Best Laid Plans

So, we still didn't book the hotels, but not for lack of trying.

The Kauai place, you have to call to book, so we called and left a message. But being that it was 10:30 EDT, I figured they wouldn't call back last night. (And we left my home number, so I haven't checked to see if they called back today).

For Maui, we think we picked out a place. The reviews seem great, the price is right. But when we tried to get more info to book, that part of the site was down! We called, but apparently it was more of a general number and the person couldn't answer the questions we had about a few confusing things on the Web site.

Like, at one part, it said that every room had a refrigerator. But when you went to book, it was like

Hotel / 1 bath w/ Refrigerator	$x00 - x30
Studio / 1 bath Garden View	$x40 - y10
1 bedroom / 1 bath Garden View	$y00 - z00
Studio / 1 bath Ocean View	$y15 - z00

So we're trying to figure out if there are kitchens or what the difference is. And we didn't want to book on the phone because there were online booking specials. So confusing!

Guess we'll try again tonight. It looks like the site is working now, at least! I would really like to get one more thing checked off the list!

I get an F-minus

Soooo, where did the weekend go? I know we lost an hour, but I feel like we lost a day. I kept trying to get on top of all this stuff, but I was not very successful.

We only got two things on the list completed: We added a bunch of stuff to both our registries actually, some online and some in person. And after a little cursing, I got some pictures to print out to go to the Middletown paper.

My printer was just NOT interested in printing on the photo paper. And I couldn't figure out which program to use. Photoshop was washing out and Preview was going dark. I know I could've worked on editing the photo, but since it'll be printed in black and white, it just didn't seem worth it. As soon as I finally got finished, my sister called with a few bachelorette party questions. When I got off the phone with her, it was nearly 1 p.m., I was still in my pajamas and I was supposed to be picking John up in an hour to work on the registry. I had to move that time because I needed to go through my receipts so my accountant (thanks Mom!) could work on my taxes. (Is that sad that my mom still does my taxes? She can e-file so it's much easier that way!) Anyway, post-registry we were meeting my parents to watch the Miami hockey game, so I wanted to take the tax info with me.

I guess I did spend too much of the weekend having fun with the game and the Sunday night birthday party. I'm not exactly sure when I thought we'd get to the invitations or when I thought I'd have time to call limos.

Tonight, we're calling Hawaii to make reservations though. Because of the time change, we can call there later and it'll still be business hours! However, even after that, I'll still have an F.

Oh UPDATE: MY BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE ARRIVED! The Confirmation date was noted. I CAN GET MARRIED!! Thank goodness. That was getting tiresome.

16 Weeks to go: this weekend's to do list

Aside from the high school retreat I'm chaperoning in two weeks, I have a feeling that there aren't any weekends left before June 30 that won't involve spending the majority of the time working on wedding preparations.

Unlike the protagonist in Diary of a Mad Bride, which I wrote about previously, I didn't make a long-term list. Too overwhelming (which she eventually discovered). Instead I've been making short lists and giving myself a few weeks to accomplish the tasks. Some things have gone more smoothly than others. And I've gone past the self-imposed deadlines multiple times!

But now, I'm going to take the lists out of my binder and start posting them here. I think I'll feel guiltier if I don't do them that way.

So here's what's in the plans for this weekend, wedding-wise. (This isn't counting the two meetings, the birthday party and trying to sort through last year's info to get my taxes ready to be filed.)

1. Add items to our first registry.
2. Get photo printed so that engagement announcement can go in my hometown paper.
3. Decide on invitations and work on language for them.
4. Decide on and book hotels for honeymoon.*
5. Get limo rates from a few limo companies.

*John's actually going to book them!

Wish me luck! I'll let you know on Monday how many tasks I have accomplished. And if you haven't seen me write about something and think I should get on that already, let me know!

Being a packrat can be good

So ... still no baptism certificate. When I scheduled our appointment to meet with the priest yesterday, he asked where my baptism certificate was. So I called the wedding coordinator at my church back to see if it had shown up yet. No. In talking with her, I asked why, again, couldn't I just give her the baptism certificate from my baby book? And then I learned something I never knew before!

In the Catholic church, she said, the church you were baptized in is responsible for "tracking" you (sacramentally at least) through your life! So when I made my First Communion, it should be noted on the back of the certificate, and when I got Confirmed, it also should have been noted. The churches where I received these sacraments should have communicated with the church I was baptized in to make sure the certificate was kept up to date. And NOW, with my upcoming marriage, the church I was baptized in needs to take the certificate with these notations and dates, stamp it with a date no more than six months prior to now and send it to where I am getting married.

And here is the problem, because I have been trying to get this certificate for THREE MONTHS. Still not here. The priest is now sending a letter. And my mom called today and name dropped that she knew someone who worked for the church:) In order, me, the wedding coordinator and my mom have all spoken to someone with the same first name. But today, this person claimed to have never heard of me or to have promised three times to send the info (granted, there could be more than one person with the same first name, but in a small church, how likely is that?!)

