OUR DAUGHTER IS ENGAGED!

I racked my brain trying to come up with some clever, thoughtful, touching way to start this post, but it’s the ALL CAPS thought that keeps running around in my head.

Both of us, still sweating from a run, cell phone on speaker, were jubilant when Christina gave us the news. The call ended and things got quite, each retreating into our own thoughts. Mine was “How did we get here?” Paul shook his head and said. ‘I remember when I was just a goof ball kid. Now I’m the Father of the Bride?”

Paul and I are not completely taken by surprise. There has been talk, and we know how they feel about each other. It is obvious how happy Robert makes Christina and how much he loves her. They make a very simpatico couple.

But it is another one of those moments in life that still manages to take you by surprise. People fall in love and get married all the time. It’s a completely normal, everyday part of life. And then  it is your daughter and your life.

My thoughts since then? All over the place.

Every time I try to write this, I slap down a couple of sentences and think, “I need to go do a load of laundry.” Brainless, routine things help calm me down and make me feel as if I am being useful.

… Hang on, I hear the washing machine beeping…….

While many of you have already been through this, I feel I am late to the party planning. I have put together many large – and I would be so bold as to say – successful parties, but this is next level planning. Also, Christina and I have never poured over wedding magazines or fantasized about the perfect dress or the ideal color scheme, so we don’t even have a starting point. I googled wedding planning and got…60 million results.

….And anxiety setting in….let me go clean out the kitchen junk drawer……

Next week we head to New York City for Thanksgiving. In addition to our usual eating, drinking, and shopping, we will try to squeeze in some venue viewing and wedding planning. But most importantly, we will be meeting Robert’s parents. For the first time. At Thanksgiving Dinner.

…. My chest is feeling tight….time to clean out that fridge……with a glass of wine….