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02 July 2007

the red cowboy boots have arrived

the cowboy boots arrived

Dear Red Cowboy Boots,

Thank you for arriving. Really, of course, I have to thank Kristin, who bought them, and thus brought you into my life. When I sat on the blue exercise ball in our old apartment, and read the email she sent me, through tear-smeared eyes, I didn't know what to say. A week passed before I could comprehend having you on my feet.

And when the first pair arrived, I threw the layers of white tissue paper into the air, trying to reach you. But you see, that pair? They weren't you. They weren't the pair I am meant to be wearing on my wedding day. They were the pair that forced me to shove my foot past the point of cramped toes, to reach the sole. After a minute or two of sweating and pushing, I admitted defeat. Those were not my boots.

I took a photograph of them, and put that photograph on this website, so I could share my joyful gratitude with everyone reading. But part of me felt guilty. They weren't you.

When I called the online shoe company from which that lovely woman Kristin had sent you, they turned to confusion, right away. "We don't have any larger sizes. Sorry." You see, cowboy boots, it's not that I needed you to be clownishly large. My feet dance easily. But you boots are quirky, and a bit narrow. The largest size that company had available just wouldn't work. All the larger sizes had disappeared. (You must be popular with the ladies.) And they didn't know when more boots would come in.

I faced the idea that I might not be wearing you on my wedding day. How was I going to break it to Kristin?

Life rarely stymies me for long. I found a way.

One afternoon, just before we started packing boxes to move our lives a bit farther south, I called the Lucchese boot company in Texas. An older woman with a honeyed Southern accent listened to my spilled-out story, then said, "Don't worry, child. Send them back to us. We'll send you the boots you need."

The week after we moved into our new home, a large red box appeared on our porch. There you were.

The first time I slipped my foot inside, you welcomed me.

Every time I wear you into the world, I am celebrating. Dancing, a little. Clicking my heels and spinning in easy circles on the hardwood floor. You see, much as I love you, and I know you are my boots, I need to scuff your soles a bit. When I am walking down the rag-tag aisle toward the Chef, I don't want to slip and fall.

If I did, he'd laugh. And then I'd look up at him and start laughing too. So I guess it wouldn't be too bad.

But really, I just want to dance. And you are the perfect boots for dancing: warm and slightly stiff along the shins; fierce fire-engine red; becoming pliable. I can only imagine the hours in which I will be wearing that white wedding dress and you on my feet.

In two weeks, that will no longer be imagination.

In two weeks, I will be wearing you, and marrying the Chef.

Even though I have been feeling the pressure of the thousand details to be completed, after you showed up on the doorstep, and I put you on my feet, my shoulders settled into ease. Enough with the stresses. Bring on the dancing.

Thank you, red cowboy boots.

posted by Shauna @ 9:31 PM

21 Comments:

At 10:10 PM, Blogger Food Allergy Queen said...

Shauna, my feet started doing a little happy dance in solidarity with your most excellent and beautiful red cowboy boots.

Have a beautiful wedding day full of dancing to begin your joyful life together!

 
At 4:36 AM, Blogger ChupieandJ'smama (Janeen) said...

I love the boots! They are perfect!
Ignore the stresses. Everything will be perfect. You will be there. He will be there. Everything else is extra. Enjoy. Take it all in. Relax and dance :)

 
At 4:40 AM, Blogger sweetpea said...

TOO COOL, Kristen you are the BEST! We are all smiling for the joy you have given our gluten free girl!

 
At 5:58 AM, Blogger MappyB said...

Very cool! I'm glad you've found the right fit in both your feet and your life! :)

GlutenFreeMappyB
www.glutenfreemappyb.wordpress.com

 
At 6:35 AM, Blogger jenA said...

yay for boots! you know, I emailed Lucchese the day I read your post about wanting to wear them - of course, it had been a full week and by then you'd already been gifted!
Congrats, nonetheless - and I am proud my fellow Texans came through :)
jenA

 
At 7:01 AM, Blogger cronznet said...

Red cowboy boots are the only color for me--except when I finally get my dark purple boots. Happy wedding day!

 
At 1:19 PM, Blogger Kristin said...

Shauna !! Thank you for sharing that story - I feel honored to be a part of it and to be - in some small way - a part of your wedding day. I got so much joy out of sending you those boots - and I love how happy they make you !!! They look awesome - you have fabulous taste ! The wedding will be brilliant .... I don't even have the words (like you do) to express how much fun this whole thing is !!!
Have a great day !! Thanks for making me smile.

 
At 7:03 PM, Blogger Shirley said...

