The Day After

Well here I sit one day after my shower, still stunned at the generosity of our friends and family. To say that we got alot of gifts is putting it mildly. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and genuine excitement for our upcoming wedding. The picures simply will not do it justice. Cindy hosted at her home, and we were full to the brim. Mom asked the lady doing our wedding cake to do a shower cake, and boy did Val come through! So many of our guests at the wedding got a sneak preview of the cake - YUMMY! Gifts came in from all over, from baskets loaded with goodies to chocolate fountains, to cookware, knives, bakeware, and Aunt Pat flying in on the red eye from California just to attend the shower, I am humbled by all of it. Still reeling from the sheer number of gifts, but more importantly by the amazing cards and notes of love. It was all in a beach theme, complete with shells, blue and tan everwhere, (my colors are sand sky and sea) white roses... I could go on forever. I have an amazing "reception bouquet" full of ribbons in all colors and sizes, I have advice on little blue hearts with messages of love and advice on making a happy marriage, I have amazing favors of hershey kisses with ribbons and shells as well as hand made chocolates from my future mother in law, there was food galore, little ones to provide entertainment... my Aunt Barbara purloined etiquette books from my Aunt Sally's house and tabbed the pages having to do with wedding etiquette. Too funny. Boy do we have lots of thank you notes to write! :) I am so grateful and glad for all these acts of kindness and love. My future mother in law went into Santa mode buying all sorts of generous gifts, and Stacey and Jessica were by my side. I felt like a movie star with all the pictures being taken. What a wonderful day. Pictures are being gathered, and should be posted very soon.

shower

So today is my first bridal shower. Not first attended, not first run, but first where I am the bride. I have been a part of countless showers, "oohs and ahhs", yummy treats, and some silly traditions but today is a first for me. For the first time in my life I am sitting in that center seat, and the gift tags all have my name on them. (Or mine and Rob's.) You know the feeling you get when you are going up the first hill of a roller coaster? That giddy excited scared feeling in your stomach? That's me. It's kind of like a nurse being a patient for the first time. I know the drill, but it's never happened to me. I guess part of it was that I wasn't sure this day would ever come. Part of it might be the thought of all those people looking at me, watching my reactions. And yet another part of it is the realization that this, the wedding, is really happening. Seems a little like a dream that I am floating through. It's taken me like 15 minutes to type this, my hands are shaking. Much more later. With pictures, I hope :)

45 days

And on we go. Let's see. Met with the DJ, Gary Leavitt. What an awesome guy. Rob and I both feel that he will do an amazing job on the day, not to mention the lead up. Has every song we wanted off the list I compiled. He's even going to help us with first dance choreography. On Tuesday we were invited down to my parents friends Kenny and Gail's house for dinner and to go over ceremony music. Those of you who attend the church in Billerica know that the music performed there is... well... it's OK but it's not really our style, and we have been given the green light by Rev Peggy to personalize and make it meaningful. So Kenny is a very talented guitarist and singer, and played a lovely song for us which he is going to perform at the wedding ceremony, and also play "filler" music during the unity candle ceremony. Very nice. They have this really adorable dog named Shelby so there was lots of Steel Magnolia lines... fine by me! I can quote the movie pretty much verbatim. "My colors are blush and bashful". "Her colors are pink and pink. " Awesome.
What else... well we've been spending a great deal of time on the RSVP's. What a fun time that has been. Can you sense the sarcasm? Here goes the bride to be's rant. My recently married friends have all advised me that the guest list and seating chart were the most un-fun parts, and boy have they been right. "sit this one here, and not with that one." "they have to sit near the bathrooms, but not close to the DJ" "this one is an alternative lifestyle and will feel more comfortable here" "can I sit with this one?" One I like best is us making the decision of date or no date, for a guest that we want to invite, but don't have the room to have them bring a guest. Then inviting them as a single person, and that person arbitrarily writing in another name on the reply. Without speaking to us, or our parents to advise if there are extenuating circumstances. This has happened on more than one occasion ......And then there's this. We have actually had guests not reply yet (who we know got the invite) because they were "undecided if they were going to go." I mean come on. Aside from medical concerns, or travel concerns, are these people waiting for better offers ??? Yeesh. Either you're going or you are not. Does that make me a Bridezilla? I don't know. Maybe. ::sigh::
I must say that I am looking forward to the whole experience, but know this, I. Am. Writing. A. Book. The things every bride should know but no one tells her. The most ironic thing is that I've planned weddings and been the coordinator, but still was so clueless about certain things. And have been frustrated by so many little things. Like for example..... the minute you say the word "wedding" to a vendor how the price just jumps. Or underwear. God that will be a whole chapter. Fittings for undergarments that you will never ever wear again for that day. Being cinched into a damn corset cleverly diguised as a "long line bra". And being "plus sized." - how that affects where you can buy a wedding dress. How to address invitations. Gicng yourself enough time for all the little things. How to maintain your cool under all sorts of situations. Dealing with 10 different opinions, all of which vary in some way from your own. NY Times Best Seller List, here I come. :)

