The Final Countdown

It's been a busy week. Family is starting to arrive as the days before the wedding dwindle. I took the week off to attend to last minute details and wow am I glad. My phone and email have been busy. Not only am I dealing with our vendors, I've also been blessed to receive a lot of wonderful emails and calls from my close friends and family. Thanks to all who have reached out in friendship and love. Your support is wonderful.

Yesterday Mary delivered my dress and Ed's vest. They are both absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait for you to see them! Mary made Ed take an oath (raising his right hand and the whole bit) that he wouldn't so much as peek into the garment bag to see my dress prior to when I come down the aisle. He will be totally surprised and will see it at the same time as all my guests. So, I'm telling you right now, don't just look at me...check out the look on my handsome groom's face! *happy smile*

Mom arrived today filling my house with homemade baked goods. Mmmmmm....yummy! She even made me cutouts decorated with frosting in wedding colors! Ed's Dad, Denny, wants to stop by for some of her delicious rhubarb cake. My Mom is awesome at baking! There is fresh banana bread, apple crisp, chocolate zucchini cake, 3 other kinds of cookies besides the rhubarb cake. We sent Ed out to get some groceries so that I could try on my wedding outfit for her. I was SO excited. She is the first person to see it besides Mary, the dress maker. She made me cry because she offered to let me wear her Mother's 45th wedding anniversary diamond and sapphire ring. It is very beautiful, with 5 marquis shaped diamonds and 4 marquis sapphires (that match my engagement ring perfectly). I remember how excited my Grandma was to celebrate that anniversary and how pleased she was to receive that ring. She died just a short time before they would have celebrated 50 years of marriage. My grandma lived next door to me when I was growing up and I considered her my second Mother. I will also be carrying her gold purse and a handkerchief that she gave to my Aunt Beverly, who then gave it to me as an engagement present.

So that is the latest, we've been cleaning our vehicles and the house in preparation for all of our guests (my house will be full of relatives, friends, and assorted pets), and busy with last minute wedding details. My foot still hasn't healed and I'm still in a cast but I will take it off and wear my gold ballet flats for the wedding no matter what...better living through chemicals--Motrin will be my saving grace!

Tomorrow my two wedding hostesses arrive just in time to help us decorate the church in the afternoon. Aunt Jean will also come to the church so that she can meet Pastor Jennie. Speaking of the church...Ed and I finished writing our vows this weekend. :-)

For anyone that is coming in early, some of us will be heading over to the Holiday Inn bar/restaurant at about 9-9:30pm on Friday night after the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. If you're going to be in town and want to mix/mingle/meet some fellow wedding guests, feel free to drop by!

Legal Ties

Ed and I went to the DuPage County Clerks office this morning where we applied for and received our marriage license. *smile* One more "to do" crossed off the list. The woman that issued us the license was interested in my unconventional bridal gown, and she gave me her email address so that I can email her wedding pictures! LOL We just seem to make "friends" wherever we go!

Progress!

In addition to the music rehearsal in the morning yesterday, Ed and I spent the afternoon creating a music CD for our photographer and another for our videographer. Each one is going to create a DVD for us (the photographer will put all of our wedding pictures into a "slide show" set to music that we can just pop into our DVD player and show on our TV and the videographer will create a short "highlight" video set to music in addition to giving us the footage of the whole event.) We also finished putting in all the details on our online wedding planner with our DJ service. We picked out all the songs we like, don't like, and also gave our MC all the details of what we want included at the reception. It felt good going to bed last night with so many things crossed off our wedding list!

Today we finished the favors. Here's a picture of me hard at work and another of our baskets filled with the favors, ready for the reception:

Here's a picture of a purse that two of my "divas" got me as a pre-wedding gift. Isn't it cool? The bride and groom kitties are just too cool. All of the bead work is hand done. The strap is made of braided black bead strands, the designs are beaded over denim and the inner lining of the purse is a lovely bright blue satin. I absolutely ADORE it!

We're still here!

