September 10th

Luckily They Held Their Peace

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We are down to the final pre-wedding days. Last Saturday, my half-sister flew in from Switzerland and that's when everything really kicked off. Ever since, Fiance and I have been focused on last minute prep. On Saturday morning, we ran some errands and I had my dress picked up and my hair dry run done before picking up Half-Sister from the airport and afterwards we all had dinner at my parents' place. Earlier in the day, my family had picked up a cheesecake for Half-Sister because it is one of her favorite foods and cheesecake doesn't exist in Switzerland. On Sunday, we had a waffle breakfast with my family. Afterwards, Fiance jammed on the guitar with my dad for awhile and then went home to work on finalizing the reception playlist. Meanwhile, Mom and Sister and Half-Sister and I went shopping for shoes to go with Half-Sister's bridesmaid dress. That evening, we all met up again with Fiance at my cousin's house for a graduation party. Cousin graduated with her Bachelor degree earlier in the summer but then spent a month traveling around Australia so this was really the first chance they had for a party. Immediately following the party, Fiance and I drove to visit his sister to drop off the flower girl dress for her oldest daughter. It fit perfectly! =)

On Monday, I ran errands in the morning and then went to the Laguna Beach Sawdust Art Festival with Mom and Half-Sister. It was alot of fun and I think we all enjoyed looking around at all the art. We had lunch down the street at a second art festival and after wandering around that, we met Dad and Fiance back at my parents' house before driving over to the reception location for a final chat about how everything would play out. Once that was finished, Fiance and I drove around looking at local houses for sale a little bit and we all had steaks for dinner. Yesterday, Fiance and I both worked in the morning. I went to a movie later with Cousin's kids and Sister and Half-Sister and then Fiance and I met up and went to the photographer's for one last hoorah. Oh, and we also picked up our wedding bands.

And that takes us to today. So far, we have to stop by waste management to recycle an old computer monitor and to stop by Fiance's Brother's house to drop off his daughter's flower girl dress. We also need to buy a couple frames, tidy the apartment before Fiance's friend drives in Friday night, and drop off a few sweaters of mine at the dry cleaners'. Tomorrow, my uncles and my grandparents arrive from out of state. It's going to just get busier from here until the wedding this weekend!! =)

The Action-Packed Week

I wish I had time to update this properly because I don't want to forget this time in my life, but it seems like every spare second is devoted to...something. Anything. Everything under the sun that is not blogging.

Fiance and I spent Independence Day with his brother's family. Fiance's brother lives on a lake so we drove out in the morning and left just before the fireworks. Last year, we stayed for the fireworks but this year we were both tired and I needed to be up early for work the next morning so we missed them. Next year, I'll make sure that I'm not working the 5th of July!

We also celebrated my mother's birthday last week - and just as I wrote this sentence I realized that today is Fiance's mother's birthday and DAMN IT can you believe that I forgot to mail her birthday card?! - which was nice. We all had dinner together and then we had cake and she opened her gifts. It was nothing spectacular, but it was special =)

Last Friday, I spent the day hanging out with Fiance's sister-in-law. The plan had been to help her out with some house-chores and to scrapbook with Niece. But when I got there it was so hot that her candles were melting inside the house so we ended up sitting around talking and playing with the baby. And taking pictures. And having lunch out. And things like that.

Saturday was a busy day. In the morning I had a dress tailoring. I went straight from that to my bridal shower which was alot of fun and filled with everything from lingerie to dishes to cookbooks. I wish I had more pictures but I'm sure that once I beg everyone in my life for theirs that it will turn out alright. After the bridal shower, I drove to my parents' house where Fiance and Dad had been hanging out together (outside of their excursion to see a movie and drink beer) to drop off some dress accessories and pick up Fiance.

Yesterday was busy too. I picked up the rest of the bridal shower gifts from the shower hostess after Fiance and I went out to breakfast. Then we checked out announcement papers, thank you notecards for the shower and the bachelorette party, and the wine-and-cheese party, and the wedding, along with flower girl dresses and shoes and headbands and the like. Yes, run-on sentences are my friends when I'm busy.

