lifeisgood: Relax

is the word of the day. When I climbed into bed last night (Wednesday) it felt like it should already be the weekend.

My week was looking to pretty average. I had a few plans set up and it was looking to be a fine week! Monday started just like any other day; 5:00am driving to work. By 10:30am everything was thrown through the window and a new plan was in the works!

Step 1: Get to California

HUGE thanks to Payce for helping me track down a good flight. Another HUGE thanks to my friend Zach for getting me to the airport in time, and another to the others who were so quick to drop what they were doing and offer a ride at such short notice. By 5pm I was boarding the plane and began the journey to California.

Step 2: Shower

3 airplanes, 2 cities and 17.5 hours later I was in no condition to attend a wedding. Not to mention it had already been 2 days and 2 shifts at work since I had last showered. Luckily I found a nice private Nursing room in an airport restroom where I found foamy soap suitable for shampoo tasks. I showered ... in a sink. I was one box of hair-dye away from being a genuine Fugitive, and I must say it felt truly awesome! For the first time in a year I was thankful for my short hair, and with fresh hair and face (and armpits!) I was ready to go!

Step 3: Classic airpot pickup scene

Run to Cammie and embrace and giggle. Check!

Step 4: Wedding

Within 1 1/2 hours of being picked up from the airport, I was dropping Cammie off at the Temple to begin her long, wonderful day at the Temple!

Step 5: Drive a stranger's car

And follow another stranger to drop off her rental car back at the airport. She was the cutest, sweetest lady and I had a wonderful time hearing about her life and sharing a Subway sandwich with her.

Step 5: Pseudo-photographer

During the ceremony I took Cam's camera and did my best to capture a few memorable shots of the Temple and the scenery. I told her I got ONE good photo, and I wasn't kidding. I sure hope she found it amongst the hundreds of terrible photos I took along with it.

Step 6: Classic long-time-no-see scene

Run to Sydney (bridesmaid 1 of 3) and embrace and giggle. Check!

Step 7: The Couple!

The beautiful couple finally walked out with big smiling faces around 5:30pm. Following a good hour and a half of more photographing we were ready to eat. Christopher (little brother) wanted Chinese. OK!

Step 8: Dinner and farewell

Dinner was marvelous! It was a great little restaurant and we were close to the only people in there! And, bonus, the food didn't make me sick (which chinese food tends to do, relentlessly) and I ate A LOT of it! We opened our fortune cookies and laughed at the coincidental ones, and laughed at the lame ones, and especially laughed at the one that assumed that I was with a date (I wasn't). Then we gave the last round of hugs and smiles and laughs and parted ways.

Step 9: Sleep

For four hours I slept like a baby. HUGE thanks to Gwendy for taking the time to find me a hotel room while I was at dinner! She made the process easier than easy for me and it was a big help! She even sent me a screen shot of her phone with all the info I needed to get there and check in, which I thought was very clever. HUGE thanks to Alison and Steven for driving me to the hotel even though they had about an hour and a half drive ahead of them.

Funny thing -- The first thing I heard whilst standing in line to check in was a man running in saying, "Someone left something nasty in the hallway." BAHAHA!

Step 10: Journey home

Miraculously woke up at 4:30am without an alarm (that I forgot to set!) just in time to shower and pack up and meet the shuttle outside by 5:09. Another 3 planes, 2 cities and 18 hours later I was sitting back in my own house. HUGE thanks to my friend Jordan for picking me up and another to the others who were also willing to help out and pick me up in the middle of their busy day. HUGE thanks to my house for being so clean and awesome and welcoming. It was good to be back!

HUGEST thanks to the Mutz and Easley families, as well as the Hughes, for making it a marvelous day. Thank you for sharing this beautiful day with a beautiful couple, and for doing all you can to ensure their happiness. They are very lucky to have such a wonderful support team, and even luckier to have found each other.

HUGE thanks to Cammie for showing such a strong, calm, happy face in the midst of all the chaos.

HUGE thanks to Jacob for being such a perfect husband to my dear friend.

And finally, the last step

RELAX

and re cooperate for the remainder of my week.

One last funny that I found whilst traveling: