Wise words. I chose that quote with Kevin in mind. He is my best friend. And I am his.
It's been quite a while since the last post. The wedding was wonderful. Not perfect, but wonderful. The honeymoon was amazing. And now we're trying to settle into our life as a married couple.
The most common question we've been hearing is, "How's married life?" Well, it isn't too different from what we had. It is different, just not the huge adjustment some face when they first move in together. We're dealing with combining our things like health insurance, credit cards, bank accounts, etc. It's different. When we opened our joint bank account I had to sign some of the checks we had received from our loving family and friends. The trick was signing my new name. That was difficult. I really had to concentrate. At one point the banker and Kevin distracted me with some witty comment as I was signing and three signatures later I noticed I had reverted back to my maiden name. It's very strange.
When I was younger, I always wanted to marry Superman. Or a man with a last name higher in the alphabet. That way, I wouldn't always be last. As I grew up, I realized Superman wasn't going to marry me. And really, who would want to marry him? He's married to his work. I stuck with the idea of marrying a man higher in the alphabet. Some women marry for money. I married for the alphabetical status!
Anyway, back to the wedding. It was great! We thank each of you that were able to make it. We missed those of you that could not be with us. We're working with the photographer now on getting our photos back. There are some posted on Facebook. If you have any photos we'd love to see them. What I'm really curious about are the stories. If you were there, what do you remember most? What was the funniest thing that happened at your table that night? What song did you just have to dance to when it was played? I love that stuff. We wanted to celebrate and have the party of the year. This was our time to share with our family and friends the joy and love we have with each other. I think we did well.
For those that were not at the wedding I want to share a page from our ceremony program. The last page, the tab reads, "With Love."
To our parents, thank you for your unconditional love and unwavering support in this great adventure. There is no doubt we have been witnesses to true and everlasting love. That kind of love has a strong impression on all those near. We are blessed to have lived in homes filled with such a a powerful love.
And to our family and friends, thank you for joining us and for your encouragement. We are so delighted and grateful so many people have come from so many varying places. You are all important to us. This is how we wanted to start our lives together, by sharing our love being united in front of you all.
Now, let us eat, drink and be merry!
A Special Note from the Groom
Growing up, I would always come home and tell Mom something funny that happened that day. She would look at me and say, "What you should have said was..." She would always have a funny response to the story or to what someone had said. I attribute my sense of humor today to her.
A Special Note from the Bride
When I was little, I always wanted to be like my dad. I thought he knew everything and could do anything. Then I arrived at adolescence. My opinion changed drastically. I had no idea where my dad got his ideas nor did I understand anything he did. As I grew older, I realized it was true that he didn't know everything, but did know volumes more than anyone else I knew. And true he couldn't do everything, but that never stopped him from trying with all his might to do anything. Today, I find I still want to be like my dad when I grow up. He was the best father, confidant, friend, nurse, educator, role model, and person I've ever known.
Though they are not with us today the way we would have chosen to have them here, we know they are with us in spirit. To keep them an ever present part of our ceremony and honor them, we have set their photos and an arrangement of flowers near the altar. WE love and miss you every day Mom and Dad.
It was important to us to have that piece in the program. At the reception, we had a video montage of photos. The first part was of Kevin's mom, Carol. The song for her photos was "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis. It's a song she and Kevin loved. The second part was of my dad, Dale. His song was "Daddy's Girl" by Red Sovine. These are the songs we would have danced to with our respective parent. God had other plans and so we adapted. The video was great. Scott, our videographer, did a wonderful job of putting them together. I thought it was going to be so hard to watch the video. I thought my heart would be ripped out of my chest reminding me of our losses. We were both nervous. Our wedding day, the most amazing day of our lives so far, we were worried would also be the saddest. But it wasn't. The music played while the photos were projected. And we smiled. We remembered the moment when each of the photos were taken. The fun we were having. We laughed at the looks on their faces in the photos. Kevin's mom always holding a knife to cut a birthday cake. My dad, his eyes mostly closed in so many photos with his jubilant smile. And I listened to the whole ballroom. People were laughing. There were tears of course, but most importantly there was laughter. Kevin's mom on roller blades in the kitchen. My dad with a golf club. Those who knew them would never have thought those things possible. Many people had advised me to take little moments throughout the day to take it all in and live in the moment because it goes so fast. I did several times throughout the day. It's hard to explain, but each time I did take that moment. I felt him, my dad. It was as if I could turn my head to the left, just over my shoulder and see his face from my peripheral vision. I could feel his presence. He did come to the wedding. We was laughing and crying with us. He was the proud dad. I could feel the bittersweetness of the day. Giving his only daughter away. But watching as I had become the young woman he was so proud to have.
I can't speak for Kevin in the matter. He is of few words when it comes to many things. Though, I'm learning to hear what he's not saying. I'm learning to understand what his body language and facial expressions are telling me. I think he had a similar experience with his mom. I don't think even death could have kept her from his wedding day.
Today is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so many things. In this time, so many things are uncertain. There are so many without basic needs. We are so blessed. I am thankful for the roof over our heads, the food in our bellies, the warmth of our home, the job that brings a paycheck, the husband I love and cherish, and our family. Without them, we would not be the people we are today. If we weren't the people we are today, I might not have found my true love.
Happy Thanksgiving!
How long has it been?
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tweet This!
Do you see that? That ticket at the top of the page? Yeah, it's getting really close.
Some of you have said you won't be able to make it for various reasons. I know you all wish you could be here. My good friend, Jessica, whose blog you can see at http://www.iliketoreadandtravel.com, has come up with the great idea of tweeting the Booth/Withem wedding for us. I feel like a star! Twitter. Well, I really don't know much about Twitter. I just heard the word "tweet" is now an accepted verb in the dictionary. Not like, "The bird tweets when it's happy." More like, "Let's tweet our day at the park." Anyway, if you have the inclination, go to www.twitter.com. On the main page, there is a box that reads, "search Twitter, " with a magnifying glass. In that box if you type #cottoncandywedding the results will be my wedding stuff. Jessica, AKA Juna, will be tweeting live. There will be pictures and stuff. She'll keep you informed of the days events. Her user name on Twitter is juna_101. You can follow her or search for her or whatever. She is quite interesting. But then again, I'm biased.
We're days away... and I'm not ready. So many little snafus here and there have added up and now I'm behind in just about everything. Lots of stress.
Well, that's the update for now. Next will be after the actual wedding! Woohoo!
Some of you have said you won't be able to make it for various reasons. I know you all wish you could be here. My good friend, Jessica, whose blog you can see at http://www.iliketoreadandtravel.com, has come up with the great idea of tweeting the Booth/Withem wedding for us. I feel like a star! Twitter. Well, I really don't know much about Twitter. I just heard the word "tweet" is now an accepted verb in the dictionary. Not like, "The bird tweets when it's happy." More like, "Let's tweet our day at the park." Anyway, if you have the inclination, go to www.twitter.com. On the main page, there is a box that reads, "search Twitter, " with a magnifying glass. In that box if you type #cottoncandywedding the results will be my wedding stuff. Jessica, AKA Juna, will be tweeting live. There will be pictures and stuff. She'll keep you informed of the days events. Her user name on Twitter is juna_101. You can follow her or search for her or whatever. She is quite interesting. But then again, I'm biased.
We're days away... and I'm not ready. So many little snafus here and there have added up and now I'm behind in just about everything. Lots of stress.
Well, that's the update for now. Next will be after the actual wedding! Woohoo!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” ~ Langston Hughes
It's raining. But that's no reason to scowl out the window. Last night Aidan spent the night with us. That's Kevin's nephew. He's four. When we were on our way home from Rainforest Cafe he asked why it was raining. I explained the ground needed the water so plants could grow. Soon it will be time to harvest the crops. And for the crops to grow big and lush, we needed the rain. He seemed satisfied with that answer. Or he just lost interest and was on a different thought. I'd like to think the former is true. I like the rain. It washes the world. It's cleansing and pure. It patters down on the roof soothing the soul. I used to stand on the porch and watch the clouds rolling around in the sky with my dad. He taught me how to enjoy a storm. From the booming thunder to the cracks of lightening, all of it is a part of nature which we should appreciate. The house on Norwell has a porch in the back with an aluminum roof or something. That was the best place to listen to the rain fall. To really enjoy the storm, you have to use all your senses. Listen to the cracks, booms, and patters. Smell the crisp of the rain mixing with the earth. Feel the breeze and the dampness on your skin. If you're lucky, you might have some goosebumps on your arms to add a little texture. If you're brave tilt your head back, stick out your tongue and let the rain fall on it. It's kind of like sipping wine. Breathe in the scent of the world because it brings out the flavor of the rain. Keep your eyes open. Really see what's happening around you. Verdant tree tops sway against the contrast of the dark clouds swimming through the sky. With rain, everything is more green, more alive.
Rain is so soothing, most people take the time to curl up and read a book or nap. It puts most of us at peace. Ordinarily, today I would be just about to walk in to work. But my unit is closed. Again. So I'm on call. I thought I'd sit and "put pen to paper" and blog a little in this day of peacefulness.
Kevin and I had a mutual day off yesterday. We started the day off with a trip to the rheumatologist's office. My first appointment. I was nervous. Still, my blood pressure was good. My pulse, higher of course. The doctor came in and spent a lot of time talking with me about my history, my current symptoms and what we've done so far. There were times when I felt she really wasn't listening, too busy thinking, and it made me frustrated. She did a physical assessment and then told me her plan. She wanted X-Rays of my hands, wrists, feet, and ankles. She also wanted a long list, 22 items, of lab work. For now, I do not need another biopsy. She sent me to another room in her office where the very nice lab tech attempted to draw my blood. Kevin kept it light and fun. He made the office staff laugh. More importantly, he kept me calm and optimistic. After three attempts, the lab tech admitted defeat. My veins are not to be envied. They are not the great plump rope like veins Kevin has. Mine are wiggly, small, and deep. I picked up my paperwork and a prescription for more medicine, planned my next visit and took the very long walk to the registration area for X-Rays. Kevin found us a seat near the only TV in the waiting room where we watched Tom and Jerry. I love that I can watch cartoons with him and he doesn't roll his eyes and say we're too old for that nonsense. It seemed like forever but they finally called my name. I went in and had 3 or 4 views of each hand and foot done.
From there we headed home. Karen arrived shortly after with the kids and Mr. Booth. Aidan and Mr. Booth had just been fitted for their tuxedos for the wedding. I hear Aidan is excited but a little sad that his tux is not green. We left shortly after to see the Smurfs movie. I really wasn't sure I'd like it but it was really good. I love Neil Patrick Harris. He's so funny! It was interesting watching Aidan laugh and sit so still watching the movie. From there we went to Rainforest Cafe for dinner. It was my first time. We had a great time there! Aidan picked out bug goggles. They have a piece in them over the eyes so you can see what it's like to be a wasp. I think that's the one he got. There's a wasp, ant, and something else. He wanted the blue one. He also picked out a little box like a briefcase of stretchy colorful lizards, snakes, and frogs. He really likes those. We had dinner and talked. He kept us entertained. We talked about getting the volcano. It's a huge dessert that looks like a volcano. It's like five scoops of vanilla ice cream with 3 or 4 huge pieces of brownie and a sparkler in the top. I think there's caramel drizzled around it, too. Aidan said he thought we should get it next time. I'm not sure how it came up but he told me that sometimes when he doesn't get chocolate he cries really hard. I could totally relate to that.
After dinner we went home to build a fort in front of the TV. There was a disagreement between the engineers (Kevin and me). But it turned out okay. We watched a movie while hiding in the fort. Finally around 11pm Aidan fell asleep. Kevin couldn't get comfortable in the fort. He retreated back to the bedroom but sat there for an hour worrying about Aidan before he finally fell asleep. He didn't trust the integrity of the fort and was afraid it would fall in on him. I knew he'd be fine. I was worried he'd wake up and forget where he was and freak out. I stayed at the end of the tent with him. It was a restless sleep. My joints were aching and the floor wasn't so comfortable. Really, nothing would have been comfortable. Joint pain is just kind of miserable no matter what.
Bright and early, Aidan woke up at 7:15. To my surprise, so did Kevin! We got cleaned up and headed out for breakfast at Brunch Cafe down the street. Aidan ordered Chocolate chip pancakes and a glass of orange juice without water. Of course, I asked her to mix some water in, though. We ate our breakfast and talked about what to do next. Aidan wanted to paint a bird house. We came home an got on our painting clothes. We had saved a special bird house for Aidan, a rocket ship. Which of course he painted green. That was short lived. He quickly got bored and ran off to play with his new toys from Rainforest Cafe. He did shout back some orders for Uncle to finish painting the bird house.