Your red boots look oh so cool! There's no way you could be wearing those boots and not have a wonderful day! Very exciting and special days for you leading up to the day when you begin your marriage to Chef! Your wedding will be fantastic, but know that little silly things will probably go wrong and that it will all be okay--wonderful actually. Years later, those are the things you remember. For our wedding, my IL's had put their dachsund downstairs away from the festivities as we were getting married in their house due to the rain (another detail we couldn't control), but a guest didn't know that, heard her scratching and opened the door ... so halfway through the ceremony, Hildegard the dachsund, marched in and stood right between us while we took our vows--how precious is that? 25 years later here we are :-) !

Shirley (I posted for the first time right before the GIG conference and we got to meet there)

 
At 12:39 AM, Blogger terry said...

what a wonderful tale.

wear those boots joyfully, shauna!

 
At 8:40 AM, Blogger Cookie baker Lynn said...

I noticed your excellent boots at David's class. They are smokin' hot and you will be an awesome bride in them!

 
At 10:01 AM, Blogger Dianne said...

Oh wow! Those boots are fabulous!

:)

 
At 6:00 PM, Blogger Kathleen said...

Dear Shauna, First time commenter, longtime lurker here. Totally off topic, but I just read an article in the business section of today's Seattle Times about the "Edible" magazines run by Edible Communications. They're totally local mags about the local foods available in the area. They've alread published several versions including Edible Portland and are planning an Edible Seattle for next Spring. I immediately thought they'd be lucky (as would we all) if you were writing for them. Don't know if you or they are interested, but it sure seemed like a perfect fit. - Sort of like those amazing boots!

 
At 7:00 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hooray for the boots, the right boots, arriving just on time for them to get to know your feet before your special day!

I love that you're wearing red cowboy boots on your wedding day. May every aspect of it be as vibrant and beautiful as your footwear.

 
At 10:47 AM, Blogger Deann B. said...

Shauna,

Congrats on the boots! They were meant to be, so of course everything has to work out in the end. I also wanted to thank you for recommending "Eat, Pray, Love" by E. Gilbert. I just finished it and have already added it to my list of favorite books. So much of the book reflected my own perspective of the world. I also saw a lot of you in the pages as well, especially in the section about Italy!

 
At 3:12 PM, Blogger Lisa Fain (Homesick Texan) said...

Those are gorgeous! All my boots are Lucchese (I get them direct from the company like you did) and they are the most comfortable, beautiful shoes ever! Congrats!

 
At 6:05 AM, Blogger Sheltie Girl said...

Shauna - Red cowboy boots are the best...I wore mine for my first riding lesson (English style).

I think it's very cool that you are wearing red shoes/boots for your wedding. I wore red pumps (non-glitter) for my wedding...in honor of being in Kansas. They did make for happy feet.

Red is the color for weddings in other parts of the world. Your red boots will bring you great joy and Lucchese makes wonderful boots, so you feet will thank you too.

Congratulations & My Best Wishes for a Wonderful Wedding!

Sheltie Girl @ Gluten A Go Go

 
At 11:58 AM, Blogger NoGlutenPlease said...

Your zeal for life shows all the way down to your toes! The boots are fabulous. I think a bride's choice in shoes is quite possibly more important than the dress or the hairdo or the tux color. Something about shoes changes the mood of their wearer. I wore Isotoner slippers in my wedding and it was wonderful. All my cares and concerns about the details sunk right into the pillowy bottoms and with every step I felt at ease. Enjoy your day!

 
At 3:53 PM, Blogger Katie said...

Hi, I'm in the middle of being diagnosed and CD is very very likely. My own experiment in going GF has pretty much proved it. Though I have many more doctors to see. I want to thank you for making me feel like it is not the end of the world. I feel like I will actually get better once I've recovered and life will break open where it has been shrinking and constricting like your too small boots lately.

Best wishes on the wedding! I went barefoot for most of mine. My heels kept sinking into the grass so I ditched them. :D

Cheers,
Katie

 
At 7:22 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

How wonderful that they came!
I love this entry because many people would have worn the two-small wedding shoes... sacrificing comfort to fulfill some idyllic image they had floating around in their head… But the truth is, if the shoes don't fit how can they be the "ideal" anyway? For all the brides who have spent their wedding day with blistered feet... I wish they had a pair of perfect shoes... perfect for them... just like you do now.

Have a wonderful wedding full of dancing!

Rachel

 
At 4:41 PM, Blogger agatha zen said...

awesome! congrats and best wishes to you and the chef :-)

 
At 8:36 PM, Blogger Beth said...

This is unrelated to the boots (although they are gorgeous), but a new French restaurant opened in my neighborhood and, this evening, while going to get veggies for tonight's dinner, I finally got to see their menu. And guess what's on it? Frisee salad with vinaigrette, bacon and poached egg. I'm making it a personal goal to have it by the end of the week.

 

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