This is the most beautiful in-between I've ever experienced. Unfortunately, we live in a time when in-betweens are unappreciated. Aren't we always trying to get HERE or THERE? We forget to look around while we're in traffic.

My good friend Katie and I made a lunch date. Katie and I have a fabulous relationship; we've known each other since high school and have actually become closer through out the years (we've both admitted to pretty much tolerating each other in high school). What's doubly wonderful about our relationship is that we are both crazy, depressed, and ingenious--but in different ways. We both rely on each other to reflect the world as we see it--screwed up, non-compliant, and downright crappy. Man, it's good to be understood.

The other wonderful thing about Katie and I is that we see each other very rarely and still have fantastic times together. We don't know each other's birthdays (well, she's got my birth month right--I can't remember her's to save my ever-living birthday-forgetting soul). And we exchange gifts at the most random of times. Christmas presents are handed out in June, birthday presents are years late...we don't care. It's the idea, is what we enjoy.

So, when we had a lunch date, I was not expecting an engagement present. But, lo, Katie surprises me once more.
"Here," she said, handing me a box and a bag. "This is your freakin' engagement present. I know it's a little late. Sorry."
"Katie! Why'd you do this?"
"Hell if I know. Duh! It's your engagement! Although it's late, so it's probably anti-climatic."
I open up the box to find two beautiful champagne flutes, and the bag contains one bottle of very drinkable fizzy.

"I figured when you guys got stressed out over the wedding, you could have it," she said from behind her fabulous Jackie-O sunglasses.

"Well, either that, or you could get drunk and have sex," she says after a pause.

I love Katie.

So, it's Saturday night. I'm blogging and Michael is staring at his beloved motorcycle forum. And we're drinking champagne. Katie, you were toasted. This is the life.

I'm about to be married, and loving every moment of the 'about to be' as much as loving the idea of spending the rest of my life with Michael.