Reunion - Saturday, July 19, 2008

Today, three months after the happiest day of my life, I picked-up my wedding dress from the dry cleaners. I was determined to get a certain list of errands done and still make it to the beach for some sun bathing and relaxation before Mike got home from work (5 PM) - really maximize my Saturday. So I was up at 10 (this is early for me on a Saturday) and working - dishes, sorting through all of the laundry that needed to be done, cleaning the kitchen...Jumped in the shower, got all my beach stuff ready and packed into the car. First stop, north to Publix for my beach snacks. Then south to the dry cleaners - drop the dress off at home - and off to the beach.

I had been saving up the money to pick up the dress since I dropped it off. And calling the dry cleaners -

Can I pick it up on the 1st?
Sure
Call back - can I pick it up on the 15th?
...not a problem
Well - actually can I get it on the 1st?
yes ma'm...it's still here
I'll be there on the 15th, is that ok?

So finally, this paycheck was the one that put me over the top. I drove up to the dry cleaners...parked, and timidly walked up to the door. I dreaded something would be wrong - they closed early on saturday, gave my dress to Goodwill since it had been there 2 months... something.

The store is open - relief!

I walk-in, receipt in hand - I'm here to pick up THE wedding dress (because mine is the only one that ever had to be laundered before).

The teller goes to the reel to look for it. All of the clothes spin - my eyes frantically running back and forth trying to spot something familiar. STOP

She pulls down my dress - instant Kool-Aid smile!!! It was like seeing my long-lost friend - my 3rd bridesmaid - my partner in all of the anxiety, excitement, joy and love that filled my wedding day.

And...icing on the cake - the check-out woman at the cleaners tells me - is that YOUR dress? It's beautiful...but it looks too big for you.

Oh no, it fits like a glove.
Really? You look a lot smaller than that.

Oh yes, I was happy.