I mentioned this last week, and I've been bringing it up a lot on instagram, but I'm really excited to be working on an event with some friends here in Atlanta called re/prom.  Basically, it's going to be a super fun party that is sort of, well, a redo of prom.  It's going to be on the evening of Valentine's, so if you are looking for something fun to do (feel free to forward this to your guy!) this is going to be so good.

Best of all, it will benefit an incredible organization called Care for Aids.  I'm so inspired and moved by their mission to intervene in the lives of those who are dying from HIV/Aids in Kenya.  The most amazing part is that these people don't have to die from HIV/Aids.  They can actually live long, full, and healthy lives if they have access to the right medication and education (did you know that?  I didn't, until very recently!), which is exactly what Care for Aids does.  They are giving mothers and fathers a second chance on life, which means that their children won't lose their parents, an amazing thing given the orphan crisis that is an epidemic there.

My talented and awesome friend Alea  took these photos of Chip and I and our favorites Sam and Lesley (and Alea's hubby A.P.!) to use as we promote the event.  We wanted to show that it's going to be a really fun party, and that no one needs to stress (ahem, guys!) about getting super fancy and uncomfortable.  Of course, black ties are always welcome and fun, but let's be honest, it's most important to wear something you'll be happy wearing while busting a move on the dance floor.

What you can expect if you come: a really awesome DJ, yummy food from a food truck, a super fun photo booth, a dessert table, drinks, and a laid back good time.  Basically, prom. But better.  And your tickets cover everything, so you just have to show up and have fun.

As Alea was taking these photos, I couldn't help but reflect a little on a high school prom.  I'll never forget being at a hair salon with some girlfriends where we were getting our hair done.  We were, I'm sure, ecstatically giggling and glowing with the promise of the evening to come.  There were a couple of older ladies there as well, and I overheard one of them say to her friend, "I wish I could get that excited about anything at all these days."

I haven't thought about that in years, but all this prom-ness brought it back up in my mind.  And I had attached to that memory in my heart that I never wanted to feel that way.  I never wanted to not be excited about life, to find it mundane and routine.  I made a resolution with myself.

The thing is, though, that real life can be, well, exhausting.  Especially when you have two precious, but dramatic balls of tiny energy living in your house.  Loading and unloading the dishwasher twice a day and folding endless piles of leggings and shirts and pajamas and picking up toys and little piles of paper (?) everywhere all the time can really wear on you.  Not to mention the emotional weight of always playing the mediator between sibling "discussions" (and mine really aren't even that awful!), which kind of takes away some of that excitement.

But I found something unexpected when we took these pictures.  To make this shoot happen, we went over to Lesley and Sam's, shared a sitter to play with the girls upstairs, put on some fun music, and Alea told us what to do.  It was so. much. fun.  I lost myself for a couple of hours, and didn't think about anything but enjoying those minutes of being with the love of my life and laughing with one of my favorite friends.  It was a welcome break from routine, and such a gift.  A good reminder that there is so much to be excited about, to be silly about, to completely lose your cool about.

The best part is that I got to go home to my real world dream come true.  At that high school prom, I had wishes and hopes about that date I had (or didn't have, I can't recall).  I'm pretty sure I cried before or after because it didn't turn out exactly the way I had imagined.  But this time, I got to go home with the boy who makes my heart do flips, the one who plays princess with our daughters and who I get to dream with every day.

So, I guess what I'm saying is:

Because I would LOVE to see you there, and be excited with you about a beautiful night that is completely out of the ordinary and an absolute break from the routine.

And, p.s. aren't Lesley and Sam just adorable?  I'm going to post a few more, just for fun!  (Alea, you are amazing!)