Kevin was cleaning up the fort and putting things away. Aidan was excited to go home to see his mom and dad. And his sister, too. He wants to come back again and do it all over. I think we had a good time.
It was a good practice run. We have some work to do. I forget that Kevin hasn't really been around little kids. He was the baby of his family until Aidan was born. He did pretty well for not really having any idea of what he's doing. I'm not an expert by any means. I've taken care of my brother since he was born and babysat lots of kids of all ages. And now I'm a pediatric nurse. So have some experience. None of that is as good as being a parent, though.
The best part was watching Kevin hold Aidan's hand and help him with things. He's very good with Aidan. It's a big change from when I first was around the family when Aidan was a few months old. Kevin would kind of hold him and stare at him like, "Now what?" Women always say guys that are good with little kids get extra points. It makes them more attractive somehow. This is totally true. This will probably make Kevin's stomach fall out of his behind but, he's going to make a great dad some day!
I wish my dad were here to see how Kevin has grown. My dad liked Kevin. He was happy we were getting married. He just wanted to be sure it was the right choice. Like most dads, he had his reservations. Mom did, too. But since Dad's passing, Mom has gotten to know Kevin more. He's really a part of the family now. She approves 100% and I know my dad would, too.
Rain is so soothing, most people take the time to curl up and read a book or nap. It puts most of us at peace. Ordinarily, today I would be just about to walk in to work. But my unit is closed. Again. So I'm on call. I thought I'd sit and "put pen to paper" and blog a little in this day of peacefulness.
Kevin and I had a mutual day off yesterday. We started the day off with a trip to the rheumatologist's office. My first appointment. I was nervous. Still, my blood pressure was good. My pulse, higher of course. The doctor came in and spent a lot of time talking with me about my history, my current symptoms and what we've done so far. There were times when I felt she really wasn't listening, too busy thinking, and it made me frustrated. She did a physical assessment and then told me her plan. She wanted X-Rays of my hands, wrists, feet, and ankles. She also wanted a long list, 22 items, of lab work. For now, I do not need another biopsy. She sent me to another room in her office where the very nice lab tech attempted to draw my blood. Kevin kept it light and fun. He made the office staff laugh. More importantly, he kept me calm and optimistic. After three attempts, the lab tech admitted defeat. My veins are not to be envied. They are not the great plump rope like veins Kevin has. Mine are wiggly, small, and deep. I picked up my paperwork and a prescription for more medicine, planned my next visit and took the very long walk to the registration area for X-Rays. Kevin found us a seat near the only TV in the waiting room where we watched Tom and Jerry. I love that I can watch cartoons with him and he doesn't roll his eyes and say we're too old for that nonsense. It seemed like forever but they finally called my name. I went in and had 3 or 4 views of each hand and foot done.
From there we headed home. Karen arrived shortly after with the kids and Mr. Booth. Aidan and Mr. Booth had just been fitted for their tuxedos for the wedding. I hear Aidan is excited but a little sad that his tux is not green. We left shortly after to see the Smurfs movie. I really wasn't sure I'd like it but it was really good. I love Neil Patrick Harris. He's so funny! It was interesting watching Aidan laugh and sit so still watching the movie. From there we went to Rainforest Cafe for dinner. It was my first time. We had a great time there! Aidan picked out bug goggles. They have a piece in them over the eyes so you can see what it's like to be a wasp. I think that's the one he got. There's a wasp, ant, and something else. He wanted the blue one. He also picked out a little box like a briefcase of stretchy colorful lizards, snakes, and frogs. He really likes those. We had dinner and talked. He kept us entertained. We talked about getting the volcano. It's a huge dessert that looks like a volcano. It's like five scoops of vanilla ice cream with 3 or 4 huge pieces of brownie and a sparkler in the top. I think there's caramel drizzled around it, too. Aidan said he thought we should get it next time. I'm not sure how it came up but he told me that sometimes when he doesn't get chocolate he cries really hard. I could totally relate to that.
After dinner we went home to build a fort in front of the TV. There was a disagreement between the engineers (Kevin and me). But it turned out okay. We watched a movie while hiding in the fort. Finally around 11pm Aidan fell asleep. Kevin couldn't get comfortable in the fort. He retreated back to the bedroom but sat there for an hour worrying about Aidan before he finally fell asleep. He didn't trust the integrity of the fort and was afraid it would fall in on him. I knew he'd be fine. I was worried he'd wake up and forget where he was and freak out. I stayed at the end of the tent with him. It was a restless sleep. My joints were aching and the floor wasn't so comfortable. Really, nothing would have been comfortable. Joint pain is just kind of miserable no matter what.
Bright and early, Aidan woke up at 7:15. To my surprise, so did Kevin! We got cleaned up and headed out for breakfast at Brunch Cafe down the street. Aidan ordered Chocolate chip pancakes and a glass of orange juice without water. Of course, I asked her to mix some water in, though. We ate our breakfast and talked about what to do next. Aidan wanted to paint a bird house. We came home an got on our painting clothes. We had saved a special bird house for Aidan, a rocket ship. Which of course he painted green. That was short lived. He quickly got bored and ran off to play with his new toys from Rainforest Cafe. He did shout back some orders for Uncle to finish painting the bird house.
Kevin was cleaning up the fort and putting things away. Aidan was excited to go home to see his mom and dad. And his sister, too. He wants to come back again and do it all over. I think we had a good time.
It was a good practice run. We have some work to do. I forget that Kevin hasn't really been around little kids. He was the baby of his family until Aidan was born. He did pretty well for not really having any idea of what he's doing. I'm not an expert by any means. I've taken care of my brother since he was born and babysat lots of kids of all ages. And now I'm a pediatric nurse. So have some experience. None of that is as good as being a parent, though.
The best part was watching Kevin hold Aidan's hand and help him with things. He's very good with Aidan. It's a big change from when I first was around the family when Aidan was a few months old. Kevin would kind of hold him and stare at him like, "Now what?" Women always say guys that are good with little kids get extra points. It makes them more attractive somehow. This is totally true. This will probably make Kevin's stomach fall out of his behind but, he's going to make a great dad some day!
I wish my dad were here to see how Kevin has grown. My dad liked Kevin. He was happy we were getting married. He just wanted to be sure it was the right choice. Like most dads, he had his reservations. Mom did, too. But since Dad's passing, Mom has gotten to know Kevin more. He's really a part of the family now. She approves 100% and I know my dad would, too.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." ~Rita Rudner
I really feel like that's going to be true for us. We're going to annoy the dickens out of each other. And there's no other way I'd rather have it.
If you're reading this the day I'm posting it, you'll notice there are 22 days left until the wedding. That is under one month. Some days I feel like we've been planning this wedding for 10 years. At this moment, I feel like we've just started planning. We really don't have much left to do. Thankfully. There are some small details that have to be worked out. And there are some larger details that have to be worked out, as well. All in all, it's not bad. I am less stressed. Though, I think much of that is due to not working 5 and 6 12 hour shifts a week. That was getting to be too much. My health, well, it's there. Neither better nor worse. This Friday I have my appointment with the rheumatologist. I'm bringing my lab and pathology reports for the doctor to look over. With any luck she'll be able to figure out what's going on with me and fix or treat me in time for the wedding. It would just be really nice to not have this rash or itch or ache on the day of the wedding. Kevin has been so great. There have been some nights or mornings when I'm going to bed after a very long day and my body is so stiff and achy I can't help but cry. He's always there to help me get as comfortable as possible and medicate me. He tucks me in and waits for me to fall asleep. I just love him!
Anyway, so hopefully, those of you staying the night have reserved your rooms either at Pheasant Run Resort or at Country Inn & Suites. There will be a shuttle from the Country Inn before the wedding ceremony and after the reception. We're working on getting an additional shuttle time for the time after the end of the ceremony and the start of the cocktail hour. We'll see how that works.
The ceremony starts at 4pm. Providing the weather cooperates, we'll be married outside. After the ceremony, there will be an hour break before the cocktail hour starts on Bourbon Street. Dinner will follow the cocktail hour. I think everyone will have a great time. The morning following the wedding, we'll be having breakfast at Pheasant Run. I hear the breakfast buffet is amazing. We hope people will join us in the morning, even if you're not staying at Pheasant Run. I believe some of the guys are going to golf that morning, too. Tee time is 10am but may change if more people are interested. There's talk of a having a scramble. I'm not really sure what that means but if you golf, I hope that makes sense. If you want to be included in the golf outing, contact Kevin. He'll take your information and get you the details. I think as far as ladies and those of us not golfing, we'll be sitting poolside and just enjoying ourselves. The mall is just down the street so we could head over there. I would like to just have fun and relax. There is a Mario Tricoci on site. A massage may be in order. There is the option of seeing Steve-O at Zanies, the comedy club on site. I was skeptical at first but it actually doesn't sound like a bad show. I'm really not sure how many people are staying for activities Saturday. We're open to suggestions.
We're really looking forward to seeing our out of town family and friends. Not that we don't want to see our local family and friends but it's been a long time since we've seen everyone else. I'm looking forward to the dancing and such. I think it will be a great time in general.
I have to admit, I'm really excited for the honeymoon. We definitely need a break. We're both stressed out and ready for time together and free from our daily grind. When we get back we'll be looking for a house. In fact, we're already kind of looking. My thought is that we need at least a 3 bedroom house with at least 2 full bathrooms. Kevin is more interested in the garage situation. Which I understand. It's been an interesting search so far. We're not really sure where we'd like to live for one. We have a couple ideas. Some of those ideas involve getting new jobs closer to the area where we'd be living. There's more research that needs to be done.
The weekend of the 19th we've decided to go to the lake. The lake is Apple Canyon Lake. That's where my mom's parents live. It was supposed to be a girls' weekend away but the only girl going now is Sara, besides me. So Kevin has decided to come along. I think one of his groomsman will be coming with us. It'll be a nice time. I haven't been up there in a couple years. When I think of my "happy place" it's this place. I always think of it in the Fall when the leaves are changing. I imagine a crackling fire in the stone fireplace while I sit curled up on the couch with a blanket and a good book, and hopefully a glass of wine or a nice hot cup of tea. That is the best place on Earth. If I can remember to, I'll take some pictures and post them.
Shortly after that will be the wedding. It's so exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time. I can't wait to marry my soul mate, my best friend. And I really can't wait to be done with all the planning and drama of the wedding.
If you're reading this the day I'm posting it, you'll notice there are 22 days left until the wedding. That is under one month. Some days I feel like we've been planning this wedding for 10 years. At this moment, I feel like we've just started planning. We really don't have much left to do. Thankfully. There are some small details that have to be worked out. And there are some larger details that have to be worked out, as well. All in all, it's not bad. I am less stressed. Though, I think much of that is due to not working 5 and 6 12 hour shifts a week. That was getting to be too much. My health, well, it's there. Neither better nor worse. This Friday I have my appointment with the rheumatologist. I'm bringing my lab and pathology reports for the doctor to look over. With any luck she'll be able to figure out what's going on with me and fix or treat me in time for the wedding. It would just be really nice to not have this rash or itch or ache on the day of the wedding. Kevin has been so great. There have been some nights or mornings when I'm going to bed after a very long day and my body is so stiff and achy I can't help but cry. He's always there to help me get as comfortable as possible and medicate me. He tucks me in and waits for me to fall asleep. I just love him!
Anyway, so hopefully, those of you staying the night have reserved your rooms either at Pheasant Run Resort or at Country Inn & Suites. There will be a shuttle from the Country Inn before the wedding ceremony and after the reception. We're working on getting an additional shuttle time for the time after the end of the ceremony and the start of the cocktail hour. We'll see how that works.
The ceremony starts at 4pm. Providing the weather cooperates, we'll be married outside. After the ceremony, there will be an hour break before the cocktail hour starts on Bourbon Street. Dinner will follow the cocktail hour. I think everyone will have a great time. The morning following the wedding, we'll be having breakfast at Pheasant Run. I hear the breakfast buffet is amazing. We hope people will join us in the morning, even if you're not staying at Pheasant Run. I believe some of the guys are going to golf that morning, too. Tee time is 10am but may change if more people are interested. There's talk of a having a scramble. I'm not really sure what that means but if you golf, I hope that makes sense. If you want to be included in the golf outing, contact Kevin. He'll take your information and get you the details. I think as far as ladies and those of us not golfing, we'll be sitting poolside and just enjoying ourselves. The mall is just down the street so we could head over there. I would like to just have fun and relax. There is a Mario Tricoci on site. A massage may be in order. There is the option of seeing Steve-O at Zanies, the comedy club on site. I was skeptical at first but it actually doesn't sound like a bad show. I'm really not sure how many people are staying for activities Saturday. We're open to suggestions.
