The Neighborhood

It’s been refreshingly sunny and hot this week, and I couldn’t be happier.

While on my walk this evening, I found a path up the Oakland Hills (?) Berkley Hills (?)

It was nestled between gorgeous homes and landscaping:

and lead to some spectacular views of the Bay:

Fall in July

Yesterday, after escaping the cold, gray afternoon (in July!) in a cozy bar in SF, we visited Deputy Commissioner Bress’ apartment.
I was immediately struck by the incredible library of books. DCB and his brother have amassed an impressive collection of literature that spans several beautiful built-in, floor-to-cathedral ceiling shelves. It felt like a library-David and I both checked out a book!

Anyway, of course when we got back home, to our sweet but still very bare apartment, I started dreaming about bookshelves and decorating. We have a tiny space and I worry that most bookcases could make the space look smaller. I love the idea of floating shelves since they’re light and take up little space, but I don’t think that will work in a rental. Not sure how I feel about these wallpaper or fabric-back shelves-can’t tell if they help lighten things up or are just borderline-tacky. Either way, it’s fun to let my brain wander, free from moving logistics, wedding logistics, all sorts of logistics, and just imagine:

Officially a Family

Saturday night, David and I exchanged vows and rings and promised ourselves to each other and our family for all of time.

It was everything-beautiful, moving, overwhelming, happy, intense-all of it. Yesterday, I told David one of the most amazing, unexpected elements of it all: I now understand what it means to be truly present. Every moment in my life, I’m present, but seconds or minutes later, something else jumps to mind, or I’m shuffling through observations-even in the most quiet, subtle moments, I’m thinking-not worrying or anything bad, but never fully, fully present for a sustained period of time.

But from the moment I held my dad’s hand and we began the walk down the aisle, to the moment David and I, now husband and wife, turned the corner near Haines and ended the recessional, my mind quieted, and every ounce of my mental and physical energy was there, in that moment, without a thought to anything else. It was extraordinary.

So many other thoughts from the incredibly ceremony, the awesome reception, the overwhelming generosity and enthusiasm from our family and friends, and now our beautiful honeymoon in Santa Barbara. For now, just soaking it all up. Thinking a lot about our vows, the promise we made with our rings:

I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. With this ring, I give you your freedom and my trust in you. I give you my heart until the end of time; I have no greater gift to give.

and the sheer wonder that I am now David’s wife!

1 day

Tomorrow!!

Rehearsed, dined with family and friends, celebrated with the BEST and now some rest.

Let’s do this! So excited to marry David tomorrow.

5-2 days

The last time I spent the night on campus at UCLA was late August, 2007. I hardly slept, filled with anxiety about starting law school in Baltimore, and flying to Maryland the next morning.

I’ve been back to campus several times since, but tonight, it was a pretty surreal to look out of my hotel room, see the McGowan Theater, and know that once again, I was staying back on campus.

Equally eye-popping is that the wedding is the day after tomorrow. It’s exciting. Felt great today to arrive at UCLA, be with David, car dance on the drive up with Janou, wrap up more tasks, and get ready to welcome our friends and family to the weekend!