So I'm wondering: Is my certificate missing? Did someone lose it?

In any case. Here is proof #3 and #4 that I am Catholic. Now, the First Communion one is pretty obvious (that's me in the first row, left-middle girl!), but I know the Confirmation one might be less so. But think about it: How many 14-year-olds would wear a felt stole with their Confirmation name on it if they weren't getting Confirmed? It was definitely NOT some strange 1990 fashion. It was required. (That's my Confirmation sponsor, Jeanne, in the picture with me too!) Should I really need to find more proof, I will go through my boxes at my parents' house. Because I am 99% sure that I can find the programs for both my First Communion AND Confirmation.

Sorry for such a religious/historical post, but it's just what's going on. And regardless of your religion, you probably just learned something important to genealogy too!

I feel like I'm going to court with my evidence bags, but I AM READY!

Grateful times 2

John went over to his parents' house and picked up our first gifts yesterday. I guess technically they are engagement gifts because the card said "Best wishes on your engagement!" but since they are from our registry, I'm going to call them our first gifts. And, wow, are my aunt and uncle in San Jose generous: two sets of our china AND two bowls from our china. I've got to get right on that thank you note!

John also went and ordered the tuxes yesterday! Yay! I, of course, asked him which ones he decided on. His answer: the black ones, with two buttons. And the upcharged shirts. No upcharge on the shoes. White vest for him, gray* for the groomsmen. And if our dads want them, they can get black. Well, of course my dad wants a tux. You think I'd let him wear his golf pants?

So much to do this week. I need to call the church tomorrow. We need to meet with the priest. AND I want to check on that baptism certificate - again.

* Um, the choices were "silver" and "platinum."

I want to add a third E

Engaged Encounter was great and definitely worth it, but it was extremely exhausting (wow, that's two more E's!)

We got there about 7:15 Friday night and were there until 2:30 p.m. or so Sunday. But Saturday we had our day planned pretty much non-stop from 7:30 a.m. top 11:30 p.m. That was a loooong day.

But, seriously, we did get a lot out of it that will help us as we prepare for marriage. I could tell you what, but then I'd have to kill you:) Milford was as nice as usual. The retreat center is right on the Little Miami, it's quite scenic and beautiful, and there's a labyrinth. On our only brief break on Saturday we walked the labyrinth and just took a break from all the emotional (5th E!) conversation.

If you're getting married and facing the choice between Pre-Cana and Engaged Encounter, I would recommend EE. It's actually just nice to get away and think about marriage NOT the wedding for a weekend. You know, a wedding is a day, a marriage is a lifetime ... They stated that divorce rate for couples who make this weekend is like 5 or 7 % or something, much lower than the national average.

Even if you're Protestant, many churches have Engaged Encounter programs (I'm not sure for non-Christian religions). The weekend was not overly Catholic, so most Christians would probably feel comfortable on the Catholic version as well, and it is open to all denominations.

The couples leading obviously put a lot of time and preparation into the weekend, and I'm very appreciative. Most of the people in attendance seemed to enjoy it too.

Oh, and not so many people from high school (though there was a guy who would've been a frosh at X when John was a senior, but being that the school is huge, they had no clue). No one from my high school. There were 3 other couples there where we at least knew one of the two (from the group through which we met each other)!

So, all in all, it was emotionally enriching, yet extremely exhausting. Lot's of E's. Now, I must go catch up on my sleep!

5 mostly unrelated thoughts

1. We got our first wedding present! Well, technically it's still in a box at John's parents' house. Can't wait to find out who the super early bird is! I'm usually the person at the store the morning of the wedding going "Darn, the only things left on this registry are a $9 wastebasket, a $3.99 ecru washcloth, a $10 salad spinner and a $15 rake." Yes, I have given gifts grouped together that are about as random as this.

2. I found a seamstress to do the alterations. Third try was a charm!

3. We registered at another store. Then we came home and found out that more than half of what we registered for is only available in the store (not online). Then we added dishes to our first registry and now we find out that they are about to be discontinued. I guess we should take them off before another early bird comes around and buys part of a set we will not be able to complete.

4. This weekend we have Engaged Encounter at Milford. I'm looking forward to it. I like retreats at Milford. I have long gotten over the naked baptism fear (you either know what that means or you never will ...). And you don't have to do the dishes. I hate doing dishes.

5. We booked our honeymoon flights. Never will "bargain" be used to describe these flights. Next up: finding places to stay on Maui and Kauai that don't cost $600 a night.

That's all. Sorry there is nothing more exciting. I will post about EE when we get back, maybe on Sunday night. My prediction is that there will be someone there who went to high school with one of us. It just seems like there would have to be...