A very special Valentine's Day celebration

Part One: Pauley & Michael's Wedding
Saturday was a day we'd all been waiting for, our friends from church - Pauley and Michael - were getting married! Now I've been to my share of weddings, lots and lots of weddings. Some I've been excited about, some I've been a little less excited about. I've cut the cake, I've helped out the bride, I've done the prayer at the reception before we ate, I've read poems and scriptures during the ceremony, I've done my share of participating. I've also done my share of sitting in the pew, smiling, listening, wiping away tears, being happy for everyone involved.

And Saturday was no different. I stood guard outside the door while the bride got dressed. I sat in the pew and smiled, agreed to support their marriage, teared up when they said their own vows. But there was something different on Saturday, something I realized somewhat driving home from the reception that night and realized fully on Sunday after hearing a Catholic priest preach at our church.

The priest said that our relationships with other people are a privilege, not a right. Other people let us into their lives because they choose to, for no other reason. They don't have to - no one has to trust anyone else. And as I thought about that, and this wedding that I'd been invited to attend, something sunk in. I thought about how important the relationships in my life are. All of them. The relationships I've had for thirty-one years. The relationships I've had for just six months.

Sometimes, okay, all the time, I'm amazed at where life has taken me, where it's brought me, where God has lead me, the choices I've made, the choices others make, that bring us all to this very moment. To the moment of sitting there, listening to Pauley and Michael promise to love one another forever, wiping away tears for my friends. My friends. People who have invited me into their lives. Who've chosen to share moments with me. To love me. When I hugged Pauley as I was leaving the reception Saturday night, and she said, not for the first time that day, "I love you" - I smiled and said it back and thought, how amazing is God that He brings people into our lives, to affect our lives, to make our lives so much better, every single day. I am so blessed, not only by my relationship with Pauley and Michael but by every single person who I have a relationship with. All of you.

Part Two: A Hollywood Wedding
Yes, it was my friends' wedding day. It was beautiful and simple, just life them. No flowers except for one beautiful special daisy-filled bouquet, no fuss, just Pauley and Michael and Jesus and a profession of love.

But it was also a celebrity, Hollywood wedding! And yes, there were a few celebrities there. The entire cast of NCIS made it - including "Gibbs", "Ducky", "McGee", "Tony", "Ziva", "Jimmy", and even "Kate". And yes, my friends and I were totally star-struck. I mean how often can you say you're in the same room, at the same bar, as Mark Harmon?!?!?! Come on! So cool!

And no, I didn't get pictures of all of them, much to many people's dismay. But I did work up the courage to introduce myself to a few (does dancing with Cote de Pablo count?!?! I say yes!). And I did ask Sean Murray if we could take a photo with him, and he was very sweet, as was his wife.

Beyond the NCIS crew (and I did meet actual crew members including a producer!), there were also a few Boston Legal folks there (my friend David Dean Bottrell and the beautiful Meredith Eaton) and tons of other people.

So yes, my first celebrity wedding, complete with security, eco-friendly SUV shuttles, a fun digital photo booth that we took full advantage of, wonderful food, a few transvestites, dancing all night in three inch heels without a blister, and some of my favorite television stars. Oh, and all of my new Hollywood family! I don't think I've had a better Valentine's Day!