We're really looking forward to seeing our out of town family and friends. Not that we don't want to see our local family and friends but it's been a long time since we've seen everyone else. I'm looking forward to the dancing and such. I think it will be a great time in general.
I have to admit, I'm really excited for the honeymoon. We definitely need a break. We're both stressed out and ready for time together and free from our daily grind. When we get back we'll be looking for a house. In fact, we're already kind of looking. My thought is that we need at least a 3 bedroom house with at least 2 full bathrooms. Kevin is more interested in the garage situation. Which I understand. It's been an interesting search so far. We're not really sure where we'd like to live for one. We have a couple ideas. Some of those ideas involve getting new jobs closer to the area where we'd be living. There's more research that needs to be done.
The weekend of the 19th we've decided to go to the lake. The lake is Apple Canyon Lake. That's where my mom's parents live. It was supposed to be a girls' weekend away but the only girl going now is Sara, besides me. So Kevin has decided to come along. I think one of his groomsman will be coming with us. It'll be a nice time. I haven't been up there in a couple years. When I think of my "happy place" it's this place. I always think of it in the Fall when the leaves are changing. I imagine a crackling fire in the stone fireplace while I sit curled up on the couch with a blanket and a good book, and hopefully a glass of wine or a nice hot cup of tea. That is the best place on Earth. If I can remember to, I'll take some pictures and post them.
Shortly after that will be the wedding. It's so exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time. I can't wait to marry my soul mate, my best friend. And I really can't wait to be done with all the planning and drama of the wedding.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Reality Sets In
Sunday was my (our) bridal shower. My lovely aunts (Cindy, Connie, Cathy, Barb, and Carolyn), with some help from my mom, made this really great celebration. It was so pretty. Our wedding colors, red and ivory, decorated the house. They had placed beautiful white daisies throughout the house. Everything was so great. The food was really yummy. And then the cake! German chocolate, which is my all time favorite. So many people came. I was amazed how blessed we are to have so many friends and family that care. People were way too generous! I can't believe the things we received. It had been a while since we had made the registry. We promised each other we wouldn't look at it so it would be a surprise. Well, time passed and we both just kind of forgot about it with everything else that's going on in our lives. Though the gifts were things we had added to our registry, it was still a great surprise since we hadn't looked at the registry.
I have to say I just really loved my helpers. Emma, my cousin's little girl, and Megan, my soon-to-be-niece, were very helpful with the task of opening presents. They were so cute. Emma is about 4 and megan is a year and a half. They were a great team. I think there's some good pictures of them somewhere. I thought I knew how to open presents but these girls have it down to a science. Emma took charge of the more difficult wrapping jobs. They were under strict orders not to break any ribbons. And they followed said orders! They were so cute. Megan was in charge of taking the bows and ribbons to my friend, Hiroko, to make the practice bouquet. She did a great job. She was a little confused at first. I think there were just too many new people. The girls were great!
The morning of the shower, I was in the bathroom getting ready. I was wondering who would be there and what was planned and how embarrassed would I be when it hit me. I'm getting married. For real. Soon. In six weeks. Holy $h!t! There have been times when I feel like an adult. But usually in my head I still feel like I'm anywhere between the ages of 13 and 19. It all depends on the company I'm with, like the kids or Kevin. With this realization, I really felt like an adult. A full adult. I can't say I'm not nervous. I am. Very. But not about spending my life with Kevin. That part comforts me. He's my best friend and everything I could ever want in a husband. He makes me laugh. He comforts me when I'm down. He stands by me when I need strength. He reminds me of my good qualities. He gets dorky and nerdy with me. He loves me unconditionally. No other guy has ever made me feel as happy as he does. He is my perfect match. I suppose what makes me nervous is being the center of attention and making sure everyone has an awesome time. Someone mentioned to me at one point that even when I'm slurping soup, people will be watching us. That's just freaky. And pressure! I almost always spill on myself. I don't want anything on my wedding gown and I really don't want anyone to see me spill on myself! Kevin joked about getting me a bib or something. I'm seriously considering it. The bridal shower was a good practice at being the party's focus. But I know it will be much more intense the day of the wedding. I keep praying I don't trip and fall in front of everyone!
For the most part, everything is coming together. I was freaking out about the invitations. Karen, Kevin's sister, had a great idea. She suggested that I contact the printer and have her send the invitations now. The problem was the envelopes. The printer didn't have the envelopes yet. She was still waiting for them. I couldn't wait any longer. The invitations were supposed to be mailed out the first week of July. Karen said we could buy envelopes and print them ourselves. Karen is quite a crafty person. She's like a really awesome version of Martha Stewart. She knew of a shop that had all kinds of supplies for this sort of thing. The invitations were sent next day air. I bought the envelopes. We started printing them right away. We worked on them all weekend. Monday morning we bought all the necessary stamps. They are now stamped and sealed and ready to go to the post office first thing this morning. Thank goodness! There is one thing we didn't make clear. The ceremony starts at 4pm outside on the patio. It should be about 30 minutes. The cocktail hour starts at 5:30pm inside on Bourbon Street. We decided there should be some downtime between the two so we don't miss anything and also to give the vendors time to set things up. That gives our guests time to check-in, change, use the bathroom, stretch, or whatever else they would like to do before the party starts. The wedding party and some family members will be taking photos during that hour break. The reception will immediately follow the cocktail hour in the Orleans ballroom. Everything will be marked but I thought we'd give a little warning.
My brother, the Man of Honor, went with me to my trial hair and make up appointment. There were several points when I saw the look on the stylist's face. I did tell her that my brother is not in fact gay. He just knows about vintage hair styles and make up, which still sounds strange. It was a good time. He gave me good advice. I'm not quite satisfied with the look and may ask for another appointment to try something a little different. I have a piece I really want to incorporate. We'll see what happens.
Little details are being worked out. There are a couple surprises for the ceremony and wedding and I'm so excited! Even Kevin doesn't know everything. It's going to be great!
I'm getting really excited. And I have to say, I'm really looking forward to the honeymoon. I need a vacation!
I have to say I just really loved my helpers. Emma, my cousin's little girl, and Megan, my soon-to-be-niece, were very helpful with the task of opening presents. They were so cute. Emma is about 4 and megan is a year and a half. They were a great team. I think there's some good pictures of them somewhere. I thought I knew how to open presents but these girls have it down to a science. Emma took charge of the more difficult wrapping jobs. They were under strict orders not to break any ribbons. And they followed said orders! They were so cute. Megan was in charge of taking the bows and ribbons to my friend, Hiroko, to make the practice bouquet. She did a great job. She was a little confused at first. I think there were just too many new people. The girls were great!
The morning of the shower, I was in the bathroom getting ready. I was wondering who would be there and what was planned and how embarrassed would I be when it hit me. I'm getting married. For real. Soon. In six weeks. Holy $h!t! There have been times when I feel like an adult. But usually in my head I still feel like I'm anywhere between the ages of 13 and 19. It all depends on the company I'm with, like the kids or Kevin. With this realization, I really felt like an adult. A full adult. I can't say I'm not nervous. I am. Very. But not about spending my life with Kevin. That part comforts me. He's my best friend and everything I could ever want in a husband. He makes me laugh. He comforts me when I'm down. He stands by me when I need strength. He reminds me of my good qualities. He gets dorky and nerdy with me. He loves me unconditionally. No other guy has ever made me feel as happy as he does. He is my perfect match. I suppose what makes me nervous is being the center of attention and making sure everyone has an awesome time. Someone mentioned to me at one point that even when I'm slurping soup, people will be watching us. That's just freaky. And pressure! I almost always spill on myself. I don't want anything on my wedding gown and I really don't want anyone to see me spill on myself! Kevin joked about getting me a bib or something. I'm seriously considering it. The bridal shower was a good practice at being the party's focus. But I know it will be much more intense the day of the wedding. I keep praying I don't trip and fall in front of everyone!
For the most part, everything is coming together. I was freaking out about the invitations. Karen, Kevin's sister, had a great idea. She suggested that I contact the printer and have her send the invitations now. The problem was the envelopes. The printer didn't have the envelopes yet. She was still waiting for them. I couldn't wait any longer. The invitations were supposed to be mailed out the first week of July. Karen said we could buy envelopes and print them ourselves. Karen is quite a crafty person. She's like a really awesome version of Martha Stewart. She knew of a shop that had all kinds of supplies for this sort of thing. The invitations were sent next day air. I bought the envelopes. We started printing them right away. We worked on them all weekend. Monday morning we bought all the necessary stamps. They are now stamped and sealed and ready to go to the post office first thing this morning. Thank goodness! There is one thing we didn't make clear. The ceremony starts at 4pm outside on the patio. It should be about 30 minutes. The cocktail hour starts at 5:30pm inside on Bourbon Street. We decided there should be some downtime between the two so we don't miss anything and also to give the vendors time to set things up. That gives our guests time to check-in, change, use the bathroom, stretch, or whatever else they would like to do before the party starts. The wedding party and some family members will be taking photos during that hour break. The reception will immediately follow the cocktail hour in the Orleans ballroom. Everything will be marked but I thought we'd give a little warning.
My brother, the Man of Honor, went with me to my trial hair and make up appointment. There were several points when I saw the look on the stylist's face. I did tell her that my brother is not in fact gay. He just knows about vintage hair styles and make up, which still sounds strange. It was a good time. He gave me good advice. I'm not quite satisfied with the look and may ask for another appointment to try something a little different. I have a piece I really want to incorporate. We'll see what happens.
Little details are being worked out. There are a couple surprises for the ceremony and wedding and I'm so excited! Even Kevin doesn't know everything. It's going to be great!
I'm getting really excited. And I have to say, I'm really looking forward to the honeymoon. I need a vacation!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx
And that my friends and loved ones is the kind of joke Kevin tells. You'll agree if he has ever tried to tell the Ford truck joke... Yikes!
Anyway, time is marching on, as it always does. I believe the little count down clock says 54 days. Less than two months. Does anyone else think that's just crazy? I mean, it was just yesterday that he asked me to marry him. I guess it was really just over a year ago, but it feels like yesterday. As my brother will tell you, I'm not the best at time. He mentioned the other day his ten year high school reunion is coming up. It didn't make sense to me because I had my ten year reunion last year. And my brother is four years younger than me. Then he ever so gently reminded me that my reunion was in 2008. And by "gently" I mean he smacked me in the forehead and basically called me old. Nice.
Back to wedding business. There have been some bumps in the road. But we're taking them in stride. All the vendors seem to be ready and have answered all our questions as they come up. Kevin and I are going to be working on our vows soon. We've been thinking about them but we'll start working with the Reverend on them. Time for little details now. Like the wedding favors and stuff.
One of the bumps is that we're still waiting for our invitations to arrive. Normally, I'm not a nail biter. I leave that to Kevin (who will be getting a manicure before the wedding if he likes it or not!). But these days I barely have any nails. I've been assured that she will mail them out this week with a rush delivery. The envelopes she said that were mailed to her were crushed and she had to reorder them. I politely but sternly explained my invitations were supposed to have been mailed to my guests 2 weeks ago. So, I'm a bit peeved.
Everything else is going well. I had my final gown fitting on Friday. I was really nervous and freaking out. All in all the day turned out well but started out really awful - which I will get into soon. My cousin and bridesmaid, Sara, joined me at the bridal shop for the fitting. She's finally back from Spain and I can't believe how tan she is. She looks great! She was helping me into these torture devices we call under garments when there was a knock at the "door" which is really a curtain. Karen, my soon-to-be sister-in-law poked her head in. I was so pleasantly surprised! I was thrilled! She helped me into those torture devices. She and Sara used great team work to figure out how to properly secure me in my gown. And then I stepped out of the curtain to that little pedestal to give them room and see how it looked. Suddenly, my mom showed up! I almost cried. I went from being unsure that anyone would be there with me to having all these important people there. I felt so loved and supported! My mom and Karen had never seen the gown in person. They were really happy. I was happy. But I was feeling self-conscious. I've been battling this red patchy rash all over my body. It's very prominent on my arms and legs. Well, luckily my legs are hidden away. But some of the rash on my arms shows. I wanted something to cover it up just in case. The staff there helped us figure out what we were looking for and had the perfect solution. I felt so much more at ease. Just before we left a woman poked her head out of a dressing room. I thought she was looking for one of the seamstresses. She looked at me and told me how beautiful I looked and that she understands why I'm self-conscious but I shouldn't be because I looked beautiful. And I tried not to cry. My family told me I looked great which means a lot but to hear it from a stranger, it just makes it a little more true somehow. I mean, your family loves you no matter what and they see the person you are so you're beautiful to them anyway. So that ended on a positive note.
