Iowa

In Iowa, they don't put fences up in the backyards. Instead, everyone's yard is one big lawn for little kids to play on. This is the main thing I noticed about Iowa while there for four days last weekend. There are rolling hills, lots of green, and communal backyards, save one or two yards with fences -- but the fence owners look like the party poopers.

Iowa is quiet and farm-filled and I imagine it being a very nice place to grow up or to raise a family, but I'll take my desert life over a life in Iowa any day.

Wedding

I was in the great state of corn fields and The Iowa Writers Workshop with a higher purpose. I went to wear a little pink dress and stand up in Jenn's wedding. The wedding was beautiful. Jenn had thought of everything and even the place cards, with little dance steps printed on them, were perfect. My roll in the wedding (walking down the aisle, posing for pictures, attending events, smiling) went well. I think I fulfilled all the bridesmaid commitments. Even the shoes were more comfortable than I imagined and I ended up dancing more than I normally do at such occasions. Looking at the pictures that we had developed on Sunday, I didn't look particularly thin in the dress. I imagined myself to look a little better while I was wearing the dress... but oh well.

I got to see Patty and Sean which was awesome and great and worth every penny and any inconvenience. I also saw our friend Scott for a brief moment when he drove to the party from Chicago. Reuniting with old college friends was very good.

On our way home, we got stuck in Denver overnight after multiple delays and a mad dash through the Denver airport. It took us more than 24 hours to get home from the time we set foot in the Eastern Iowa Airport. At first I was really pissed and I thought it may not have been worth the trip. But thinking a little more rationally, I think the reconnecting with old friends made it worthwhile as did one moment on Saturday night:

Jenn and Bill's first dance was to a U2 song. Since I was seated at the head table, I had an excellent view. In the eight years I've known Jenn, I don't think I've ever seen her happier than she was during that dance. I don't know Bill very well and I haven't had the chance to see the two of them together much, but watching that dance and seeing the happiness radiate from them, I knew that my friend Jenn had made a really good choice in Bill. And knowing that made the whole weekend a success.