With this ring...

Through out the planning process although we have hit a number of "speed bumps" along the way- for the most part I have been awed by the way things are coming together for this thing. I mean, seriously, "ideas" become reality (at a discount) over and over, and although- sheesh I have had my share of meltdowns, I got to take a step back last night after a sniveling fit and go run an errand with my beloved, which turned into not only figuring out his ring size, but freakin' working with the designer to mold his almost perfect ring into THE perfect ring in 10 mins flat.

I proudly informed my better-half-to-be that this purchase was the responsibly of the bride, and slammed that debit card down proudly.
To go please.
(Yup. Paid cash for the sucker it was THAT reasonable). The best part about the night was that we bought it from the guy who designed & made my ring and so although it is totally SO Brian, it actually compliments mine and anyone can see immediately how they match up.

Brian went from not being used to wearing any kind of jewelry to wanting to wear it out the door immediately. But alas, we tucked it safely away into that little black box to await it's formal debut on the big day.

I tell this story for 2 reasons.
1) God is so gracious to me even when I am at my sloppiest by not only providing relief and comfort to my anguish through the comfort and communication of fiance, family and closest friends-- and then goes ahead and provides us with such a special and significant gift- a wedding band- the symbol that he will wear to represent the fact that we are one for all time in a few short weeks.

2) You have to go and visit this jeweler. If you have my specific taste you'll just D-I-E. And even if you don't, you'll be able to appreciate the amazing imagination and creative mind this guy has. Seriously. If you are sold on a style and he tries to swing you but you don't budge, he will take your idea and run with it and make it better on the spot so the end result is not exactly what you first wanted, but now better. So it's still him, and still you all rolled into one.

He didn't try to up sell us either. I mean, yeah, he tried to tell me that the White gold is his favorite but when I stood my ground he was immediately on board with my metal choice and super happy for us. (maybe even happier to make a sale on the spot?)

So take a stroll into LaVitrine and ask for Musti. He had a store on Montana in Santa Monica and also in Woodland Hills.

I dare you not to fall in love with something. If you are on the hunt for a different kind of band for yourself, or something simple with a twist for your fiance, you won't be disappointed. Heck you'll probably just have to have something in the window regardless!

Please tell him we sent you. He may not exactly remember us, but he'll be happy to hear you were referred. Brian and I are predicting he'll hit it big any day. Then we'll no longer be able to afford him, but at least we'll each already own a design by Musti!

Thanks so much to my Sister for finding him for Brian! (and if you ask her how, she has a great story about that).

Now, on to the next project....

Tales of a sometimes insomniac...

Last night was a rough one. I had no issues falling asleep, but for some reason I awoke startled out of a dream (that I don't remember details of) around 3am.

I realized it was because my computer had finished "rendering" the file it started long before I drifted to sleep... and the volume was way up so the "finished" beep had probably done it to me, and so I groggily stepped out of bed to take out the freshly burned DVD movie I'd created, and moved on to the next step which would take a few more hours, and crawled back into bed.

5 mins tick by.... 10....20...30 (at which point I decide I need to go to the bathroom) so I get up, more groggy, and stumble around until I find the bathroom door and blast myself with the super bright light. Ugh. So wrong. I need a nightlight... too late....

Off to bed I go.
5 more mins.... 10...15.... I drift.... Bzzz.
BZZZZZZZ!!!!
A mosquito right in the ear! I am jolted awake again, and turn on my light (again). I HAVE to get that sucker.

But he is no where to be found. Dang it. I turn off the light, throw a blanket over my head so he can't get me, and try to drift to sleep but my computer finishes it's file. I try to ignore it. It can wait until morning....

5mins....10...15.... SNIFF, SNIFF.... what the heck? Is it tuna? No, it's that stinkin' skunk! Gross.
I jump up again to close the window because the smell has penetrated my room when I think I see TWO EYES peering into my glass door! My heart jumps. That skunk is out to get me!
Then I realize maybe it was my imagination combined with the blue light on the computer tower. So I shut it down, but have flashes of a killer skunk peering through the darkness into my bedroom.

It's impossible to relax.
I throw the blanket over my head again and drift off to sleep for a few minutes, and then awake completely hot because my windows were closed. I throw off some blankets and then imagine the killer mosquito feasting on my body. So I get up (again), open the window (again) and sniff to fresh air. Good.

I climb back into bed and notice 2 hours have gone by. Great.

I drift again (sort of) when the wind picks up banging my blinds hard against the window.

Startled, I am awake, but there is NO WAY, I'm leaving this bed. Must squeeze 2 more hours of sleep into my annoying night....

Somehow I drift.

Then, the back gate next to my room opens and slams shut.
I think it's an intruder coming to get me but quickly remember it's Monday which equals the Pool man arriving at 6:30am sharp.

Dawn is breaking now.

I cover my eyes with a lavender eye pillow to shut out the light, cover my head to shield myself from hungry blood sucking mossies, and try not to think about the limited time of REM I have left.

I finally drift.

And wake to Valentine in the morning talking about something incredibly unimportant on the radio. I finally give in to the fact I wasn't going to get a good night's sleep this time around.

Then suddenly, it's 9:15am! And I'm late for work!

But at least I feel rested.