manicurist, and in my opinion, the best manicurist, put a bunch of jewels all over my big toes, did a beautiful job with french tips on my fingers, and then wouldn't let me pay her. A gift for me she said. I was very touched.

Then I zipped home, said a quick hello to my 2 aunts who flew in from Mexico, and ran back to my house to shower again and get all ready for the evening.

Everyone started descending on my mom's house at around the same time and were standing out in the street getting to know each other. It was very fun. Then they herded into my mom's backyard and continued with the introductions as our stragglers arrived.

We gathered everyone up, seated those who were not proceeding down the aisle, and did a few run throughs, discussing ideas and working out the kinks. Everyone was great.

Then we drove in a caravan over to The Beckham Grill in Pasadena to our private loft room and had a wonderful dinner of chicken or salmon. Eric and I just looked around, pleased as could be that everyone was having such a great time. Between dinner and dessert we handed out the gifts and said a few words, and the evening wound down. The rehearsal and dinner lasted about 4 hours.

All in all, a great, great day. Eric and I drove back to my house, consolidated a few of his things because he will be leaving the hotel tomorrow and turning his room over to the best man, and then I drove him back to his hotel and drove home.

And now? I'm just feeling introspective. Grateful to have met this wonderful man whose only mission in life is to love me and take care of me. Blessed to love someone who loves me too. Humbled at the family and friends who are flying and driving in from all over the country to share this special day with us.

Tomorrow will be great. I cannot wait to be Mrs. William Eric Cooley. How I found such a gem of a man I will never know, but it happened. I cannot imagine a man better suited for me to be my husband.

And now, time for some beauty sleep, because I'm getting married in about 16 hours!