Weekend update #1

Well, the wedding weekend is officially off to a kick start! Almost all the relatives are in town, with just a few more on the way. Most have traveled 10+ hours, flying in, driving, rowing boats, etc. It's so good to see everyone, but we can't believe how tired we are now...Today, we had to clean out our rooms to move out, pack simultaneously for Taiwan and our honeymoon, direct our loving family where to go to be of greatest assistance, pick up generators, sound systems, programs, flowers and flowers and more flowers..., and then meet at the wedding site with our loving parents, Aaron's sister, our two wedding party representatives (ansley and jonathan), and our wedding coordinator, Audrey. We walked through the service and figured out some hazy details.

Aaron said, '"Rika, please let this be the only time we get married...no renewals, no fake new ceremonies," and i looked at him and understood. It's a lot of work to get married with the people you love all around you!

But we did have help, oh so much help! Jonathan and Ansley were our MVP's, for running around town, picking flowers and doing random errands. My mom helped me pack and clean and even scrubbed my semi-nasty bathroom. My aunt Shar cooked all day for the evening's Family Dinner Night for 20+ people, and for lunch tomorrow, while Aaron's dad twisted nice wire onto jars for the decorations for the ceremony. And Aaron's mom and sister picked up a few dozen mums and talked down Wal-Mart's manager to a cheaper price on them.

So now, laying in my bed, listening to some sweet Jadon Lavik, I give thanks. Most of all, I'm grateful for a forced break, a rest from the insanity of the week. Thank God for the Shabbat! Secondly, I'm just so thankful and thrilled to be marrying the love of my life soon! It seems too good to be true that just in a couple days, we will no longer have to sleep apart, say good bye to each other, talk on the phone at night, and we can just be together! Life is so much better with my Love near me...

on that sappy note, I'm falling asleep, so i'm taking a bubble bath and going to sleep....The guys are celebrating Aaron's semi-last night by sleeping at the farm tonight. I'm not jealous-it's freezing!!! Pray for a miracle-that it will be warmer on sunday!

-rika