One of the other little bumps was the bridal shower invites. There was a typo for my mom's phone number. Kind of an issue. But we managed to take care of that. I collected as many phone numbers as I could and sent messages to the people I could about the error. I think almost everyone has been contacted now. Disaster averted.
The honeymoon plans have been set in motion. This is so much more less stress which is great for me! I'm pretty sure the stress of everything is what's kind set this rash on me. Kevin and I booked our trip to the West Coast. We leave for San Diego on September 6th. We return from Seattle on September 22nd. It's going to be great! I can't wait. We're not planning every moment of every day. We are spending some time in San Diego to see the sites. Then we have a few spots here and there we want to see but nothing else set in stone. I talked to a friend that's from California. She just took her family out there for a vacation and they had a few plans scheduled but nothing else strictly set. She said it was the best vacation they've had. That's what we want, too. I think we're going to make a stop at Disneyland. Kevin's never been to any of the Disney parks. I've never been to Disneyland so this will be great!
Anyway, time is marching on, as it always does. I believe the little count down clock says 54 days. Less than two months. Does anyone else think that's just crazy? I mean, it was just yesterday that he asked me to marry him. I guess it was really just over a year ago, but it feels like yesterday. As my brother will tell you, I'm not the best at time. He mentioned the other day his ten year high school reunion is coming up. It didn't make sense to me because I had my ten year reunion last year. And my brother is four years younger than me. Then he ever so gently reminded me that my reunion was in 2008. And by "gently" I mean he smacked me in the forehead and basically called me old. Nice.
Back to wedding business. There have been some bumps in the road. But we're taking them in stride. All the vendors seem to be ready and have answered all our questions as they come up. Kevin and I are going to be working on our vows soon. We've been thinking about them but we'll start working with the Reverend on them. Time for little details now. Like the wedding favors and stuff.
One of the bumps is that we're still waiting for our invitations to arrive. Normally, I'm not a nail biter. I leave that to Kevin (who will be getting a manicure before the wedding if he likes it or not!). But these days I barely have any nails. I've been assured that she will mail them out this week with a rush delivery. The envelopes she said that were mailed to her were crushed and she had to reorder them. I politely but sternly explained my invitations were supposed to have been mailed to my guests 2 weeks ago. So, I'm a bit peeved.
Everything else is going well. I had my final gown fitting on Friday. I was really nervous and freaking out. All in all the day turned out well but started out really awful - which I will get into soon. My cousin and bridesmaid, Sara, joined me at the bridal shop for the fitting. She's finally back from Spain and I can't believe how tan she is. She looks great! She was helping me into these torture devices we call under garments when there was a knock at the "door" which is really a curtain. Karen, my soon-to-be sister-in-law poked her head in. I was so pleasantly surprised! I was thrilled! She helped me into those torture devices. She and Sara used great team work to figure out how to properly secure me in my gown. And then I stepped out of the curtain to that little pedestal to give them room and see how it looked. Suddenly, my mom showed up! I almost cried. I went from being unsure that anyone would be there with me to having all these important people there. I felt so loved and supported! My mom and Karen had never seen the gown in person. They were really happy. I was happy. But I was feeling self-conscious. I've been battling this red patchy rash all over my body. It's very prominent on my arms and legs. Well, luckily my legs are hidden away. But some of the rash on my arms shows. I wanted something to cover it up just in case. The staff there helped us figure out what we were looking for and had the perfect solution. I felt so much more at ease. Just before we left a woman poked her head out of a dressing room. I thought she was looking for one of the seamstresses. She looked at me and told me how beautiful I looked and that she understands why I'm self-conscious but I shouldn't be because I looked beautiful. And I tried not to cry. My family told me I looked great which means a lot but to hear it from a stranger, it just makes it a little more true somehow. I mean, your family loves you no matter what and they see the person you are so you're beautiful to them anyway. So that ended on a positive note.
One of the other little bumps was the bridal shower invites. There was a typo for my mom's phone number. Kind of an issue. But we managed to take care of that. I collected as many phone numbers as I could and sent messages to the people I could about the error. I think almost everyone has been contacted now. Disaster averted.
The honeymoon plans have been set in motion. This is so much more less stress which is great for me! I'm pretty sure the stress of everything is what's kind set this rash on me. Kevin and I booked our trip to the West Coast. We leave for San Diego on September 6th. We return from Seattle on September 22nd. It's going to be great! I can't wait. We're not planning every moment of every day. We are spending some time in San Diego to see the sites. Then we have a few spots here and there we want to see but nothing else set in stone. I talked to a friend that's from California. She just took her family out there for a vacation and they had a few plans scheduled but nothing else strictly set. She said it was the best vacation they've had. That's what we want, too. I think we're going to make a stop at Disneyland. Kevin's never been to any of the Disney parks. I've never been to Disneyland so this will be great!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Jinx!
Something people don't really know about me is that I have an irrational fear. Well, a few of those. But the one I'm referring to now is in regards to planning. I've this thought that if I make a plan and I share it too soon, then the plans will fall apart and I'll basically jinx myself. Well, that seems to have happened.
The honeymoon plans have changed. Europe just wasn't meant to be right now. We're not saying never. Just not right now. Slovenia will have to wait. Sigh. Kevin and I canceled our Europe plans and were devising a new plan. He thought on his own for a bit while I put my thinking cap on, too. We both came up with the same kind of idea. Seattle. The plan is still in the works. The idea is we'll fly to San Diego and rent a car, hopefully a convertible. We'll drive up the Pacific Coast Highway 101 to Seattle. We'll take two weeks and just enjoy ourselves. We'll take in all that we can of the Pacific Coast. We're planning on a little trip out of the country to Victoria, British Columbia.
Dates aren't set yet but it will be in September since we already had the time off approved with our jobs. We're excited. There's a lot to do and see and we're hoping we'll have time for some side trips to see our friends and family along the way.
At the end of the trip, my mom and my brother will most likely be joining us in Seattle. My mom and dad were engaged on Mt. Rainier. Paradise Lookout, if I remember correctly. One of Dad's final wishes was to have some of his remains left at that spot. So we'll have a nice family moment together.
If any one has suggestions of places to see or things to do along the way, please let us know. We're really open to suggestions.
Otherwise, the planning is coming along well. Time is flying by for us. It's already summer. It seems like we just got engaged a few months ago. Crazy!
The honeymoon plans have changed. Europe just wasn't meant to be right now. We're not saying never. Just not right now. Slovenia will have to wait. Sigh. Kevin and I canceled our Europe plans and were devising a new plan. He thought on his own for a bit while I put my thinking cap on, too. We both came up with the same kind of idea. Seattle. The plan is still in the works. The idea is we'll fly to San Diego and rent a car, hopefully a convertible. We'll drive up the Pacific Coast Highway 101 to Seattle. We'll take two weeks and just enjoy ourselves. We'll take in all that we can of the Pacific Coast. We're planning on a little trip out of the country to Victoria, British Columbia.
Dates aren't set yet but it will be in September since we already had the time off approved with our jobs. We're excited. There's a lot to do and see and we're hoping we'll have time for some side trips to see our friends and family along the way.
At the end of the trip, my mom and my brother will most likely be joining us in Seattle. My mom and dad were engaged on Mt. Rainier. Paradise Lookout, if I remember correctly. One of Dad's final wishes was to have some of his remains left at that spot. So we'll have a nice family moment together.
If any one has suggestions of places to see or things to do along the way, please let us know. We're really open to suggestions.
Otherwise, the planning is coming along well. Time is flying by for us. It's already summer. It seems like we just got engaged a few months ago. Crazy!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Stressed? Me?
I'm awake. It's 9:30 AM as I sit to write this. Seriously? 9:30 AM? This is prime sleeping time! I did fall asleep somewhere around 3 AM. So really it's not that big of a deal. But I'd still be asleep if I hadn't been having crazy nightmares.
In my dream it was the wedding day. We weren't at the right location. It was some dumpy looking hotel and yard in the middle of nowhere. No one's there to help me get in my gown. My Uncle Dave isn't there because some estranged family member's kids are acting up so he has to go babysit them. Now I'm freaking out because I don't know who will walk me down the aisle. My jewelry isn't there so I don't have anything to wear. Nothing is on time and no one will tell me what is going on. There was some other chaos going on and it freaked me out and I woke up. Good times.
In reality, I am really stressed out for a number of reasons. Obviously more so than I thought since now I'm having nightmares. I think what I need today is a good day with Mom to just vent and get some grounding. She has a good way of getting me back to normal. I need the proverbial slap in the face to stop my freak-out.
We've been having some difficulty with our printer for our wedding invitations and other stationary. I tried to be really organized and get all the information together in a spreadsheet for her. I labeled everything and added comments and sent her an email with an explanation. She sent me images of the samples through the website. There were a bunch of mistakes. First of all, the names were printed as Mandy & Kevin Withem. Now, what baffles me is that she made the invitations already and had our separate names spelled correctly. I'm sure there are men somewhere that take the woman's last name. But that's pretty unusual I think. So how on earth did she screw that up? Whatever. Easy to fix. There were some other errors. And she didn't understand the addresses I sent her. Or how the names should look. Now, I've written quite a few things. I've taken technical writing courses. I worked with this really great guy at Harper that told me, "Write so a gorilla can do it." Really good advice. I made a training manual for the AV student workers at Harper. I have a pretty good idea of how to be clear and concise. I used Excel for the spreadsheet. Columns and rows were labeled. Tabs were labeled. I don't really understand what the issue was. But somehow she had an issue. Back and forth the emails went. She never gave me her number so I couldn't talk to her over the phone. She works out of Texas so that wasn't going to work either. Finally, yesterday she messaged me and I think all the bugs are worked out. But we'll see. The problem is, I needed to mail these things out the last week of June so people have ample time to plan and what-not since it is technically a holiday weekend. She needs 6-8 weeks to get them done. PROBLEM! Even if I go with another company now there won't be time. So we'll see how these turn out. If they suck I'm sorry. But let's be honest, most people don't keep the invitations anyway. Most people throw them away. Though, I hope you'll recycle them at least. I know some of my family will keep them in scrapbooks, which is really sweet.
BAH!
Anyway, I had my first bridal gown fitting yesterday. It went really well. The length of the dress is pretty good. Val thinks it's a bit short but I have to be honest, I don't care. It's just less likely I'll trip on it. And I'll be wearing some slippers at the reception anyway, so the dress will be a good length then. One of the ushers, Jay, came with me. We had been hanging out at the mall. Let me tell you a little about Jay. He's my brother's best friend. He's basically my other brother. He's a bit of an ass. Definitely interesting. His hair changes more frequently than most women's. If you've met him, you'll recognize him by the barcode tattoo on his neck. And, no, it doesn't actually scan. We've tried. He's a no nonsense kind of guy. He doesn't sugarcoat anything. So I was a little nervous about him being there but also glad. I knew I'd get an honest answer. He was really great. We had a good time and we decided he's my back up if for some reason my bridesmaids can't get me in my dress. He's very knowledgeable about this stuff. Which makes me wonder a little. He's just very well rounded. He is single, ladies, and looking. So the fitting was quick and mostly painless. And more excitingly, inexpensive. YAY!
Things are moving along. Today while my mom is out, I'm going to work on some decoration stuff. Then I'll head over to her house for some much needed down time and venting.
Less than three months. I think we're doing well.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Elizabeth A.K.A. Eli, the Hoochie
Elizabeth or Eli (the Mexican version of Ellie) as we usually call her (or The Hoochie as she is sometimes known), is one of my best friends. She and I met in the summer of 2006. We were one of the 99's. The 99's was a group of nursing students that took a course (NUR199) over the summer before starting the second year of nursing school. For many of us, it was because we hadn't quite made it through and were rejoining nursing school.
