I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT!

I told my husband today that God's best blessings to me have come in my relationships. I am married to my best friend. My 4 year old son likes me most of the time. I have a great mom who is so unintrusive and just such a cool lady. I have a loving and supportive extended family, most of whom are sane, and the ones who aren't sure do add a lot of color to the family. I work in a tremendous practice with such Godly people. My church family is remarkable. And my friends...so many wonderful, intimate friends. I've heard that if you have one or two good friends in your adult life, you are blessed. Well, I have enough for 4 or 5 lifetimes because I have some absolutely incredible friendships.

Within my friendships, four of us (myself, Cindy, Arlene, and Nina) get together regularly. Food always is involved somewhere. Sometimes we try to watch a movie, but usually we talk right through it. And, somewhere in the discussion, at least one of them tells me I reveal "too much information" but that's just because they are older and their poor old hearts just don't have the stamina to keep up with the conversation. (Oh, I am so giggling my hiney off right now!) I usually am the one who says something that shocks everyone, simply because they can't believe I actually said what I did. (Come on, girls! You know me! When will you stop being shocked?) Well, tonight it wasn't me. Nope, this time I was innocent.

Let me set the stage...we were having "Dip Night." We had been stuffing ourselves with crab dip, spinach dip, and something Cindy called seven-layer dip. I brought fruit. I turned around to stab another pineapple chunk when Nina said, "Oh, I'm about to pop!" I thought, "Well, stop eating then!" But when I turned around, I saw it. A gorgeous diamond ring on the all-important fourth finger of her left hand.

Nina is ENGAGED!

We are all so very happy for her. God brought into her life a dear, kind, thoughtful man who gets as much enjoyment doing things for others as she does (which is hard to believe). He's definitely a keeper. I've just got one thing to say:

Marty, you CAN'T get married at Niagra Falls!

Go there for your honeymoon...push her over in a barrel if you want to (who could blame you?!). But you just have to get married here!

Seriously, Nina and Marty, I pray God's richest blessings for your life together and am thankful I get to share in your joy.