13 days, 12 hours and 8 minutes...

...till the wedding! Yeah!!! I'm so excited I can't stand it! I know I keep blogging about the wedding, but it's difficult to think of anything else right now.

We met with the "music team" ( they thought it was funny I called them that) Thursday, at the church. It went very, very well! Those young adults and teens are so talented, and all very professional. I was impressed! I can't wait to hear the music! We are going to have an audio tape made of our wedding, that way not only will I get to hear all the prelude music, that I won't get to hear live since I will be getting ready, but we will have it to listen to in the future. We are having the wedding video taped as well, but I think an audio tape is an awesome idea!

Today is Trisha's shower! Karlie and I slept at Jeff's (in the spare bedroom, I might add), because we have all the stuff out here and the shower is just down the road from here, at Trisha's future parents-in-law. I was in charge of ham roll-ups, a veggie tray, table decorations, and a game. Got it all covered! Karlie helped me find bridal shower games on the internet last night. It will be fun!

Speaking of Bridal Showers! Jeff's parents friends gave a shower for me August 27 and it was great!!! I saw some of the friends I had met when we went down for a visit, before we were engaged. Of course, I couldn't remember everyone's names, or put the face with the name, but next time (at the wedding) I will recognize several more (I hope!) I used to be really good at that, remembering names and putting faces with names, but as I've gotten older, I've become really bad at it! I apologize.

Back to today. Trisha and Karlie have a fitting for their dresses for my wedding today, to see if they need further alteration. We are going shoe shopping first, for them, so they can try their dresses on with shoes. Then we are meeting my mom and a friend of Trisha's at Kohl's so we can help them find their way to Ben's parents house. I have to make a detour to Jeff's to pick up the ham roll-ups, pop and the other stuff I need for the shower, then I will head to the shower.

Then, Tuesday, is personal shower for me, given by three gals from the Methodist church. Betty, Marie and Lisa. I think it is going to be fun! Especially since Betty's remark to Amy Block was "the shower is really more for Jeff than it is Mary". Now, let me set the scene for you here. Betty is a 60 something, grandmotherly type, who everyone loves and respects. Amy is a 17 (?) year old, sister of the youth pastor. Her response to Betty's remark was, "ewwwwww". LOL. Too funny.

Well, that's about it. Karlie just got up, so I will make some breakfast (make? it will be cereal, or Burger King!). Then its showers, and off to town for shopping and stuff!

Have a great day everyone, and God Bless!

Updates on the Wedding Plans, etc.

Its Labor Day, and Jeff is working. I slept in til 9:00, got up, gave myself a manicure, took a hot bath (as opposed to a shower) and did some extra little pampering things I normally don't have time to do. It was a nice relaxing morning.

Now, here I am at Jeff's house (soon to be mine and Jeff's house :) . I seem to be spending most of my time here now, even when he is not here. Of course I still have to go home to my apartment at night, which is really getting difficult! We are finding that we don't want to separate, but we must so that we maintain our purity til the wedding night. (2 weeks and 4 days, I might add!!!) So, a struggle it is to pull ourselves apart at night, but we know it will be well worth it in the long run.

The wedding plans are going very well. We finally have a photographer and a videographer...nothing like last minute on those two. But, they both worked out really well! Sharolyn Coonrod is going to do the photography and Chris Scheer is going to do the video. Both are friends from Gaylord Community Church.

We are in the process of getting the ushers attire purchased. We went with Todd yesterday, to Kohl's, and in the meantime we found pants for Dustin. We may have to go to a Big & Tall shop for Dustin's shirt however, being he has a 19 1/2 inch neck! And now that Todd has his clothes, he can get Don over to Kohl's to get his outfit, as well. Then on Tuesday, we are meeting my brother, Cory, at Kohl's so he can get his. We did manage to get ties for all of them when we were there yesterday, too.

Now, we just have to meet with the music team on Thursday, then just about everything will be wrapped up. I'm getting excited, and nervous. Not nervous about marrying Jeff, not at all. But, nervous about "The Wedding" itself! I just hope it's as pretty as I imagined, and that we have everything we need, and that we don't forget something, and that I don't trip down the isle, and all those things I think brides worry about!

We still have to purchase the ice cream, punch and coffee for the reception. We will have to do that right before the wedding day though. It's a good thing we aren't getting married till 8:00!!! I think Thursday, the day before will be the most nerve-wracking! Because, I have to work, but I know I will be thinking of my wedding instead of work! Well hopefully, work will be easy that day!

The next big thing to think about is how to get my stuff moved in to Jeff's house. I can start moving some stuff in now, but if I have to go home to an empty, and I mean empty apartment, then that will make it even harder to go home to it at night! So, I think I will just keep my stuff there until we are married and then we can move my stuff over here. My lease is good until the end of October, so I don't have to rush moving my stuff out....thank goodness!

I just want to add one more thing...please keep praying for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. My heart breaks everytime I see pictures of all the people who've lost family members, friends and their homes. Please make a donation wherever you can, and please lift them up in your prayers.

God bless you!