Oh my, it has been a while since we blogged hasn't it? Our apologies. We've been a little busy on this end. TWENTY-ONE days until the wedding! Let's see if I can give you a decent update on what's transpired since last I blogged...

Janet (Mother of the Groom) and Carol (Aunt of the Groom) threw me a lovely, small bridal shower on Sept. 15. It was attended by the women on Ed's side of the family and my immediate family (Mary, my mom, and my sister-in-law, Cheryl). Here's a picture of all that attended:

Attendees: Back Row: Carol Flanders, Jan Gramley, Cheryl Kakuk, Ruth Ann Michelsen, Ayanna Gaines, Griffin Smith, Russetta Rauch, Mary Kakuk, Debra Kakuk Front Row: Grandma (Joan) Flanders, Janet Smith, Michelle Rauch

Ed and I were so happy to meet Ed's new nephew, Griffin. He had the honor of being the only male at the shower! Here's a pic of Ed and Griffin:

You can't tell from my smiling face, but I actually have a broken LEFT foot in that picture! Yup, I managed to stress fracture my left foot (I fractured the right foot and injured my right shoulder earlier this summer). The x-rays didn't show the break until just a week ago, so I hobbled around for quite some time before going into a walking cast (been in that a week now). *sigh* I'm bummed to have hurt myself yet again (and let me tell you, it HURTS!!), but really can't complain because Ed is being SO helpful. I'm determined to wear my cute gold ballet flats at the wedding and dance with my darling new husband, so keep your fingers crossed for me! Ed teases me and says that perhaps we won't be able to do our first dance as planned, but he says we'll look just as "cute" shifting back and forth to the music! HA! I'll dance, just you watch...after all, I actually did our last dance lesson WITH my foot broken! How's that for dedication?

When Mom and Cheryl came down, they brought a "mailbox" that my brother originally made 10 years ago to hold their cards at their wedding. The mailbox has been used by many family members on both sides as well as friends. Jeff had to "rebuild" it as it was a bit bruised and battered as well as paint it for me but it turned out FABULOUS. Here are some pictures of it after I decorated it with wedding flowers. Isn't it cool? My brother is super talented at wood-working. Look for the mailbox on the gift table at the reception!

We've made a lot of progress on the wedding "stuff." I'm still trying to track down a few people that didn't return their RSVPs, but the guest list is mostly set. Next step, seating at the reception! Ed and I are finishing up the favors and next we'll tackle printing the programs (which I've finished designing). I have a few more arrangements to make for the church and then all will be set. Today we had a music rehearsal with Roy, Beth and Ed's Aunt Carol. Wow, they sound awesome and the songs are perfect! Ed and I got all misty-eyed. The music is going to be lovely. We can't wait to share it with you! Each week my friend, Mary, has been bringing me pieces of our wedding attire to try on as she makes my dress, cape, and Ed's vest. Everything is turning out so very beautiful. Mary is really skilled! The blue velvet is to die for!

Now, lest you think that Ed and I are "slackers" *wink and a grin* both of us working full time, planning the wedding and doing a lot of the things ourselves, juggling my broken foot....and did I tell you that I went a lil' obsessive compulsive and knit two gift scarves in the past week or so??....well that isn't all...our GOOD news is that Ed's house sold! He closed the deal yesterday (Friday the 12th). The last few weeks have been pretty hectic as Ed emptied out the rest of his house contents to either my (now OUR) townhouse or a storage unit that we rented until we have time to sort and figure out where to put the rest of his things. Whew...now you know why we haven't posted. We've been BUSY! All of it good though. We feel blessed that his house was purchased by a really nice young couple that will soon welcome their first child to the world. It makes Ed happy to know a little baby will be in his old house.

Ed's place of work just put in a new computer system so he's busy trying to figure out what does and doesn't work (seems like more doesn't work than does). Each day is a challenge. I'm teaching an unbelievable amount of classes each day (seems like everyone wants a "piece of me" before I take off for the wedding and honeymoon). Both of us come home tuckered out each night. Still, we couldn't be happier since our big day is just ahead. Can't wait! That's about all from our end...we'll try to post a bit more frequently if time allows.