I SURVIVED BOTH EVENTS

I used very few tissues for Whitney and Trent's big day. It was a beautiful celebration.  They are the sweetest couple and I was so happy that I could be a part of their big day with them! It made me a little sad that Braden wasn't there to tease Whitney (his favorite thing to do). 

I joined my pal Anissa in celebrating the Chinese New Year.  She and her friends do a fantastic job every year (they all have strong connections to China,  either lived in Hong Kong or served missions there) You may not know, but it is the "year of the Dragon" and I am a Dragon (not a cougar as my co-workers have accused me of, living next to frat house and all)

I barely survived the mandatory contest for all "dragons". Yep this is me actually gagging in front of a large group of onlookers as I try to devour a "100 year old egg". A sign of fertility and prosperity for the new year if you eat it.  I wonder what it means if you can't eat it and only gag? I took a large bite (hopefully the one symbolizing prosperity, NOT fertility) and then my good sense told me that I should not take another bite or everything would be coming up for sure! The prize for this spectacle of an event..a stupid pair of chopsticks. Really Anissa? Chopsticks? It would not have mattered if it were for a $100, that egg was not going down. no way, no how! I saved  my dignity by wisely knowing when to quit! Here is to prosperity!

Real "100 year old egg", as nasty as it looks.  You can't imagine the very disgusting texture!

SOMEONE PLEASE BRING ME THE TISSUE......

This is the exact thing that I will be saying on Friday January 13th.  It is my niece Whitney's wedding and she is marrying the love of her life, Trent. (see how cute they are by clicking on Whitney's blog on my sidebar) I am so happy for them. They are adorable and the sweetest couple and I am so excited for them to start their lives together. Here is the problem...I am a mess at weddings! I know, they are a sacred and very special event which can be emotional and it is ok to cry but I am pathetic and a really awful crier (imagine mascara running, blotchy neck and red face just for starters, forget the nose running and the other not so glamorous things that happen while I cry...why can't I cry very beautifully like in the movies?) Here comes the really pathetic part...I don't even have to know the bride and groom and I become a puddle! Forget the "TLC Weddings", and am blubber city. I discovered this very inconvenient quirk in High School, when in type class we all were glued to the TV for the mother lode of all soap opera weddings "General Hospital", keep in mind I really never watched soap operas but guess what? for some ridiculous reason I got choked up over Luke and Laura's nuptials. Yes, all teary for a stupid soap opera wedding that we all knew would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS LAST! (as a side note, to this day I get my s and w letters mixed up typing because we were glued to their wedding during the week we learned these letters in type)

And this was just the beginning! (which I know, is truly deplorable) So many tears shed of someone that isn't even real! This one here gets me EVERY TIME (and I have seen it several times and get totally choked up!)

And perhaps more pathetic than crying over Luke and Laura is this one that I shed a few over:

Thats right, I was a sissy over a stinking vampire wedding that I didn't even like!

Yes indeed, I shed a tear or two for the Royals, all of them!   

See my great distress? I am going to see Whitney and Trent married. I know them and love them. Whitney grew up with my kids and is a huge part of my life and just writing this I can feel a big lump in my throat and the computer screen is a bit blurry.  Her mom (my sis JoLin) will be there and she is a bigger baby than I am and if she looses control it will be a flood for everyone.  And when Whitney's tough dad Evan begins to cry... it is all over, I will be done for! Even texting JoLin today regarding the wedding, I had to grab a tissue.

I asked my personal assistant Siri this question that has bugged me for years: "why do I cry at weddings?" her very unhelpful answer was: "I don't know. Frankly I've wondered the same thing."

Thanks for nothing Siri. You STINK! I don't know either! I wish I knew how to stop this nonsense, but I am afraid that as I watch this wedding next Friday I will be my usual wedding mess. So sorry Whitney! I really am so very happy for you, but I just have to cry, it is what I do.  I won't be able to tell you how much I love you and how proud that I am of you because when I cry, my throat closes off and I can't say what I need to. So please know that behind the tears is so much joy that it is overflowing from my eyeballs ok?