Oh and last week was also our engagement portrait sitting session which meant that a couple of days later we received the proofs in the mail. Today I spent my lunch break calling various vendors - including the photographer - to schedule about five million appointments for Thursday when I'll be done working early - probably around 2pm or so. YAY!

That's all. That's it. That's the end.

This wedding hasn't been very stressful. Some people keep saying that I seem stressed but I keep thinking about some other very stressful times in my life - like attack after attack with my Crohn's last summer - and I've decided that many people in my life just assume that I'm stressed when I'm not. Last summer, I was stressed. I thought there was something seriously wrong and there were nights when I would lay down and wish I would die so the pain would end and then I would wake up an hour later spasming and puking and wondering if I weren't well on my way to dying. Last summer there were days when I was positive it might be my last, and there were moments when I honestly thought that if one more person breathed within five miles of me that I would have to take a hatchet to them. I was stressed and jumpy and anxious. And people in my life then never said I seemed stressed, when I was going through what was easily the most stressful period of my life yet. But this wedding? A piece of cake. So I just don't understand why people now are saying I seem stressed. Maybe they just expect it so they think they see signs of stress? The only day that has been even remotely stressful was Saturday and that wasn't stressful because of anything particular, I just felt guilty about being late.

Oh, and a car ran a light at about 50mph in a 35mph zone and literally missed me by inches, let's not forget that part of Saturday morning. That scared the shit out of me.

But anyway, that's it. I've got more busy-ness ahead, so I'll write later. Much later. In fact, I may not properly update this thing until after the wedding when I have more time. Which reminds me, I should clarify that half of my busy-ness has nothing to do with hanging out with family or with making wedding plans. Nope. I'm reading through a series of books so that I can return them to the woman who lent them to me and they are Time-Consuming. Trust me.

A List in Paragraph Form

As the wedding draws closer, I am ever thankful that Fiance and I made the decision early on to keep everything as simple as possible. Nothing about this planning process has been difficult or time consuming, and almost all facets of the wedding have fallen into place with little effort and no explanation. It has been wonderful.

We have, however, been busy. A few weekends ago, Fiance's mother told him that his aunt's birthday was coming up. I like Fiance's aunt so I bought a birthday card, sent it, and then asked Fiance if we could do something to celebrate with her. Fiance agreed and called his sister and made arrangements. Last Sunday, Fiance and I followed his sister and her kids up to Fiance's aunt's place. We hung out, went to lunch, hung out some more, and then drove home. It was a nice day and I hope that Fiance's aunt had a happy birthday.

Then, Fiance and I spent most of this last weekend at my parents. On Saturday, we helped garden for the first half of the day and then we left just shy of dinner time after walking around the neighborhood and hanging out with Mom and Sister. Yesterday morning, Mom called to let me know that Neighbor Family had an emergency so she wouldn't need us to garden because she'd be watching the kids. We drove over to the house anyway and spent the morning running down the street with the kids and then playing hide and seek. It was incredibly hot and I was very tired afterward but I got a couple good photographs out of it =) Yesterday afternoon, some of our plans fell through so we saw "Ocean's 13" instead. Halfway through the film, the lights came on in the theater and a loudspeaker announced that an emergency had been reported. We all filed out the exits at the bottom and then walked around the outside and, when it turned out to be a false alarm, we were re-admitted to find that they started the film again - without us in the theater. It was interesting, to say the least.

Today we have a wedding-related appointment at 3pm not too far from home. On the way home, we are buying birthday cards and gifts for my mother and his mother since their birthdays are Thursday and next Monday, respectively. And this evening, I am sorting out photographs for the family (and hopefully this time I will not crash Fiance's hard disk...) and Fiance has some work to do. Tomorrow, Sister flies home from her nannying gig in Spain. We are spending Independence Day with Fiance's brother, who lives on a lake, and then hoping to celebrate Mom's birthday with her Thursday night. This weekend is my dress fitting and the wedding shower. The weekend after that is my bachelorette party, Fiance's bachelor party, and a lingerie shower. The weekend after that Half-Sister flies into town from Switzerland and tries on her bridesmaid dress for the first time - hopefully it fits!! And the weekend after that, Fiance and I get hitched =)

Nothing too exciting, but that is where my life stands right now.