We became good friends. She was a bit quiet and shy at first. But once she warmed up she was hilarious. She's still like that. We tease each other all the time. Usually she gets me pretty good. Well, we were study buddies. Often we'd be at the Starbucks at the Streets of Woodfield studying/watching people. Or we'd hang out at my house and my dad would try to help us study. And then there were the naps. Oh the nice cozy naps. Anyway, we were together a lot. We cried together; we celebrated together. She was #1 and I was #2, a story she can tell you if she really wants. It's a different kind of bond people have when they're in nursing school. You do things together that just aren't really normal. For example, wiping butts, wound care, bed baths, etc. She was a regular at my house. I'm pretty sure that Dad thought of her as his other daughter. He could always make her laugh. When I called to tell her the awful news of his death she was at a party. I felt terrible for ruining her party. I could hear the laughter and fun in the background. She came to the hospital anyway. She was there, holding our hands and remembering his life with us.
So when Kevin asked me to marry him (exactly one year ago today), I of course had to call her and tell her the news. When I got back from our vacation to Memphis, I made a date to hang out with her. We stopped at the Starbucks near her house and we got coffee. She was so excited about the recent engagement. And I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I asked her to be a bridesmaid. She accepted after a moment of shock.
I can think of no better person to have with me when I marry Kevin. She's been through so much with me. She was the girl I ran to after my dates with Kevin to talk about what happened. She was with me the night I finally decided to stop dodging Kevin and invited him out to my brother's birthday party. Let's suffice it to say she was a very good and caring friend that night. I still remember her telling me she thought he was weird. And she's right, he is. But I like it. Over time, they got to know each other better. Now I can say with confidence that they are friends as well.
About a week ago, Eli called me to break some news. There's a family emergency in Mexico. There are some matters that need to be handled and she will be unable to be in the wedding. She is very upset by this. She's tried everything within her power to change the time around when she needs to be in Mexico but there's nothing she can do. Kevin and I are not angry or upset with her. We firmly believe that family comes first. Though we would love for her to be in the wedding, we understand these matters take precedence. After talking it over, we have decided that we will not be asking another person to join the wedding party. Eli is our bridesmaid even if she can't be there they day of the wedding. She's helped us so much with planning and ideas. We could never replace her. And I don't want to. Though she won't be with us, we know she'll be thinking of us. We've asked her to still be a part of everything, all the things bridesmaids do. Without her, I don't know if Kevin and I would even have gotten this far together. She's a great friend. We love her dearly!
We truly hope the family matters in Mexico go smoothly and for the best. We hope she returns safely and quickly. And when she gets back, we'll probably have a party so she can wear that oh-so-sexy dress she bought for the wedding!
Thank you, Eli! We love you!
We became good friends. She was a bit quiet and shy at first. But once she warmed up she was hilarious. She's still like that. We tease each other all the time. Usually she gets me pretty good. Well, we were study buddies. Often we'd be at the Starbucks at the Streets of Woodfield studying/watching people. Or we'd hang out at my house and my dad would try to help us study. And then there were the naps. Oh the nice cozy naps. Anyway, we were together a lot. We cried together; we celebrated together. She was #1 and I was #2, a story she can tell you if she really wants. It's a different kind of bond people have when they're in nursing school. You do things together that just aren't really normal. For example, wiping butts, wound care, bed baths, etc. She was a regular at my house. I'm pretty sure that Dad thought of her as his other daughter. He could always make her laugh. When I called to tell her the awful news of his death she was at a party. I felt terrible for ruining her party. I could hear the laughter and fun in the background. She came to the hospital anyway. She was there, holding our hands and remembering his life with us.
So when Kevin asked me to marry him (exactly one year ago today), I of course had to call her and tell her the news. When I got back from our vacation to Memphis, I made a date to hang out with her. We stopped at the Starbucks near her house and we got coffee. She was so excited about the recent engagement. And I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I asked her to be a bridesmaid. She accepted after a moment of shock.
I can think of no better person to have with me when I marry Kevin. She's been through so much with me. She was the girl I ran to after my dates with Kevin to talk about what happened. She was with me the night I finally decided to stop dodging Kevin and invited him out to my brother's birthday party. Let's suffice it to say she was a very good and caring friend that night. I still remember her telling me she thought he was weird. And she's right, he is. But I like it. Over time, they got to know each other better. Now I can say with confidence that they are friends as well.
About a week ago, Eli called me to break some news. There's a family emergency in Mexico. There are some matters that need to be handled and she will be unable to be in the wedding. She is very upset by this. She's tried everything within her power to change the time around when she needs to be in Mexico but there's nothing she can do. Kevin and I are not angry or upset with her. We firmly believe that family comes first. Though we would love for her to be in the wedding, we understand these matters take precedence. After talking it over, we have decided that we will not be asking another person to join the wedding party. Eli is our bridesmaid even if she can't be there they day of the wedding. She's helped us so much with planning and ideas. We could never replace her. And I don't want to. Though she won't be with us, we know she'll be thinking of us. We've asked her to still be a part of everything, all the things bridesmaids do. Without her, I don't know if Kevin and I would even have gotten this far together. She's a great friend. We love her dearly!
We truly hope the family matters in Mexico go smoothly and for the best. We hope she returns safely and quickly. And when she gets back, we'll probably have a party so she can wear that oh-so-sexy dress she bought for the wedding!
Thank you, Eli! We love you!
EuroTrip?
What's more exciting than getting married? The honeymoon! Kevin and I have been planning the honeymoon for a while. At first we decided to stay within the United States. But then we talked it over and talked to other people. We decided to go abroad. When will we ever have this opportunity again? Maybe not for many years, if ever.
Kevin has never been out of the country. This is going to be exciting and really great for him. Well, both of us. But really interesting for him. Culture shock! Also, if you know Kevin, you know he's a picky eater. So we'll see how this goes! I promise, I'll take pictures!
Princess offers a Grand Mediterranean cruise for varying lengths. We chose the 12 day cruise. This is where we started our planning. We start in Barcelona, Spain. We thought it would be nice to stay a couple days in Spain before the cruise to see the area. We started looking a little more and somehow we decided we'd fly from Chicago to Toulouse, France. I think there was a book I read that took place in Toulouse. This was many years ago but I've always wanted to go. I'm sure it'll be nothing like the book I read but I don't care. I still want to see it. Anyway, Kevin wants to go because of his new interest in wine. It seems Toulouse is in between two major wine countries. What they are I couldn't tell you. I believe one is Bordeaux. I could be wrong. In any case, we've decided we'll take a train from Toulouse to Barcelona. This will be an adventure in and of itself.
We'll spend a couple days in Barcelona before the cruise.
From Barcelona, we port in Monte Carlo, Monaco. We're thinking of taking a land excursion there, the French Riviera Drive. It's a scenic look at Monaco. I think there's a stop in a nearby town. I don't have the print out of the exact details.
From Monaco, we go to Florence/Pisa. There we will see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and the cathedral next to it. After Florence/Pisa, we head to Rome. We're really excited about Rome. We've reserved our spot to tour St. Peter's, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum. As you know, Kevin and I are nerds and enjoy history. So this is pretty awesome. A person I work with at the hospital just went to Italy. She said luckily her travel agent got her and her travel partner in to a group tour of Rome. When they were outside the Vatican, it was a 4 hour wait. But since they were part of a tour, they were able to walk right in. Very good information to have.
From Rome, we head to Naples/Capri. I know, I know. So many people have told us Naples is awful and have called it the "armpit of the world." One of Kevin's friends even told us not to get off the boat there. But we are. I desperately want to see Pompeii. And we're also taking a day trip of the Amalfi Coastal drive. Sounded pretty and it was part of the Pompeii package.
The next day we're at sea. I think we'll get a nice massage and lounge and try really hard not to get sun burned.
Then we head to Greece. We're spending a few hours on the beach at Mykonos. The photos are really beautiful and I can't wait. Though, I'm worried I'm going to die in the sun.
The next stop is Istanbul (not Constantinople), Turkey. There's a tour of St. Sophia, Topkapi, the Blue Mosque, and the Boshporus area. Kevin is excited because they show how to make carpets. I had to break the news to him that they do not in fact fly. He doesn't believe me.
After that we head to Ephesus, Turkey. It's a short stay there. And we signed up to see the Virgin Mary Shrine. This is the place where the Virgin Mary lived at the end of her life. The Catholic Church recognizes it as the last home she had before her death. Daily masses are held there.
The next stop is Athens, Greece. Again, I'm super excited about this. Here we'll see the Acropolis, Plaka and the Temple of Poseidon.
After Athens we have a day at sea where I'm sure we'll rest and try to recover from all the activity. And I think I'll get my nails done.
Then we port in Venice. We'll visit San Giorgio, the Murano Glass Factory and take a Gondola ride.
We have one night left on the ship and then we leave our cruise.
But that's not really the end. We thought we'd spend a couple days in Italy to finish things up. But then Kevin had a brilliant idea. He thought maybe we could travel a little more outside of Italy since we had already spent some time there. So we started looking at the map. On one of the longer cruises we looked at there was a stop in Slovenia. Some of our friends told us that Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia) was really lovely. So we started looking at Slovenia. We found Bled. Bled is a touristy area. Though, I'd venture to say not many people I know have ever been there. I think maybe it's more touristy for Europeans. We looked at pictures and read up on the area. It's a town on Lake Bled. The pictures are amazing! Just breathtaking. There's a small island with a church on it. There's a boat that takes a trip out there and people can tour the church and the little island. From Bled we'll drive to the bigger town, which I have forgotten the name of, where the international airport is and we'll fly home.
Are you tired yet? I'm exhausted just from trying to keep track of it all! We are very lucky that both our jobs have been very accommodating in the needed time off. Our coworkers have been a great help as well.
So basically the whole month of September is jam packed full of fun. We start off getting married and then traveling Europe. I can't wait!
Things are going well with the planning. I'm trying to get all the invitation stuff done soon. The person that's making them is driving me a little insane but that's okay. As long as I can mail them out two months before the wedding I'll be happy.
The florist was great. We're really happy with the ideas she had. And she's super affordable. Bonus!
So far so good. Kevin hasn't killed me during my bridal meltdowns. And I haven't killed him during his less than brilliant moments. I think we'll actually make it!
Kevin has never been out of the country. This is going to be exciting and really great for him. Well, both of us. But really interesting for him. Culture shock! Also, if you know Kevin, you know he's a picky eater. So we'll see how this goes! I promise, I'll take pictures!
Princess offers a Grand Mediterranean cruise for varying lengths. We chose the 12 day cruise. This is where we started our planning. We start in Barcelona, Spain. We thought it would be nice to stay a couple days in Spain before the cruise to see the area. We started looking a little more and somehow we decided we'd fly from Chicago to Toulouse, France. I think there was a book I read that took place in Toulouse. This was many years ago but I've always wanted to go. I'm sure it'll be nothing like the book I read but I don't care. I still want to see it. Anyway, Kevin wants to go because of his new interest in wine. It seems Toulouse is in between two major wine countries. What they are I couldn't tell you. I believe one is Bordeaux. I could be wrong. In any case, we've decided we'll take a train from Toulouse to Barcelona. This will be an adventure in and of itself.
We'll spend a couple days in Barcelona before the cruise.
From Barcelona, we port in Monte Carlo, Monaco. We're thinking of taking a land excursion there, the French Riviera Drive. It's a scenic look at Monaco. I think there's a stop in a nearby town. I don't have the print out of the exact details.
From Monaco, we go to Florence/Pisa. There we will see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and the cathedral next to it. After Florence/Pisa, we head to Rome. We're really excited about Rome. We've reserved our spot to tour St. Peter's, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum. As you know, Kevin and I are nerds and enjoy history. So this is pretty awesome. A person I work with at the hospital just went to Italy. She said luckily her travel agent got her and her travel partner in to a group tour of Rome. When they were outside the Vatican, it was a 4 hour wait. But since they were part of a tour, they were able to walk right in. Very good information to have.
From Rome, we head to Naples/Capri. I know, I know. So many people have told us Naples is awful and have called it the "armpit of the world." One of Kevin's friends even told us not to get off the boat there. But we are. I desperately want to see Pompeii. And we're also taking a day trip of the Amalfi Coastal drive. Sounded pretty and it was part of the Pompeii package.
The next day we're at sea. I think we'll get a nice massage and lounge and try really hard not to get sun burned.
Then we head to Greece. We're spending a few hours on the beach at Mykonos. The photos are really beautiful and I can't wait. Though, I'm worried I'm going to die in the sun.
The next stop is Istanbul (not Constantinople), Turkey. There's a tour of St. Sophia, Topkapi, the Blue Mosque, and the Boshporus area. Kevin is excited because they show how to make carpets. I had to break the news to him that they do not in fact fly. He doesn't believe me.
After that we head to Ephesus, Turkey. It's a short stay there. And we signed up to see the Virgin Mary Shrine. This is the place where the Virgin Mary lived at the end of her life. The Catholic Church recognizes it as the last home she had before her death. Daily masses are held there.
