Official Name-Changing Ceremony!

Yes, you heard right, Ladies and Gentlemen!

On this very day at this very moment in this very LJ entry, I am about to make history.

Safe-Dancing-Guy, who you’ve all come to know and love, is getting a new name. “Pshah!” you say, “he’s had so many names we don’t know which one to use!”

But my friends, this is a different kind of name change. A very special name change.

Friends, loved ones, foes, and strangers, I present to you the newly named:

(drumroll please…..)

Safe-Dancing-Fiance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

———–
Yeah. That’s right. I’m engaged!!!!! Now I really want to shout from rooftops and kiss strangers (ok, maybe not that) and let the entire world know that this is truly the happiest time of my life.

It’s taken some time to write this entry, actually. When I’m so happy, and you all can’t actually see the glow on my face, words seem so utterly inadequate. Blog entries all of a sudden feel sterile.

But I’m here finally announcing and babbling and I’m loving every minute of it. Every keystroke, even every typo.

I won’t go into the proposal — suffice to say that I absolutely bawled and the ring is beyond perfect though he was afraid I wouldn’t like it.

The wedding is July 5th, 2008, and I won’t say that I can’t wait for it. The reason that I won’t say that is because it’s going to get here faster than I can say “cat.” Ok, well maybe not that fast. But we have so much going on this year (Italy, the cottage on the lake, Cabo San Lucas, Buffalo) that we hardly have time to breathe as it is.

Given that the wedding will be on a holiday weekend, and we want to do the traditional shebang kind of ceremony/reception, we’ve had to start early on the prep. One of the reception sites that we looked at is already completely booked for July of 2008. As it happens, we didn’t like them anyway, so no big loss.

Oh, and I suppose I should mention here that the wedding will be in Buffalo.

Yes.

Buffalo.

Ok, maybe you need to put your head between your knees for a moment. Hey — does anyone have a paper bag?

You ok now? All right.

The wedding is in Buffalo. And not only that, we’re MOVING to Buffalo (I know, I’m causing heart-attacks now…). Buffalo is awesome. I never thought I’d like it. I mean, East Coast, bad weather, mud season… But to tell the truth, it’s gorgeous! Winter is just hefty enough to be worthwhile and play in, but not consistently nasty enough to make me want to die. Summers will most likely be spent at the cottage on the lake which is the most delightful place I think I’ve ever been. Not too hot, not too cold, and water right at the end of the back lawn. I’ll get to see real spring blooming, and real fall colors emerging. This California girl is ready for it — I WANT SEASONS DAMNIT!

Want more? Housing is so cheap! Schools are so good! (Yes, we want two kids.) I’ll be two hours from Toronto, home to one of my famous Julies (and home to of all sorts of great food and shopping, and well, those really nice Canadians). Hell, living in Buffalo, I might actually visit NYC someday.

So back to that whole wedding planning thing, SDF and I flew to Buffalo a couple of weekends ago to see reception sites and interview vendors. We picked the coolest place for our reception site, the Butler Mansion. The mansion was actually donated to the U of B at some point, so the main website for it is very boring. But if you want to see some cool shots of it and its fountain and gardens, go here,or here. Just ignore the ceremony parts. We’re getting married here (scroll all the way down to “Pictures of the Church”) by the same priest who married SDF’s mom and dad! How amazingly special is that????

Oh yeah, and I bought my wedding dress on Saturday! Maybe I’ll figure out a way to post pictures in a post that SDF can’t read so you can see them (if you want, let me know!). 😉

It’s amazing. I am the worst procrastinator on the face of this planet (as you well know), but give me something that I enjoy, and I’m all over that organization thing. Of course, it helps that I’ve had that whole back injury thing, thus tons of time in bed with nothing other to do than plan my wedding.

Another Oh Yeah… did I mention that my company is letting me keep my job when I move?

Now I just feel like I’m bragging.

——————

To be serious for a moment… So many good things are happening, so many wonderful pieces falling into place to make all of this possible, so many good friends celebrating and supporting us. And it makes me scared. I’m one of those “when will the other shoe drop?” kind of people. I’m getting better about not worrying so much about the second shoe, but maybe I’m just saving it up. ‘Cause when I do worry about it, it seems more intense. So all of you optimists, come to my rescue and help me up when I’m cringing beneath the shadow of the second shoe please!!!

And that’s enough for tonight I think. I need to find some caffeine or run the risk of angering the mighty God of Migraines.

Thanks for listening. 🙂