A rEfUGeE , A qUaSi-aRgEnTiNiAn + DrEaMs

The Fates allow, and dreams (of sort) are sprung. I relish the moments when a plan falls perfectly into place. Or I should say, things fall so perfectly into place that if you jump on board...your plans are perfectly made. It makes me understand why people put so much stalk into aligning stars. Large, powerful, all encompassing forces...click! click! click! Although it sounds more like a large, low, grinding metal boom; not some silly clicking seat belt. But, I digress!

In an effort to evade the freezing temps in D.C. (and as it ends up, several more feet of snow) I made plans for a small pit stop in Phoenix after a week of work in Las Vegas. Now, if you live in Phoenix and I didn't see you, please don't get mad! I had limited time, was so exhausted I slept for half of it... and it was an offhanded plan that happened to work. It just so happened that my lifer friend Amy was in town (a rarity in her past job), my college hoodlum was available, and a D.C. friend (currently posted in Argentina for work) would be in Phoenix until she had her baby. See? Click, click, click!

On Friday morning, Hoodlum Heidi picked me up and we met the cute+pregnant Megan at Cafe Rio. We had a nice long chat, relished in some goooood food, then headed off to the most amazing shopping place you could ever go--Last Chance. We soon drifted to different parts of the store, but after a few hours (2 maybe?) we all ended up in the dress section. One thing led to another, and soon I felt like I was in that episode of Friends. You know, the one where all three girls end up in wedding dresses? Now, before you get the wrong idea, it was NOT wedding dresses, just fancy dresses.

I told them how I had always wanted a fully sequined dress, but didn't in high school and had never really found an appropriate one (or occasion) since. However, within Last Chance, I had found a very sequined dress on a rack and just for the fun of it, wanted to try it on--in the cart it went. Then Heidi, hearing of my desire, voiced her long-time wish and found a ball gown she LOVED--in the cart it went. Then, Megan (made even cuter by her baby bump) went looking for a dress. She quickly gave up, but I found a gorgeous white Grecian dress she loved--in the cart it went.

I wish I had photos of all of us, it was fantastic. But sadly, I didn't have my camera. It was a hilarious afternoon and even the dressing room attendants got in on the fun. I loved it, not a care in the world! Just laughing, wandering, scrounging through piles of clothes, shoes and accessories. In the end we stood outside the dressing room and painstakingly went through our mound of clothing, dividing it into our personal "yes" or "no" piles. I did a good job of whittling things down...except when it came to my quasi-dream dress. I kept holding it up, then putting it down. Finally, Heidi and Megan told me to hold it up. Megan took a photo and just started laughing, "Look how happy you are! How much is it?" Thirteen dollars. "That's it?! That's a small price to pay for happiness." So, in the cart it went.