We're getting "Married!"

Many of my friends and family know that Don and I have been together for eight wonderful years now. We've been throught a lot of ups and downs, good times and bad times, trials and tribulations with each of our children, times of sickness and good health, financial ups and downs. We also have been engaged for several of those years, always believing that "someday" we'd finally set a date, have a small wedding with our parents and a few close friends present, and a reception with family and friends to follow a week or so later to celebrate. Somehow, we never made it past the "talking" stage to the actual "planning" or doing stage, mainly due to not knowing what we wanted and often from a lack of money to actually getting around to the actual, "Let's do it!" part. So, yesterday, while Don and I were visiting with Dennis and Sheila, having a small cookout, Sheila kept hinting around, asking about "So, WHEN is the big day?"

Now, Sheila is a wonderful friend, loves to have parties in her home, and when she gets a thought or an idea in her head , everyone and everything is fair game in helping her to achieve her goal! So it was no suprise, really, to either of us, when she kept chattering on and on about how they had hosted John and Charlotte's Halloween wedding in her basement and home, the decorations, the food, the people who came.

Before I realized what was happening, her and I were half-sitting and half-laying on her bed watching a video tape of mutual friends, John and Charlotte's wedding. Afterwards, she kept saying how she'd love to have our wedding at her home, either inside or out, whenever we're ready, going on and on about how we could go about accomplishing it, the decorating, the food, and actual planning... So, literally non-stop, Sheila chattered endlessly throughout the day, involving Don and I in her thoughts of accomplishing this. As we talked, Don mentioned that December the 8th was a milestone in our relationship as that was when I finally moved in with him in 1999. This date was also brought up by me a few months ago, when Don and I were out sitting in the jacuzzi one evening about a month ago and he had asked me, "So when are you going to marry me?" I nonchalantly began throwing out a few dates and December the 8th was one of them but at that time, neither one of us bothered to consult a calendar. We chatted on and on about what each of had in mind for a wedding, both desiring for it to be small with our close family and friends in attendance. I mentioned how I thought a wedding during the Christmas season would be beautiful and through some simply idle chatter, we just began discussing things, and throwing out hints and suggestions.

Anyways, this small detail didn't get passed us so easily yesterday, when Sheila and I looked at the calendar and was surprised to discover that December the 8th is on a Saturday! From there thoughts and ideas, suggestions, and things began happening in a whirlwind... and to make a long story, very short, I'm finally getting married! We've choosen "December 8, 2007!" as our date and will be having it in the home of our much loved and cherished friends.

Now, I know that we've got to be nuts!!! Who in their right minds plans a wedding smacked dab in the middle of two major holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas? Hmm, two people who love each other very much, that's who!