Planning and story time

Wedding planning sucks.

Seriously, I don't understand how some people do this for a JOB.  I like looking at pictures of pretty weddings, but when it comes down to it, all I really want is to be married to the love of my life and have some pretty/goofy pictures to show our children someday.

(I'd also like to dance with my friends and family, but most churches don't allow dancing and I don't want the ceremony and reception in different places so that's a snag.)

We've picked colors, the date and our officiant....and that's about it.  I'm pretty sure I know where we'll end up having the ceremony, I'm just holding off making it official until we talk to them to see if they allow dancing.  It probably won't change anything either way, but it'll make me feel better I guess.

OH!  I have picked one more teensy wedding detail....MY DRESS!!  I did some googling and found a wedding dress consignment shop in Portland.  I'll put a shameless plug here because they were FANTASTIC and the staff were so helpful in helping me find my perfect dress and imagine dress' potential post-alteration (I'm not saying my dress needs to be altered, but some of the other dresses I tried on definitely would have needed some major work to get them to fit my vision).  Brides for a Cause (http://bridesforacause.com/) is a consignment shop that receives used and new dresses from individuals, designers and stores.  They house them in this huge (well, it wasn't that huge) warehouse like store and sell them for a steal!  (I think my dress retails for at least 4x what I paid for it.)  Proceeds go to a charity that grants wedding wishes for couples with terminal illnesses.  What a heart melter!

Anyways, I went to this store with Stephens mom and little sister, Rachel on Sunday.  Honestly, I didn't think I would find anything that day, but I wanted to at least start looking.  When I got to the store I was so overwhelmed I didn't think I'd find even one dress to try on!  Rachel and Gail convinced me to pick a couple out and try them on.  I was AMAZED that I liked them so much more on my body than on the rack!  It ended up being a really tough decision, and I was debating between 3 dresses.  I couldn't choose, it was so difficult...then one of the sales ladies mentioned that I could add a little bling to one of the dresses...and I fell in love.  I knew that sparkle was what the dress was missing and adding that would make it absolutely perfect.  I tried the dress on again with my hair down instead of up.  I almost cried.  I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this dress is sheer perfection, and was probably made just for me.  It's everything I didn't know I wanted.  In fact, I HATED this dress on the rack.  I didn't want to try it on at all.  I'm so glad I did!

I wish I could post you a picture of the dress, but I've deleted them all from my phone and computer.  I'm just too tempted to show Stephen, even though I do really want it to be a surprise.  I showed him one picture of a dress I tried on and DEFINITELY didn't pick and boy am I glad I didn't pick that one.  He didn't seem impressed even though it was probably the most *impressive and *traditional dress I tried on that day.  It also was not me.  But it's not the one I got so that's Okay.

I'm rambling again.  I should go.  BUT I just want to share one more little story.  Yesterday I got to go home for a bit because one of my clients cancelled.  I went to the store, got my nails done and then went home to drop stuff off before going back for my last client.  Cue ominous music.  The wind had blown my door open.  Bootsie was sitting pretty on the couch as if to say "I'm not going out there again!" but Linus was nowhere to be found.  I ran around outside calling for him for a good 10 minutes before dashing back to work.  I was distraught and 2 minutes down the road when Stephen called to ask if I had let Linus out because he'd found him shivering in the trees.  What are the odds?   This man found my cat before I had even told him he was missing!  I love it!  Then, I got home later that evening to find my dishes washed (I'd complained the night before that I wasn't looking forward to having to do the dishes after work) and the garbage taken out.  I love this man.  He knows the way to my heart.

Ok, signing off for real now.  Ta-ta lovers.