April 21, 2006

Today is 50 days to go until we say "I do".... One and one half months...doesn't seem possible....seems like he just asked yesterday!
We are meeting the DJ on Monday night... Eddie has moved back up to Tewksbury and Rob has started the process of moving in. (Gasp.... "living in sin" without marriage, what WOULD Aunt Sally say?)....RSVP's have started coming back to Mom (Thank you to those who read the blog and have replied - those who haven't please for the love of God and everything holy send them back so Mom's eye can stop twitching thanks lots).... The second dress fitting is May 5 and we have a final detailing appointment with Rev Peggy May 9. I had the chance to go over the videography with Uncle Paul which was actually kind of fun to plan. ("Where can I set up stationary cameras in 5 different angles?) My father suggested we drill small holes in the stained glass window overlooking the altar. Mind you there is a picture of Jesus holding a lamb in this window which makes Dad's comments a total sacrilege ("The camera lens is black...pop them right in Jesus' eyes!" says Dad) . But you KNOW that's what all I am going to be picturing as I walk up the aisle.

Dress fitting and drama

Well I've survived the first dress fitting. After having Eddie get me into the long line bra and making comments about this being like Rose from the Titanic, or maybe Scarlett from Gone With the Wind, we motored up with dress and shoes to David's. Accompanied by Jessica and the MOG, Darlene, we got into our dresses and took lots of pictures. I have one more fitting May 5. The boys all have their tuxes (with a couple of exceptions...once being.....cough....my DAD!) and that all went well. With under 60 days to go, drama is in high gear with invitations, responses, and all that goes with it. I swear to you all that I will be writing a book about the things that no one tells a bride....!

not really related to the wedding...

but I got this email and it was very sweet and I thought I would share.

"It was a busy morning, approximately8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised,and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."
True love is neither physical, nor romantic.True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. "

One more thing...

Groom to be's birthday is this Thursday, April 6. He will be 32.
No comments from the peanut gallery.
Call him on his cell and sing Happy Birthday in a very loud very off key voice. He really likes that lots.

tugging and tuxedos

So this weekend began with Mom and I going to Lady Grace for undergarments. As my dress fitting is next Saturday *gasp* I must bring shoes and what goes under the dress. so off we go and meet Rosalie, who is about 75 with jet black hair, red lipstick and the requisite measuring tape hanging from her neck. With many punctuations of "sweetie" "honey" and "dahling" I am measured in the store (and forget about it there's no WAY I am disclosing those numbers) and I start to look at one piece "shapers" that essentially make everything look more smooth and such. Into the fitting room I go, with Mom and Rosalie in tow. The full hilarity of me standing in just underwear, no bra, with Rosalie yanking on the front and Mom yanking on the back and me holding on to the wall for dear life cannot be fully described. Then we were on to 2 piece items, for comparison. I never felt more like Rose from Titanic.
After making our purchases, Mom went off to a meeting at church and I went back home to prepare to journey north to one of the the best man Derek's home in Maine to watch Wrestlemania. Up we go to Maine and the guys go off to all get fitted for their tuxes, no girls allowed. I promise I will post pictures soon - they are hilarious. I charged Derek with the task of pictures, as I was not permitted to attend. Dereks' wife and daughter and myself hung out and had a girls day at the mall, and the antique place. Very fun. Wrestlemania was really not bad... I must say it's that bad. I mean it's something Rob and I can watch together, Rob to relive his "glory days" of wrestling and I get the chance to secretly ogle men in tight pants. "Honey did you see that move? That was awesome!" "Oh yes indeed that was....awesome." The testoterone is always at an all time high, I frequently feel as if I should grunt and scratch just to fit in. But I don't. It's not ladylike. :)