The next stop is Athens, Greece. Again, I'm super excited about this. Here we'll see the Acropolis, Plaka and the Temple of Poseidon.
After Athens we have a day at sea where I'm sure we'll rest and try to recover from all the activity. And I think I'll get my nails done.
Then we port in Venice. We'll visit San Giorgio, the Murano Glass Factory and take a Gondola ride.
We have one night left on the ship and then we leave our cruise.
But that's not really the end. We thought we'd spend a couple days in Italy to finish things up. But then Kevin had a brilliant idea. He thought maybe we could travel a little more outside of Italy since we had already spent some time there. So we started looking at the map. On one of the longer cruises we looked at there was a stop in Slovenia. Some of our friends told us that Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia) was really lovely. So we started looking at Slovenia. We found Bled. Bled is a touristy area. Though, I'd venture to say not many people I know have ever been there. I think maybe it's more touristy for Europeans. We looked at pictures and read up on the area. It's a town on Lake Bled. The pictures are amazing! Just breathtaking. There's a small island with a church on it. There's a boat that takes a trip out there and people can tour the church and the little island. From Bled we'll drive to the bigger town, which I have forgotten the name of, where the international airport is and we'll fly home.
Are you tired yet? I'm exhausted just from trying to keep track of it all! We are very lucky that both our jobs have been very accommodating in the needed time off. Our coworkers have been a great help as well.
So basically the whole month of September is jam packed full of fun. We start off getting married and then traveling Europe. I can't wait!
Things are going well with the planning. I'm trying to get all the invitation stuff done soon. The person that's making them is driving me a little insane but that's okay. As long as I can mail them out two months before the wedding I'll be happy.
The florist was great. We're really happy with the ideas she had. And she's super affordable. Bonus!
So far so good. Kevin hasn't killed me during my bridal meltdowns. And I haven't killed him during his less than brilliant moments. I think we'll actually make it!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Check. Check. Almost Done!
It's decided. I'm totally awful at updating this thing. Sorry! Well, let's see. Where are we? It's the end of April. Can you believe it? I'm so shocked! Actually, today is my little brother's birthday. He's 27. Of course, in my head he's perpetually 6 years old. My lil' Kissyfur! He hates that but he loved it when he was 6. My how he's grown...
Anyway, so Kevin has been productive. He and his dad just bought another Corvair. It's a 1964. It's this beautiful shade of red. It's just gorgeous. So that makes the fourth Corvair. Granted, the '61 is a parts car. The '63 is a work in progress. And the '65 is pretty much complete. I think the '64 has a few issues that they're working on but nothing major. I'm looking forward to a ride!
Besides that, Kevin has picked out the tuxedos for the groomsmen. He's got a special idea for his own tux. We just have to do a little research to find what we need to go with it. He ordered some stuff for the wedding. I'm so happy. That's one more thing checked off our super long list.
We had our tasting. My mom and brother came along. It was super yummy. We really had fun trying the different foods. And wine, of course. Which, Kevin has since started drinking reds. It's very cool. I'm really looking forward to our trip to Italy now. You have to drink red wine in Italy! Anyway, so more decisions have been made and stuff is planned for the reception. We have to meet with the florist still. That's on May 9th. I'm excited. I think that's the last big thing we have to do.
The reverend has been booked. The bridal party stylists have been reserved. I think a bunch of people have reserved rooms. Thanks to Mom for getting people organized with that. If you haven't reserved your room, you might want to hurry. Pheasant Run has some rooms available. Country Inn and Suites is still open, too.
Next on our list is getting our passports. I thought I knew where my old expired passport was. Yeah, no. I have no idea. But I was certain that my mom still had my birth certificate. Yeah, no. No clue where that is either. So I requested a copy from El Paso County where I was born. They were super fast. It did cost more than I had expected, $50, but I put the order in late on a Friday night well after closing time. By 7AM Colorado time I received an email confirming my order and giving me a UPS tracking number! So the passport paperwork is filled out. Pictures obtained. Birth certificates in hand. We're going to the post office today to apply. It's exciting! Kevin's never left the country before. And the last time he flew anywhere was in '95 or '96 I think. Yay! We're really looking forward to the wedding and the honeymoon!
And, I think we've changed our minds about the first dance song. We picked another song that's not as slow and low as the previous song. We still love that song but just not what we want for a first dance song. Now we've picked a song from RENT. It's going to be amazing! I just know it. I can actually see us dancing to this song. It might be rough since neither of us dance well but at least it will be entertaining!
I think we're doing well. We need to get some things engraved. We're working on ordering our stationary. It's all coming together. It's a great feeling. I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself when all this planning is done. I'll have tons of free time again. Weird!
We had a great Easter. Kevin's sister and her family came over. We had brunch at a country club somewhere... yeah, I'm bad with directions and stuff. Anyway, it was great. Lots of great food, the Easter Bunny, and mimosas! Then we went back to the house and the kids hunted for Easter eggs. Boy were there a lot! Aidan found lots and Megan was distracted by the candy inside. They both got a few great gifts from the Easter Bunny. Karen and Tom got a really nice cast iron dish. And the Easter Bunny even remembered me and Kevin. I think the Easter Bunny went a little crazy with his gift giving but we're very grateful! We got a Kindle! For those of you that don't know, it's an electronic library. It's a digital tablet that connects to the Internet. You can download books on to the device. Books vary in price. Some are as low as 99 cents! The Kindle holds up to 3,500 books! It's amazing. We're really excited about it. It's going to be great for the plane ride! Kevin got an extra fun gift. It's some sort of marshmallow or potato gun. It's a science project in a box from the guys that do Myth Busters.
We hope you all had a happy Easter, too!
Well that's it for now. I'll post again soon-ish. You know me.
Anyway, so Kevin has been productive. He and his dad just bought another Corvair. It's a 1964. It's this beautiful shade of red. It's just gorgeous. So that makes the fourth Corvair. Granted, the '61 is a parts car. The '63 is a work in progress. And the '65 is pretty much complete. I think the '64 has a few issues that they're working on but nothing major. I'm looking forward to a ride!
Besides that, Kevin has picked out the tuxedos for the groomsmen. He's got a special idea for his own tux. We just have to do a little research to find what we need to go with it. He ordered some stuff for the wedding. I'm so happy. That's one more thing checked off our super long list.
We had our tasting. My mom and brother came along. It was super yummy. We really had fun trying the different foods. And wine, of course. Which, Kevin has since started drinking reds. It's very cool. I'm really looking forward to our trip to Italy now. You have to drink red wine in Italy! Anyway, so more decisions have been made and stuff is planned for the reception. We have to meet with the florist still. That's on May 9th. I'm excited. I think that's the last big thing we have to do.
The reverend has been booked. The bridal party stylists have been reserved. I think a bunch of people have reserved rooms. Thanks to Mom for getting people organized with that. If you haven't reserved your room, you might want to hurry. Pheasant Run has some rooms available. Country Inn and Suites is still open, too.
Next on our list is getting our passports. I thought I knew where my old expired passport was. Yeah, no. I have no idea. But I was certain that my mom still had my birth certificate. Yeah, no. No clue where that is either. So I requested a copy from El Paso County where I was born. They were super fast. It did cost more than I had expected, $50, but I put the order in late on a Friday night well after closing time. By 7AM Colorado time I received an email confirming my order and giving me a UPS tracking number! So the passport paperwork is filled out. Pictures obtained. Birth certificates in hand. We're going to the post office today to apply. It's exciting! Kevin's never left the country before. And the last time he flew anywhere was in '95 or '96 I think. Yay! We're really looking forward to the wedding and the honeymoon!
And, I think we've changed our minds about the first dance song. We picked another song that's not as slow and low as the previous song. We still love that song but just not what we want for a first dance song. Now we've picked a song from RENT. It's going to be amazing! I just know it. I can actually see us dancing to this song. It might be rough since neither of us dance well but at least it will be entertaining!
I think we're doing well. We need to get some things engraved. We're working on ordering our stationary. It's all coming together. It's a great feeling. I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself when all this planning is done. I'll have tons of free time again. Weird!
We had a great Easter. Kevin's sister and her family came over. We had brunch at a country club somewhere... yeah, I'm bad with directions and stuff. Anyway, it was great. Lots of great food, the Easter Bunny, and mimosas! Then we went back to the house and the kids hunted for Easter eggs. Boy were there a lot! Aidan found lots and Megan was distracted by the candy inside. They both got a few great gifts from the Easter Bunny. Karen and Tom got a really nice cast iron dish. And the Easter Bunny even remembered me and Kevin. I think the Easter Bunny went a little crazy with his gift giving but we're very grateful! We got a Kindle! For those of you that don't know, it's an electronic library. It's a digital tablet that connects to the Internet. You can download books on to the device. Books vary in price. Some are as low as 99 cents! The Kindle holds up to 3,500 books! It's amazing. We're really excited about it. It's going to be great for the plane ride! Kevin got an extra fun gift. It's some sort of marshmallow or potato gun. It's a science project in a box from the guys that do Myth Busters.
We hope you all had a happy Easter, too!
Well that's it for now. I'll post again soon-ish. You know me.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Less Than 5 Months Away!
We've been planning our wedding for a while now. It's just a part of my life. I don't really think about it in regards to time. But the other day I checked my email and there was a new message. The subject line read, "Five Months To Go!" My heart skipped a beat and my stomach churned.
I feel so far behind in everything but at the same time I'm so excited to marry Kevin. I'm very emotional. Those of you that have seen me lately can attest to that. I've got my wedding planning books and my magazines. I've been watching wedding shows on television. I'm in wedding mode. But when I look at my list of things to do and the timeline, I see so many unchecked boxes. I started to panic. I was a bit much for Kevin to handle. So I went to the person I knew could handle my panicked, crying, speed talking, irrational, overly emotional, generally crazy self. My mom. I sat down with her and we talked and went through every detail I had planned and things I had yet to do. She put everything into perspective and helped me calm down and see the light at the end of tunnel. We're doing fine. Sure not every thing from the 12-9 months checklist boxes is checked off but we're in the process of getting it done. We'll be fine.
Some of you have given me great ideas. You've been inspirational. Kevin and I are really happy. Thanks for that! We're working on ideas for the centerpieces. We have an appointment today at 10am with the wedding coordinator for Pheasant Run to do our tasting. After that we're meeting with the florist. It's going to be a busy day. I think we'll have fun, though.
Last Saturday we met with the reverend. His name is Allen Eaton. He actually lives in Schaumburg. He was recommended to us by another reverend. The meeting was about an hour long. It was great. He put us at ease and started to get to know us. He has a great sense of humor which we really love. He's our guy. We're so happy to have found him. What we really like is that he only likes taking one wedding a day. Some people have several weddings to officate in a day. He prefers to focus on one couple at a time. He's given us some great ideas for the ceremony and kind of filled us in on exactly what we need to do. I've checked that box off.
Tuesday we have an appointment with the videographer. If we can do what we have planned, you better bring some tissues. It'll be a tear jerker for sure. I will, of course, have my waterproof mascara. We'll see what he says.
I saw my dad's sisters and some of my cousins this past Sunday. Kevin, my cousin fighting cancer, has hair! It looks great. He's doing pretty well. He gets a femur and a knee this week. We're really excited. He'll finally be able to bend his knee! Woohoo! The family seems really excited for our wedding. I'm just happy to celebrate with everyone.
Oh, before I forget. The Country Inn and Suites said their check-in time is 3pm. I don't know how willing they are to check you in before then. I thought I should tell everyone in case they don't tell you when you book your room. To book your room, you just need to give them a credit card number. It won't be charged until the date of your stay. The credit card just holds your reservation. There's been some confusion with that one.
So that's about it. I'll let you all know how things go later today. Also, we really like reading your comments. Hint hint nudge nudge.
I keep telling Kevin people would like to read his thoughts too but he disagrees. So you know, if you'd like to hear from him, let us know!
I feel so far behind in everything but at the same time I'm so excited to marry Kevin. I'm very emotional. Those of you that have seen me lately can attest to that. I've got my wedding planning books and my magazines. I've been watching wedding shows on television. I'm in wedding mode. But when I look at my list of things to do and the timeline, I see so many unchecked boxes. I started to panic. I was a bit much for Kevin to handle. So I went to the person I knew could handle my panicked, crying, speed talking, irrational, overly emotional, generally crazy self. My mom. I sat down with her and we talked and went through every detail I had planned and things I had yet to do. She put everything into perspective and helped me calm down and see the light at the end of tunnel. We're doing fine. Sure not every thing from the 12-9 months checklist boxes is checked off but we're in the process of getting it done. We'll be fine.
