Rx

Got my laboratory results back from my doctor. I am completely 100% healthy.

Healthy and cold and exhausted. Yay. 

A Pretty Penny

I looked at my bills this month and smiled. SMILED. Because for the first time in about 10 years, I'm feeling a little financially flush. I worked hard and paid off my car a year early. I carry no credit card debt. The new bedroom set I bought when I moved in with Abraham is now paid off. And the wedding has passed, which feels like the biggest cha-ching. 

So what now? 

The first thing I did was check my savings and retirement contributions and made sure I was contributing 10% of my income to each. My savings did take a hit during the last year, so I'd like to replace the funds in that account. I never let my retirement slack, so I'm in good shape there. I also called my stockbroker and invested about $4,000 of an old inheritance. We lived the good life on our honeymoon, and I'm anxious to ditch working for a living and feast in Mexico, ASAP.  

I also bought all of the things. The honeymoon was the final nail in the coffin for my beautiful 10-year-old luggage, so I spent $300 on new ones: dazzling bags on wheels in pinks and purples. I managed to get through last summer with three pairs of shoes, including one pair of flip-flops, so I rewarded myself by doubling the amount of summer shoes: Leather-strapped Born's and crocheted Toms' and work flats from Loft. Throw in two new dresses from Forever 21 because I just can't quit it. 

I like shopping, I feel good when I shop, but I don't want to be burdened with material objects. I don't want to work to maintain my possessions. I think I'm at the point where I would like a few high quality items instead a bunch of little things. I am a professional of the little things though, and Amazon and Forever 21 know it. 

I think the answer to my dilemma is to increase my savings contributions: maybe aim for 15 - 25% instead of 10%. Maybe maximize my Roth to the limit of $5,500. Start a house-repair fund, a child fund, a vacation fund, a something fund.

But I'm worried because I am so good at shopping, and I know what fun it is. I'm giddy when I open a box of sock yarns that I purchased and I fondle the soft skeins in brilliant colors. To me, that is a high.

I'm at such a rare point in my life, and I don't want to squander the opportunity. How do you balance a Pinterest life with a sound life that is financially secure? And if I do save 30% of my income, can I spend the remaining 70% on yarn and dresses?

Zzz

People ask us how being married is. Whether it's any different to the life we had before.

I always respond it's exactly the same.

Abraham says he likes married life better. And when the other person is done singing, "Aww," he qualifies that he is happier because I'm no longer stressed 24/7 about the wedding.

In real life, marriage is expensive, if you base it on cost per day for what you spent on the wedding. Marriage is also tiring. I've taken four-hour naps on every day that I'm not working. Last Sunday Abraham appeared above me from the couch. "Are you feeling okay? Because you've been asleep for five hours."

I stretched and yawned. "I feel like I could sleep another five."

"Well you'll be able to when we go to bed in a few hours."

Maybe I'm just recovering from all the stress I placed on myself. Or maybe my thyroid meds aren't as effective as they used to be. I find myself sensitive to cold, my teeth chattering when it's 68*F inside the house.

I should probably get myself to the doctor to get checked. Right after this nap.

Husband

Whereas "I love you" and "fiancé" were words that were difficult to try on, "husband" felt like the most natural word to slip from my lips.

The first time I said it, I was standing at a Delta gate, trying to upgrade our flight to Mexico to first class.

"We only have 1 seat left," the gate agent informed me.

"No thanks. I'd like to sit with my husband," I spun on my heels and flipped my hair at him.

So much for honeymoon perks.

Things I learned while planning a wedding:

• Whitepages.com is my new best friend and single-handedly the website I used the most. Partial address? Whitepages.com ! Don't know whether Great Uncle Al is an Alan, Albert, or Alfonso? Whitepages.com ! Whitepages.com for everything!
• I had really good experiences with the following websites: orientaltrading.com, vistaprint.com, weddingpaperdivas.com, envelopes.com, and nicepricefavors.com.
• I would not use mixbook.com again. I made a last-minute decision and switched our wedding invitations to Mixbook because it was a $200 difference. The invitations were okay, but they printed their company logo on the back of all of the invitations and response cards. That is not the time or place to advertise. I eventually felt so much remorse over the invitations that I went back to the original website (weddingpaperdivas.com) and bought a handful of the original invitations I had chosen. No logos were on the back.

I think my biggest mistake was caring too much about what other people thought. Abe's ex-roommate planned her entire wedding within a week and didn't ask for anybody's opinion, including her fiance's. Meanwhile I didn't make a single choice without running it by three people, and Abraham was unexpectedly opinionated. It was helpful when I was just starting out and had no idea how what kind of wedding we could have, but by the time the wedding was planned and people were still telling me what to do--that got really frustrating really quickly.

I've had anxiety nightmares every night. Never about the man, only about the wedding. Sometimes things go horribly wrong: no kiddush cups to drink the wine, someone bought red wine instead of white (what if it stains my dress?). Sometimes I get up to the alter and I realize I'm standing next to an ex-boyfriend, and I tell my dad, I'm sorry, but I'm canceling this $25,000 party.

Things I have cried about in the last month

• The inner envelopes of the wedding invitations looked awful in certain lighting
• The guest list (too large)
• Seemingly having to make every appointment twice (or three times) instead of once to accomodate everyone's schedules
• The cost of hair on the wedding day ($240!!)
• My mom calling me a bridezilla when I said I wanted to pay for alterations rather than having her cut up my wedding gown
• The guest list (not enough people I know)
• Someone needing the wedding program the day after I finished addressing the invitations
• Talking about finances with family members
• Learning what hospitality bags are
• When are all of the appointments going to take place?
• Traffic (being 10 minutes late to life)
• The possibility of having the wedding outside
• Getting really sick an hour after the bridal shower
• Pneumonia!
• The decision of whether parents are going to stand under the chuppah (all of the tears)
• The guest list (why has only half responded?)
• The Finklesteins
• Keeping children from attending the wedding
• Feeling like a bad friend for turning down friend invites so I could sit alone in the dark

Abraham: As long as that list is, I think you missed a few things. 

Boom! Engaged.

The holidays were a busy time!

• Abe's previous roommate. Boom! Engaged. 
• Sleepy Katie. Boom! Engaged. 
• Mel. Boom! Engaged. 

Government Mule is in a bit of trouble because everyone around him has gotten engaged, however he and Jenna have been together the longest. So he told her that she could start planning a wedding. 

Harvey is dying. She's my matron of honor and there are already four more weddings on the books for 2014. I heard she is openly asking for people to not get married anymore. 

It's crazy. I spent my twenties drinking with these people and will spend my thirties attending their weddings. Mel and I were just talking how we never thought it would be us. We would never be the happy ones. And not only are we the happy ones, but we're the happy ones at the same time. 

I am so excited for my friends. I am so excited to be a bridesmaid when the time comes. People tell me that this feeling wanes when you've been a bridesmaid a number of times, but I am genuinely elated for them. Besides, I'll be the one relaxed when they are all stressing out this fall. 

37 days.