Married.

Three

So.

Three days to go.

Things have pretty much fallen into place, though I feel like I've been going eleventy million different directions, especially the past week.  I've been trying to work as much as possible, and stay focused on my cases, but it's just hard.

Today we delivered the alcohol to the caterer- our last major task.  I have a few errands left, but nothing much.  I've picked up my dress, confirmed with every vendor, met with the DJ, made all the place cards, pre-rehearsed with the priest and the church lady, etc. I've written thank you notes for all the gifts we received before today.

We had people who had previously said they were coming call to say they weren't, people who had never RSVPed finally say they WERE coming, the first people who changed their mind about coming decided that they could, in fact, come, another couple called to cancel... and if I had to rearrange those tables and the seating chart one more time I thought I'd scream.  A couple times I've gotten overwhelmed and was ready to kill someone (Fella, my clients, Fella...) but it passed quickly and for the most part I've been pretty calm.  I had a dream that the wedding flowers were ugly and I was very very sad.  I keep reminding myself that flowers are not crucial.

They sure are nice, though. ;)

It at once feels far away and unbelievably imminent. I at once feel exhausted and wired.  P will be here tomorrow. My family is here.  My checklist has been mostly checked, there is not much else I can do to prepare.

I am ready.

Bikram

In about mid-January, a friend of mine started raving about Bikram Yoga.

"It's amazing!" she gushed.  "It's like a legal club drug."

I decided she was crazy.  I knew about Bikram Yoga.  It was that crazy yoga, they do it in a super hot room.  I'd done yoga. I like yoga!  It's calming and relaxing.  I like the stretching.  Especially I like the lying on the floor being still.  I do not like being hot.  Hot would ruin yoga. Plus, exercise? Yeah, I don't.  I just don't.  Really, ever.

So I humored her. I told her I would try to come. And I secretly planned to continue doing so until she got tired of the yoga and quit.

Then my wedding dress arrived.  And I couldn't get it on.

Without giving away too much, I will say my dress is fitted enough in certain places that the damn thing was just not going on.  The same day, I went to my first Bikram Yoga class.

I'll tell you this. They don't lie about the hot. It's hot.  Bikram studios are supposed to be "around" 105 degrees.  That's hot. On top of that, it's "around" 50% humidity.  So... yeah.  Not my favorite conditions.  But I made it through the first class. 

I didn't think it was "a legal club drug." Not even close. But I was proud of myself for sticking it out, and I had a huge feeling of accomplishment. 

And the next day, I went back.

And the next day.  And the next. Bikram Yoga is 90 minutes of torture.  That's what they themselves say, the Birkam Yogis.  90 minutes of pain, to save you from 90 years of pain, Bikram likes to say.  He also says, "give me 30 days I'll change your body. Give me 60 days, I'll change your life."

In the first 14 days, I went to 11 classes.  Since then, I've averaged about 5 times a week.  FIVE TIMES A WEEK.  I've never sweat so much in my life.  This week I haven't, because of various events, work obligations, wedding planning meetings... and I miss it.  I miss it!!  What craziness is this?

I'll tell you.

In the first 6 weeks of classes, I lost an inch from my waist and an inch and a half from my hips.  I feel taller, my lungs expand further.  I'm stronger.  I stand up straighter. I haven't needed my day time mouth guard that prevents me from clenching my teeth or the muscle relaxer I would take when the mouth guard wasn't enough.  I did not freak out when we lost our venue.  I am far less anxious in general.

Don't get me wrong. I still don't think it's anything remotely like a legal club drug.  I don't enjoy the class. I don't like it at all.  But I like the way I feel afterward. And I like the way my physical appearance is changing.   

My plan is to try to keep up a 4 class per week practice until... well, if we're lucky enough to have a... change of... situation, I'll have to stop.  Until then, I'm going to try to continue this new habit.  So far, I'd say Bikram  has definitely changed my body. Hopefully, he'll also change my life.

P.S. Speaking of life-changing... Um, I'm GETTING MARRIED in 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS!  EEK!

SERIOUSLY

Y'all. 

So in my last post I told you about the whole foreclosure situation. Well... it didn't turn out to be "unlikely to affect our date" as I hoped. It completely and TOTALLY affected our date when the insurance company pulled coverage for the venue and it was forced to close. It was even on the news. The owner had been long gone, but the people that managed it were trying to hold it together for the events that had been booked.  But no. 

So I had a very wee anxiety moment (really, held it together pretty well), made some phone calls, my caterer made some phone calls, my day-of coordinator (who is working much harder than just the day of) made some phone calls.  And we got ourselves a spot.  A really good one, actually.  It's a place I hadn't considered because they require you to use their caterer and it's expensive. However, due to the circumstances, they are allowing brides that originally booked the doomed venue to use the space with their own caterers.  Which is really nice.  So that's that.

Fortunately we had only made the deposit payment, and Fella's credit card company is probably going to refund that.  And we were able to pretty easily find a place we liked.  So for us, no major loss.  For that poor bride with only 13 days to find something else, it's crappy.

This wedding is making me tired.