A Shower

Good, clean fun.

Get your mind out of the gutter, not that kind of shower. Although those are also good, clean fun. 
I realized I hadn't written a post from my trip home and the wedding shower. So, very late, here it is.

Now, I may or may not have mentioned it (I think I did), but I did not want to have a shower. I used all the excuses of being so far away, the expense of getting out of Alaska, and not being able to bring gifts back. All those excuses were answered, tickets booked, and before I knew it I was headed back to the continental (or, as I like to refer to it, the real) United States. Let me tell you, I know I'm still technically in the US, but it feels like going to a completely different country with so much more stuff. More things to do, see, and buy, places to go, and people to hang out with. It's glorious!

Know what's not glorious? Traveling for 12 hours. I shouldn't complain, my sister and brother in law traveled for like 17 hours...but that doesn't make it suck less. I think I left Alaska at like 6 in the morning and got home at like 10 or 11 at night. Craziest part? When I got up in Juneau at 3:45 in the freaking morning the sun was getting up with me. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. I felt like a vampire hissing at the sun. And then it was so dark when I landed. I kept saying that the time change wasn't too hard on me, but the light change was. It was weird. 
Anyway, I got in after basically forever and got to see my parents and some siblings and the dogs and it was wonderful. And I was tired. 

The next day we went shopping. We were looking for a bridesmaid dress for my sister...it was not the most pleasant experience. I thought I was being the opposite of a bridezilla by telling them to pick whatever they wanted. What would the opposite of a bridezilla be? Hmm. Dunno. But I thought they'd get to pick something that the felt and looked good in and spend the amount they wanted. Sister decided we had to go to a bridal store and she discontentedly picked out a bridesmaid dress. Well, okay. I'm not sure she's the least bit excited for the wedding, but I did give them all the choice to opt out of bridesmaiding. 
So we moved on to the mall where I was super excited to shop. I did a great job at Sephora and then lost my excitement. I do this every time: I'm so happy to be able to shop and then remember that nobody dresses up or tries to look nice for stuff in Alaska and I lose steam. But it was nice to spend time with my mom and one sister nonetheless. 

Uh, I'm not gonna go through day by day, I don't remember them specifically. But I got to spend time with my side of the family, Soldier's side of the family, and some friends. 

The day of the shower, I was expectantly nervous. So many people, so much attention, so stressful. 

I'd ordered a dress from Rent the Runway. A beautiful, $700 Marchesa that I wore for $30. Not too shabby. So I was feeling pretty, which was a good start. I tried making small talk as people arrived and felt like a huge idiot. Things started moving along: food, gifts, chatting. And then it was over.  

That was it.

It was quite awkward. I don't really like having all the attention, especially when people stare at you while you're opening cards and stuff. But it was also really fantastic. It was a whole bunch of women who really love Soldier and I and who we're so lucky to have in our lives. As much as I didn't want to do a shower, I'm so glad I did it. I can't wait to get back home to see everyone again. But really, on the other hand, hella awkward.