WHEW!

I feel like I have been on my feet for seven or eight days straight.

Last weekend, Fiance and I carpooled with my father and my sister for seven hours up to my family reunion. I have to admit that while I had been looking forward to the reunion, I was also nervous about meeting so many family members. A few years ago when my grandfather passed away, my family found out rather suddenly that there was a HUGE family that we didn't know. And this family reunion was for that side of the family, a group of people who seemed fairly well acquainted with one another without having the faintest idea who any of us were.

The morning of the reunion, the four of us had breakfast together before finishing the drive. While we waited for my father outside of the restaurant, Fiance and Sister and I saw a momma cat moving her kittens from one location to another. It looked like a long walk and ever since, Fiance and I have moments where we look at each other and remember how cute the kittens were. Then we look at Cat and wish the big fat monster he's become, the monster who whines whenever he is left alone for five minutes and who farts when he's laying next to my face at night, could have been a kitten just a little bit longer.

Immediately after the reunion, we all drove home. It was a very long weekend in that respect, considering that we drove fourteen hours in three days and only stopped to sleep and eat and meet strangers. The next day, Fiance and I woke up and drove to his Niece's third birthday party. And just when I was done sitting in a car, Sunday evening I drove to a nearby shopping center to have dinner with a friend. It was a long weekend and I think I am still sleeping it off.

Fiance, however, is not. In fact, right this very moment the man is making his marriage band. MAKING it. Out of titanium. With some machines in his buddy's garage. Which makes me realize that if I feel like I've been on my feet for seven or eight days, then he must feel like he's been on his feet for fifteen at this point. I'n sure he'll have plenty of stories to tell when he gets home.

Dear Me of Yesterday,

Hey there, little Miss September. That was a big Easter celebration; I'm so proud of you remembering everyone's name! In fact, since you did such a fantastic job maneuvering between fifty people and introducing your in-laws-to-be to those crazy folks you call your family, I'll almost overlook your HUGE social faux pas. Almost... Next time when a large group of people is toasting your engagement, pay attention, okay? They don't want to raise their glasses and look over to see you in a tiff with your sister.

She didn't mean to pour champagne all down your shirt and pants and camera, after all. So if it ever happens again, just let it slide and take it with grace. Trust me that you will not remember the flurry of words that happens when you're trying to figure out what the hell was going on with your sister's champagne. But you will always regret that you denied yourself the opportunity to enjoy, to experience, and to remember your family and your friends joined together in one happy moment. You will always remember that you missed what was potentially one of the most heartwarming moments of your life thus far. So many people came together to congratulate you, to wish you and Fiance well, and to show the two of you their love and support and you? Sarah, you let that moment pass you by in favor of fighting with your sister. You will always wish that you had been paying enough attention to thank them for such a thoughtful toast and you will never forget that you acted unreasonably and immaturely in front of several dozen people who love and care about you. And yes, you will cry because afterwards you will find that champage spilled all over costs most people a change of clothes, but you? Your foolishness cost you a memory. One of the memories you had been waiting for your entire life, one of the memories you had been looking forward to, and one of the memories you will never have a chance to make again.

It also cost you a photograph. But that's beside the point.

The point is that you should live your life as if each day were your last and when you missed that toast, you failed that mission in a split second. Because they may forgive you for missing that memory, Sarah, but you will never forgive yourself. So if you ever have that chance again, do me one big favor:
Don't. Blow. It.

Oh, and also? Don't wait until the next day to apologize to your parents. But if you do, you know what? They still love you, even if you do play the part of jacka** rather well.

Love,
Me of Today

Mes Dames d'Honneur

On Friday after work, my sisters and I went shopping for bridesmaids' dresses. We arrived with a catalog of fashions to select from and went straight to rifling through the racks of endless gowns. Unfortunately, my sisters and I are all itty bitty teensy weensy people, so the shop clerk was forced to use clips the size of my fist to keep the dresses from falling off.