Some of you have given me great ideas. You've been inspirational. Kevin and I are really happy. Thanks for that! We're working on ideas for the centerpieces. We have an appointment today at 10am with the wedding coordinator for Pheasant Run to do our tasting. After that we're meeting with the florist. It's going to be a busy day. I think we'll have fun, though.
Last Saturday we met with the reverend. His name is Allen Eaton. He actually lives in Schaumburg. He was recommended to us by another reverend. The meeting was about an hour long. It was great. He put us at ease and started to get to know us. He has a great sense of humor which we really love. He's our guy. We're so happy to have found him. What we really like is that he only likes taking one wedding a day. Some people have several weddings to officate in a day. He prefers to focus on one couple at a time. He's given us some great ideas for the ceremony and kind of filled us in on exactly what we need to do. I've checked that box off.
Tuesday we have an appointment with the videographer. If we can do what we have planned, you better bring some tissues. It'll be a tear jerker for sure. I will, of course, have my waterproof mascara. We'll see what he says.
I saw my dad's sisters and some of my cousins this past Sunday. Kevin, my cousin fighting cancer, has hair! It looks great. He's doing pretty well. He gets a femur and a knee this week. We're really excited. He'll finally be able to bend his knee! Woohoo! The family seems really excited for our wedding. I'm just happy to celebrate with everyone.
Oh, before I forget. The Country Inn and Suites said their check-in time is 3pm. I don't know how willing they are to check you in before then. I thought I should tell everyone in case they don't tell you when you book your room. To book your room, you just need to give them a credit card number. It won't be charged until the date of your stay. The credit card just holds your reservation. There's been some confusion with that one.
So that's about it. I'll let you all know how things go later today. Also, we really like reading your comments. Hint hint nudge nudge.
I keep telling Kevin people would like to read his thoughts too but he disagrees. So you know, if you'd like to hear from him, let us know!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Hotel Arrangements Update
I wanted to get in touch with people to let you all know about the hotel stuff. Previously we let you all know that we had rooms reserved for the weekend of the wedding. Friday 9/2/11 we have 10 rooms blocked off. Saturday 9/3/11 we have 5 rooms blocked off. Most of these rooms are king beds but roll away beds are available. I know many of you were going to share rooms with other people. This presents a problem because Pheasant Run is telling us they are pretty booked up that weekend because of another event that's going on at the same time. Bummer.
So Kevin and I did some research. He found another option. And for cheaper. The hotel is Country Inn & Suites. The address is 155 38th Avenue, St. Charles, IL 60174. The phone number is (630) 587-6564.
We have blocked off 10 rooms for Thursday 9/1/11, 15 rooms for 9/2/11, and 15 rooms for Saturday 9/3/11. The cost for the rooms is $79 for two queen beds, and $99 for a king bed with a sleeper sofa. There is an indoor pool, hot tub, work out room, and free breakfast bar.
If you decide to stay there, just call and make reservations soon. Let them know you're for the Booth/Withem wedding and which type of room you'd like.
As for transportation to the wedding/reception, we'll be arranging a shuttle to take people back and forth. So there's no drunk driving. It's just down the street from Pheasant Run. And from what I understand, it's walking distance to shops and stuff.
If you wouldn't mind, pass this information along. I'm trying to get it to everyone but it's difficult. I'll post it on the wedding blog, but sadly, I don't think anyone actually reads it. :( Oh well.
Let us know if you have questions or concerns.
So Kevin and I did some research. He found another option. And for cheaper. The hotel is Country Inn & Suites. The address is 155 38th Avenue, St. Charles, IL 60174. The phone number is (630) 587-6564.
We have blocked off 10 rooms for Thursday 9/1/11, 15 rooms for 9/2/11, and 15 rooms for Saturday 9/3/11. The cost for the rooms is $79 for two queen beds, and $99 for a king bed with a sleeper sofa. There is an indoor pool, hot tub, work out room, and free breakfast bar.
If you decide to stay there, just call and make reservations soon. Let them know you're for the Booth/Withem wedding and which type of room you'd like.
As for transportation to the wedding/reception, we'll be arranging a shuttle to take people back and forth. So there's no drunk driving. It's just down the street from Pheasant Run. And from what I understand, it's walking distance to shops and stuff.
If you wouldn't mind, pass this information along. I'm trying to get it to everyone but it's difficult. I'll post it on the wedding blog, but sadly, I don't think anyone actually reads it. :( Oh well.
Let us know if you have questions or concerns.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Where does the time go?
Yikes! It's already the end of March. Sorry for not updating the blog sooner. So let's see... Where are we?
Well, on Saturday we have an appointment to check out tux stuff. Then the following Saturday we have an appointment with a reverend. He comes highly recommended by Rev. Jim, the one we had originally wanted to marry us.
The bridesmaids have picked out their dresses. They're beautiful. I decided I wanted each of the girls to have their own look. If there was a magic dress that fit each of them perfectly we would have gone with it. Unfortunately, no dress fits that description. Each of the girls picked a dress they could wear and feel comfortable and beautiful. It wasn't as painful as I had anticipated.
We're working on the flower girls dresses now.
Kevin and I are feeling a little stressed over everything but we're working on it. I think the biggest thing is just seeing how much money we're putting into this. On one hand, it's just one day, not even 24 hours. But on the other hand it's THE day. And it will be remembered forever. You only get married once, right? We'll that's what we're counting on anyway.
We registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond. We also registered at Target. That took 2 days. It was crazy. And we registered for a ton of stuff. In all honesty, I hope we don't get everything we asked for. I have no idea where we'll put it! We were dreading the china part. But really, it went so smoothly. The people at Bed, Bath & Beyond were so nice. I can't remember the name of the lady that helped us but she was really great. We picked a simple pattern. It's kind of expensive but it's really good quality. We're really happy with it. And then the crystal. Well, Kevin said he didn't have an opinion but it turned out he did. Luckily, Waterford had a pattern to match our china. It worked out. Even the silver was easy. Waterford had a pattern to match as well but we went with a different pattern that still compliments our china. It's really exciting. We feel so adult!
Incidentally, if you live in the Chicago area and you're shopping Bed, Bath & Beyond for our gift, the Schaumburg location is the biggest store. That's where we registered. So if you're online or some other store and you can't find it, the Schaumburg location should have it.
I emailed our wedding coordinator earlier. Hopefully we'll hear from her soon so we can start getting the details pinned down. We're trying to think of cake flavors. I don't even know where to begin there. I think our tasting should be coming up soon. I'm kind of excited about that. The food there is soooo good!
In other news, my brother got Kevin and I into a gym. We've been working out. My ortho doctor finally cleared me for some activities. I'm excited. I still have to wear my brace but that's okay. I'm doing better. Not in the clear yet, but better. I have to go back in July. We'll see how I am then. I just want to be good enough to wear cute shoes on the wedding day and be able to walk all over Spain, Greece, and Italy. Anyway, Kevin and I are trying to eat better and work out regularly. So far so good.
A few people have told us they called Pheasant Run to make reservations for rooms but were unable to get the kind of room they were looking for. We're in the process of getting information from a hotel across the street for additional rooms. The manager needs to get back to us. But it sounds like a room with 2 double beds for that weekend should be about $89 a night. Not bad. We'll let you all know when we know more.
I think that's it for now. We'll keep you all posted about the developments soon.
Well, on Saturday we have an appointment to check out tux stuff. Then the following Saturday we have an appointment with a reverend. He comes highly recommended by Rev. Jim, the one we had originally wanted to marry us.
The bridesmaids have picked out their dresses. They're beautiful. I decided I wanted each of the girls to have their own look. If there was a magic dress that fit each of them perfectly we would have gone with it. Unfortunately, no dress fits that description. Each of the girls picked a dress they could wear and feel comfortable and beautiful. It wasn't as painful as I had anticipated.
We're working on the flower girls dresses now.
Kevin and I are feeling a little stressed over everything but we're working on it. I think the biggest thing is just seeing how much money we're putting into this. On one hand, it's just one day, not even 24 hours. But on the other hand it's THE day. And it will be remembered forever. You only get married once, right? We'll that's what we're counting on anyway.
We registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond. We also registered at Target. That took 2 days. It was crazy. And we registered for a ton of stuff. In all honesty, I hope we don't get everything we asked for. I have no idea where we'll put it! We were dreading the china part. But really, it went so smoothly. The people at Bed, Bath & Beyond were so nice. I can't remember the name of the lady that helped us but she was really great. We picked a simple pattern. It's kind of expensive but it's really good quality. We're really happy with it. And then the crystal. Well, Kevin said he didn't have an opinion but it turned out he did. Luckily, Waterford had a pattern to match our china. It worked out. Even the silver was easy. Waterford had a pattern to match as well but we went with a different pattern that still compliments our china. It's really exciting. We feel so adult!
Incidentally, if you live in the Chicago area and you're shopping Bed, Bath & Beyond for our gift, the Schaumburg location is the biggest store. That's where we registered. So if you're online or some other store and you can't find it, the Schaumburg location should have it.
I emailed our wedding coordinator earlier. Hopefully we'll hear from her soon so we can start getting the details pinned down. We're trying to think of cake flavors. I don't even know where to begin there. I think our tasting should be coming up soon. I'm kind of excited about that. The food there is soooo good!
In other news, my brother got Kevin and I into a gym. We've been working out. My ortho doctor finally cleared me for some activities. I'm excited. I still have to wear my brace but that's okay. I'm doing better. Not in the clear yet, but better. I have to go back in July. We'll see how I am then. I just want to be good enough to wear cute shoes on the wedding day and be able to walk all over Spain, Greece, and Italy. Anyway, Kevin and I are trying to eat better and work out regularly. So far so good.
A few people have told us they called Pheasant Run to make reservations for rooms but were unable to get the kind of room they were looking for. We're in the process of getting information from a hotel across the street for additional rooms. The manager needs to get back to us. But it sounds like a room with 2 double beds for that weekend should be about $89 a night. Not bad. We'll let you all know when we know more.
I think that's it for now. We'll keep you all posted about the developments soon.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Illusions
The first dance. Some have been lighthearted and fun. Others are traditional and stuffy. Most are sweet and lovely. Ours, well, you'll just have to wait and see. I was thinking about the song we've chosen. It took a while to agree on a song. We had agreed on a few songs before but we kept changing our minds. And finally we found it. The One. THE song. Illusions by Matt Nathanson.
Times are difficult right now. We're both still in a fog from the loss of his mom and my dad. Wedding plans do not come so easily when key members of the family are no longer a part of them. I feel like things are at a stand still. I have a list of things to do but I can't seem to find the motivation to complete them. I'm having a difficult time moving on in life.
It's no secret that I've been sad and melancholy. The support I've been seeking from places I thought I'd surely find it has turned up bare. Friends are not always friends in troubled times. I'm all too familar with the "fair weather friend."
Kevin is amazing. I know all the ladies say that of their men. But he really is. He's taken all of this in stride. He loves me unconditionally. And he's always there to wipe my tears and the streaked mascara from my eyes. He holds me and reassures me that things will get better.
Today was a particularly difficult day. My cousin on my dad's side has bone cancer. He is 13 years old. Before his diagnosis he was bright and full of life and very active, participating in sports and school activities. He's very intelligent. He loves learning. Unfortunately, he's missing out on his first year of high school. He's spending much of his time in the hospital. He underwent surgery last year to remove the cancer in his leg. He had an artificial knee surgically insertered. He's been undergoing chemotherapy. It makes him quite sick, as these medications tend to do. Today he had surgery again on his knee. He's been battling an infection for some time. The doctor decided it was time to open him up and clean it out. It was worse than they expected. All the knee components had to be removed. A temporary rod was put in its place. He has to finish his last few chemotherapy treatments and clear of infection. When that's done, the doctor will go back in and insert a new knee. If they can't get the infection controlled, they may have to amputate his leg.
This is quite a blow to our family, let alone him. I can only imagine what he's going through. And even then, I'm sure it's nothing compared to the reality of it all. Our prayers are with him and his family. There are no words. Like I said, it's tough times. I really wish my dad were here. He would know exactly what to say and do. He would be at my cousin's side in a moment. He would tell him what he needed to hear in just the right way. And everything would be better. But that won't happen now. And I cry a little. Well, more than a little.
And when I do, Kevin is there. The first song is so perfect for us. So I thought I'd share our first dance with you all. Well, the lyrics anyway.
