The Older I Get. .

. . .the faster my friends start dropping like flies. By "dropping like flies" I mean getting engaged and, ultimately, married.

When I was 4 or 5 I got to be the flower girl in my dad's cousin's wedding. Someday I'll find some of those old pictures, scan them, and share them with you all. For now, close your eyes and just imagine a really cute, blonde angel (okay, maybe not so much on the angel part). Picture said angelic creature in a simple white dress with a pink satin ribbon pinned around as a sash. Imagine a wreath of flowers with two little pink roses, one opened, one still a bud. Picture said blonde hair curled really nice, and a basket of flowers in hand. Okay, you can open your eyes now. That was Laura as a flower girl that you were picturing. Yes, I still have the basket.

Anyway, that was the first and only wedding I went to until I was in college. And it's still the only wedding I've ever been in (I'm working on trying to get my close friends married off. . .so far I've not been successful). I would hear people talk about the weddings they had been to, and so on, and I couldn't honestly remember exactly what being at a wedding was like. The whole flower girl experience is kind of a daze (although that is the first airplane trip I remember vividly - I couldn't figure out how the pilot knew where we were going and where to land the plane!).

In my first year of college, someone who had been involved with the college group got married. My friend and I went, because we both wanted to go to a wedding. After that wedding is when going to weddings started getting weird. Why was it weird? Because those getting married were friends of mine - my age or younger!

My friend Joanna got married about 2 years ago. She was the first actual friend of mine to get married. It was weird. I caught the bouquet at that one. Some good that's done me. :) I'm pretty sure that "luck" wears off after a year, or something.

Last year my dear friend Britney married her sweetheart. It was a beautiful, elaborate wedding, enjoyed by all.

Last month my childhood best friend, Bethany, got married. The girl who swore-off boys with me in elementary school found the love of her life and married him. And I am so happy for her.

The reason for this whole post - the events that encouraged these thoughts in my head - is the fact that today my friend Heidi got married. . .and tomorrow, in Hawaii (and no, I won't be in attendance) my childhood friend and, later, pen-pal, Tamara, is tying the knot.

I know many others who have gotten married. I've been at most of their weddings (except for any friends who got married outside of the state of Idaho!). It's a stage of life, I know, but it's weird. Eventually all of these who have gotten, or are getting, married will have children (some of them already have!) and instead of buying wedding presents I'll be buying baby presents. . .but I guess that's just the way growing up is.

As for me? I don't have any plans of getting married in the near future. I've always said I'm going to end of being the last of my friends to get married (although they tell me that by saying that I'm setting myself up to be first. *grin*), but by going to all these weddings I am accumulating ideas in my head for that someday when I am the princess walking down the aisle to meet up with my Prince Charming. And then all those who are in attendance can think about how many weddings *they* have been to, and all the single girls can wonder when *their* turn will come. But until then, we can all dream, knowing that "someday my prince will come!" And until then (and after!) I will continue to encourage my friends who are at that stage, and I will continue to be a frequent wedding gift shopper at Bed, Bath & Beyond. :)