The serious countdown has begun

The wedding countdown is getting serious.  NINE days...almost eight at this point!  Where has the time gone?  I remember talking to Sally a little over a year ago, and we were both wishing we were married.  Now she is and has baby onboard, and I'm on the marriage cusp.

I met with the preacher today.  I think that made it feel even more real.  We stood in the church where we will be standing in nine days; he said some of the things he will be saying in nine days.  He talked about my dad walking me down the aisle and how he should stand to give me away in nine days.  I felt the tears welling up, but I fought them back...I may not be strong enough to fight them in nine days but today I was.

Thinking about how close the wedding is to being here makes me look back on how much has happened in the last year and a half since the engagement.  I didn't have a blog then to record those funny times...too bad too because it has really been something.

Getting engaged in the woods was something, but it was 100% Josh and I would have wanted nothing else.  First we picked a date...that was really tough.  I remember riding back from Mississippi with a calendar in hand scratching off days and months.  We had to work around my school schedule, hurricane season, Mardi Gras, and hunting season.  We originally planned to be married April 30th, but prior plans of my dads plus the realization that we could move it up to March changed our minds.  Two of our best friends got married March 20th last year...we almost have matching dates now!

Then the bridesmaids/groomsmen fiasco....originally we had 7 of each....now we have 5 groomsmen and 6 bridesmaids.  We lost four and gained one...oh well it will all work out in the end (although I still have no clue as to which two girls will have to walk on either side of one groomsmen).

Picking a venue for the reception was relatively easy; although, I really wish we had done an all inclusive place.  At the time that wasn't possible because of our caterer...we changed caterers but it was too late to change venues...oh well again.  Finding a place to have the actual wedding ceremony was far less than easy.  It was going to be at the KC Hall where the reception is, but Kay Kay fought that and won...and now I am very happy that she forced strongly urged me to change my mind on that one.  Actually finding a church was one of the hardest ordeals of the whole planning process...every one we called was either booked, outrageously priced, or too small for our crowd.  Finally we found one that would take us, and although it is not the most outwardly pretty of all churches around it is still a church and that's all that matters.

Tons of other things have gone on with this wedding since that day I said, "yes"; the first day of the year of 2010.  We have planned, we have fought, we have laughed, and we have grown.  Now all the planning is done, and it is all starting to fall together.  It's scary and exciting at the same time.  Kay Kay called the other night and after we talked a little while she asked if I would do all this again.  I told her next time I am eloping.  I don't think she found the humor in my joke...she's still a little touchy when it comes to that.  When I was little I always said I didn't want to have a big wedding.  I thought the perfect wedding would be getting married in the back of the limo on the way to the airport to leave on the honeymoon; our parents could come and ham sandwiches would be served.  Now, even though it has been hectic and crazy, I am so grateful that I was able to experience this.  It is exactly what I wanted and exactly what I planned.  I'm happy we didn't elope, and I can't wait until the actual wedding day gets here.

It's funny because when I was little I thought I would be more excited about the honeymoon than anything.  Now that it is here, I don't even know if I want to go on the honeymoon.  Not that I don't want to go by any means, but I'm scared.  We are going on a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise.  Josh was dying to do it and I was indifferent, so we did it.  Now that it is almost here I am completely freaked out about it.  I'm scared.  I'm scared of being out on the open water in a boat.  I'm scared to be so far away with no way to return.  I'm scared of not being able to communicate with my family and friends for seven whole days.  Everyone reassures me that it will be wonderful.  People say the best thing about it is that you can't use your cell phone.  I'm still worried.  Plus what do I pack??  I started yesterday, but I don't even know where to begin.  Mark my words..I will have this whole house packed up by next week if no one supervises me.  I am a habitual over-packer...unless I'm not for some reason and then I am a careless under-packer.  Neither of these are what I hope to achieve for this trip.

As I get ready to drift off into dreamland, my head is heavy with thoughts of everything that needs to be done.  I work tomorrow...five more work days until wedding time...now that is a scary thought!  Before this ninth day in the countdown becomes number eight, I better say good night and pick this up another day.