I believe in your strength
Though I understand you've felt alone
'Cause when you need a friend
There's no one strong to fall back on
And your past will still burden you
But I'll hold you through the pain
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are
I believe in your words and your eyes
And when you speak of your dreams I realize
That I will envy whoever you
Give your heart to
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are
And I will never let you fade away
And I want you to know that I love you
For all you are
And all that you will be
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are.
Of course, this is true for Kevin as well. I am there for him as he is there for me. And we lean on each other. The best of friends and sweetest of lovers. Alone, we could not stand as strong. Neither of us alone is perfect in any way but together we are one complete and perfect set. And this is how we survive and thrive. Through the strength and love of each other.
Times are difficult right now. We're both still in a fog from the loss of his mom and my dad. Wedding plans do not come so easily when key members of the family are no longer a part of them. I feel like things are at a stand still. I have a list of things to do but I can't seem to find the motivation to complete them. I'm having a difficult time moving on in life.
It's no secret that I've been sad and melancholy. The support I've been seeking from places I thought I'd surely find it has turned up bare. Friends are not always friends in troubled times. I'm all too familar with the "fair weather friend."
Kevin is amazing. I know all the ladies say that of their men. But he really is. He's taken all of this in stride. He loves me unconditionally. And he's always there to wipe my tears and the streaked mascara from my eyes. He holds me and reassures me that things will get better.
Today was a particularly difficult day. My cousin on my dad's side has bone cancer. He is 13 years old. Before his diagnosis he was bright and full of life and very active, participating in sports and school activities. He's very intelligent. He loves learning. Unfortunately, he's missing out on his first year of high school. He's spending much of his time in the hospital. He underwent surgery last year to remove the cancer in his leg. He had an artificial knee surgically insertered. He's been undergoing chemotherapy. It makes him quite sick, as these medications tend to do. Today he had surgery again on his knee. He's been battling an infection for some time. The doctor decided it was time to open him up and clean it out. It was worse than they expected. All the knee components had to be removed. A temporary rod was put in its place. He has to finish his last few chemotherapy treatments and clear of infection. When that's done, the doctor will go back in and insert a new knee. If they can't get the infection controlled, they may have to amputate his leg.
This is quite a blow to our family, let alone him. I can only imagine what he's going through. And even then, I'm sure it's nothing compared to the reality of it all. Our prayers are with him and his family. There are no words. Like I said, it's tough times. I really wish my dad were here. He would know exactly what to say and do. He would be at my cousin's side in a moment. He would tell him what he needed to hear in just the right way. And everything would be better. But that won't happen now. And I cry a little. Well, more than a little.
And when I do, Kevin is there. The first song is so perfect for us. So I thought I'd share our first dance with you all. Well, the lyrics anyway.
I believe in your strength
Though I understand you've felt alone
'Cause when you need a friend
There's no one strong to fall back on
And your past will still burden you
But I'll hold you through the pain
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are
I believe in your words and your eyes
And when you speak of your dreams I realize
That I will envy whoever you
Give your heart to
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are
And I will never let you fade away
And I want you to know that I love you
For all you are
And all that you will be
So in the end it's not just you
With your memories and your scars
Fall on me if you ever forget
How beautiful you are.
Of course, this is true for Kevin as well. I am there for him as he is there for me. And we lean on each other. The best of friends and sweetest of lovers. Alone, we could not stand as strong. Neither of us alone is perfect in any way but together we are one complete and perfect set. And this is how we survive and thrive. Through the strength and love of each other.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Good-Bye 2010
December.
It was a busy month for us. Kevin's 30th birthday and Christmas, and then New Year's Eve. It's been hectic.
We had a pretty good time, though. For Kevin's birthday we started the day early at the Toys-4-Tots parade with the Great Lakes Jeep Thing (the Jeep club Kevin's in). We decorated each of our Jeeps and drove down the the Marine base where they were taking the donations.
I left directly from there and drove to Zion to spend time with the Valdez family. That's my dad's family. Every year we have an ornament exchange. It was good to see everyone. Some of them I hadn't seen in ages. Some not since the funeral. It was a bit awkward but still good to see everyone. The food was great of course. Nikki did a great job and her house is just lovely.
From there I drove to Chicago to meet Kevin at his sister's house. Aidan wanted to blow out a birthday candle with Uncle. He's so darn cute. Megan too. She's just starting to warm up to us. We had some brownies and then headed out for Kevin's birthday celebration. Karen and Tom couldn't make it because the weather was supposed to be so awful their babysitter couldn't make it.
Kingston Mines was our destination. It's a blues bar. It's rather unique, actually. The bar is split in half. Two bands play all night. But they take turns. One band plays on the right stage and another on the left. The rooms are kind of divided. So technically if you want to see both bands play you have to hop back and forth between the rooms. We ended up staying in one place because we were so settled and the boys had their beers and things in place. Quite a few of his friends showed up. It was nice. He got to spend good time with them. I was feeling a little sore from my ankle/foot injury so I sat down on a bench. No sooner had I sat down did the band begin to start again. A flood of people from the next room came in and asked to sit with me on the bench. It was a group of 6 aging from 65 to 48. They were fun. And talkative. And drunk. The youngest of the group was a nice couple that had just started dating. They talked to me for a good 45 minutes. They were quite cute together. I had that moment as many designated drivers do when you look around at all the intoxicated people and can't help but laugh at their absurdness. I was so entertained. And the music was great, too.
We took off from there and headed home around 2 or 3 in the morning. All in all he had a great birthday.
Christmas arrived seemingly without warning. We jumped from one event right to the next. Christmas Eve we spent with the Croak side, my mom's side. It was nice but sad. I missed my dad quite a bit. I knew it was going to be a difficult evening. We all miss him. We ended up leaving a little early. I was so tired from working the night before and still fighting a cold. I can't seem to stay healthy for very long this winter. Santa did not bring me a better immune system, unfortunately. Christmas morning came and we went to my mom's house for 5:30am to have our annual Cinnabon and open stocking presents before Mom had to go to work. It was nice but still we missed Dad a lot. No one really spoke of it but it was definitely in the air.
We took a little nap and then got up to have Christmas with Kevin's family. Santa came and brought quite a load. The kids were excited. Megan wandered from one gift to the next slowly tearing pieces of Christmas wrap off of various gifts. Kevin got a lot of gift cards for Cabela's where he wanted to get his smoker. I got a great coffee/tea/cocoa maker. It's perfect. And a bunch of coffees and teas, too.
Christmas night we were both scheduled to work. Just as I was walking out the door for work, I received the phone call. I was on call all night. Peds was closed. Kevin still had to go in, though. We took a little nap before he had to go. It was pleasant.
Because of work schedules being insane, we didn't have Christmas with my immediate family until Monday after Christmas. It was still nice. Kevin got a watch he's been wanting for ages. I got a great camera (and it's even pink - but not crazy girl pink, light pink). Mom cried when we gave her the bear figure with the light. It was very special. And we all cried when Diane gave us the replica dog tags for Dad. I haven't had the strength to take them out of the box yet.
From there we found ourselves just upon the eve of New Year's Eve. We were both working so we ended up going out on a date on Thursday. It was nice. We enjoyed spending some time together. Then New Year's Eve came and we talked to each other for the count down. It wasn't the most ideal situation to ring in the new year but it worked. He spent the night fighting a drunk and I cared for a very sick woman just on her death bed. This is the last New Year's for her. It was a very rough night for both of us.
And now it's January. I can hardly believe it. A friend of mine is getting married in May. She mentioned that it's no longer, "I'm getting married next year but rather, I'm getting married in May." And it hit me. We're getting married this year. It's no longer a year away. It's months away. Granted it's quite a few months. But like these past few months, they will fly by with the blink of an eye. And we'll be upon the eve of our wedding day. Weird. That butterfly in my stomach goes crazy flitting about when I think of it.
Plans haven't progressed much since Christmas took so much of our time. But I'll jump back into things by mid week. Sad to say, I still have a few straggling save-the-dates to send out. I'm not as organized as I'd like you to believe.
Well, Happy New Year to you and yours. May this year bring much love and luck!
It was a busy month for us. Kevin's 30th birthday and Christmas, and then New Year's Eve. It's been hectic.
We had a pretty good time, though. For Kevin's birthday we started the day early at the Toys-4-Tots parade with the Great Lakes Jeep Thing (the Jeep club Kevin's in). We decorated each of our Jeeps and drove down the the Marine base where they were taking the donations.
I left directly from there and drove to Zion to spend time with the Valdez family. That's my dad's family. Every year we have an ornament exchange. It was good to see everyone. Some of them I hadn't seen in ages. Some not since the funeral. It was a bit awkward but still good to see everyone. The food was great of course. Nikki did a great job and her house is just lovely.
From there I drove to Chicago to meet Kevin at his sister's house. Aidan wanted to blow out a birthday candle with Uncle. He's so darn cute. Megan too. She's just starting to warm up to us. We had some brownies and then headed out for Kevin's birthday celebration. Karen and Tom couldn't make it because the weather was supposed to be so awful their babysitter couldn't make it.
Kingston Mines was our destination. It's a blues bar. It's rather unique, actually. The bar is split in half. Two bands play all night. But they take turns. One band plays on the right stage and another on the left. The rooms are kind of divided. So technically if you want to see both bands play you have to hop back and forth between the rooms. We ended up staying in one place because we were so settled and the boys had their beers and things in place. Quite a few of his friends showed up. It was nice. He got to spend good time with them. I was feeling a little sore from my ankle/foot injury so I sat down on a bench. No sooner had I sat down did the band begin to start again. A flood of people from the next room came in and asked to sit with me on the bench. It was a group of 6 aging from 65 to 48. They were fun. And talkative. And drunk. The youngest of the group was a nice couple that had just started dating. They talked to me for a good 45 minutes. They were quite cute together. I had that moment as many designated drivers do when you look around at all the intoxicated people and can't help but laugh at their absurdness. I was so entertained. And the music was great, too.
We took off from there and headed home around 2 or 3 in the morning. All in all he had a great birthday.
Christmas arrived seemingly without warning. We jumped from one event right to the next. Christmas Eve we spent with the Croak side, my mom's side. It was nice but sad. I missed my dad quite a bit. I knew it was going to be a difficult evening. We all miss him. We ended up leaving a little early. I was so tired from working the night before and still fighting a cold. I can't seem to stay healthy for very long this winter. Santa did not bring me a better immune system, unfortunately. Christmas morning came and we went to my mom's house for 5:30am to have our annual Cinnabon and open stocking presents before Mom had to go to work. It was nice but still we missed Dad a lot. No one really spoke of it but it was definitely in the air.
We took a little nap and then got up to have Christmas with Kevin's family. Santa came and brought quite a load. The kids were excited. Megan wandered from one gift to the next slowly tearing pieces of Christmas wrap off of various gifts. Kevin got a lot of gift cards for Cabela's where he wanted to get his smoker. I got a great coffee/tea/cocoa maker. It's perfect. And a bunch of coffees and teas, too.
Christmas night we were both scheduled to work. Just as I was walking out the door for work, I received the phone call. I was on call all night. Peds was closed. Kevin still had to go in, though. We took a little nap before he had to go. It was pleasant.
Because of work schedules being insane, we didn't have Christmas with my immediate family until Monday after Christmas. It was still nice. Kevin got a watch he's been wanting for ages. I got a great camera (and it's even pink - but not crazy girl pink, light pink). Mom cried when we gave her the bear figure with the light. It was very special. And we all cried when Diane gave us the replica dog tags for Dad. I haven't had the strength to take them out of the box yet.
From there we found ourselves just upon the eve of New Year's Eve. We were both working so we ended up going out on a date on Thursday. It was nice. We enjoyed spending some time together. Then New Year's Eve came and we talked to each other for the count down. It wasn't the most ideal situation to ring in the new year but it worked. He spent the night fighting a drunk and I cared for a very sick woman just on her death bed. This is the last New Year's for her. It was a very rough night for both of us.
And now it's January. I can hardly believe it. A friend of mine is getting married in May. She mentioned that it's no longer, "I'm getting married next year but rather, I'm getting married in May." And it hit me. We're getting married this year. It's no longer a year away. It's months away. Granted it's quite a few months. But like these past few months, they will fly by with the blink of an eye. And we'll be upon the eve of our wedding day. Weird. That butterfly in my stomach goes crazy flitting about when I think of it.
Plans haven't progressed much since Christmas took so much of our time. But I'll jump back into things by mid week. Sad to say, I still have a few straggling save-the-dates to send out. I'm not as organized as I'd like you to believe.
Well, Happy New Year to you and yours. May this year bring much love and luck!
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