This was not the case with me. My bridal gown was ordered as a size 2 and when I tried it on, my sister laced up the back as tight as she could to keep it from sliding down. All the sudden, I found myself standing on a shop platform surrounded by mirrors and wondering if the wedding dress was intended to inhibit respiration. The clerk raced over to loosen the laces and, giggling, made some comment about my sisters practicing lacing me up before the actual wedding day. And all I could think was that practicing meant I'm supposed to wear a garment that outweighs me MORE THAN ONCE.

Which is why I'm taking all the deep breaths I can possibly muster over the next four months.

The Question is This: Was it Said with a Straight Face?

Now that we have gotten the ball rolling on the reception site of our dreams, Fiance and I have been faced with something of a problem. The maximum occupancy for the room is 200 and we currently have an invitee list 213 people long. Luckily, it hasn't been too difficult to whittle down the list:

- So did you two set a date for the wedding yet?
- Yeah. It's the last Saturday in July, the 28th. Do you think you'll make it?
- It's a Saturday? Oh. No. I'm sorry but I'll be in juggling class.

So the Resemblance Isn't a Fluke After All

On Friday night, Fiance came home from work with that look of a self-proclaimed genius. The talk that followed began well enough ("Sweetie, I was talking to Coworker and...") and went downhill from there. Apparently, when Coworker got married in December he only paid a fraction of the typical cost for invitations. Fiance was sold before their conversation was finished. Running the idea by me was really just a courtesy; we both knew I had no say in the matter.

Then he dropped the big "BUT" into our discussion. You know the one I'm talking about. I would love to go out to dinner with you tonight BUT I promised my goldfish a backrub. You look good BUT you've also got a booger hanging from your nose. Yes, that is the "BUT" I mean. In this case it went something like: "This guy makes amazing invitations BUT his English isn't that spectacular. He speaks Vietnamese." I'll admit that I wasn't stoked about ordering my wedding invitations from someone whose command of the English language wasn't commendable. So Fiance volunteered Coworker, who is Vietnamese, to translate should we need any help whatsoever.

Saturday morning, we visited the reception site with my parents and had breakfast together. Of course I had to tell them the story of how Fiance had dropped the InvitationManDoesn'tSpeakAFreakingWordOfEnglishDamnit bomb. My mother looked across the table and shook her head at Fiance. "You went about that whole thing wrong," she started out. "What you should have done is told her you'd heard about someone who sold reputable good-quality invitations for a reasonable price and potentially spoke French. She would have gone for that." And of course, Fiance and I both knew from that very moment that there was no denying she had given birth to me.

On the TREK to Marital Bliss

It didn't take Fiance and I long to decide we wanted a short engagement. What we did want was a date that worked best not only for us but for the rest of our world. We picked the last Saturday in July, a date that came before my sister's international departure and after the month my grandmother requested I never wed (apparently June in southern California is not a godsend). It honestly seemed like the perfect date. And then this classy conversation happened...

- We haven't set anything in stone yet, but we're considering July 28th.
- Wow, that's really soon! Are you pregnant?
- No! We just didn't want a long engagement. That's all.
- Oh come on, you may as well tell me if it's a shotgun wedding.
- It isn't. And what's that supposed to mean?
- Well, you'll be showing by the time you say your vows so don't you think it'll be obvious then?
- Seriously, I. Am. NOT. Pregnant.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Then why are you getting married so soon?

I can see right now that with family like this: 1) I don't need enemies, and 2) the next four months are going to be the longest of my life. I would have shared the other conversational jewel that was passed our way upon revealing the wedding date, but I feel it may offend the people who said it if I ever posted their qualms online and belittled them. But I will give you what my father said when he heard what they wanted me to schedule a wedding around: "Oh, and I'll be washing the dogs on the second weekend in July so if you could do me a favor and make sure not to have a wedding then."

Yes, as Linda so wisely put it, the adventure has begun!