Belated Haiku and Wedding Planning Whirlwind

The ocean's treasures
are bestowed to us by the
generous low tide.


Whoo boy. WHAT a weekend.

My fiance John and I, along with my parents, flew out to Gloucester, Massachusetts this past Thursday. John and I planned to introduce our parents properly, get our engagement photos taken, and finish some wedding planning (cake, flowers, all that jazz).

Unbeknownst to us, our parents and (my future) extended family had a different itinerary.

We DID get our engagement pictures taken, and FINISHED, in record time. Our photographer, Bart, was great...a real veteran of the business who seemed to instinctively know what EXACTLY it was that we wanted in our pictures. Plus, he knew our location (Cape Ann and Good Harbor Beach) like the back of his hand: Where the best locations are during high tide, where the light is best on a cloudy day, ad infinitum. Each and every shot he took was wonderful. We are really excited to work with him and his daughter on our wedding day!

After that, we wandered around the church where the ceremony will be. It's surreal to me, Readers, that in about four months, John and I will leave this building as husband and wife.

I then sat down with one of my future mother in law's close friends who VERY generously agreed to do our table arrangements and church floral arrangements. I'm VERY EXCITED for what we have planned; live lavender plants at the first six pews, which will then be planted in containers around the church garden.

After all that, I was expecting a slow, uneventful day afterward, where the only thing we had planned was a short meeting with a potential baker for our wedding cake.

Hoo boy.

I received a message that John's aunt wanted us to visit...early in the morning. So, John picked us up, we went to breakfast, and arrived...to my surprise bridal shower. My future Sister in Law, that wonderful thing, had coordinated the whole event, where I was nearly overwhelmed with the fabulousness of it all.

I was wrapped in toilet paper. It was pretty awesome.

After the shower ended, John and I were able to sneak away for a little bit. We walked along a rocky beach, got some Italian ice, and shared in the "Oh Sweet Jesus This Is Actually Happening" moments that I'm sure befall all engaged couples.

We saw the baker, but didn't make a decision just yet. We both think that $4.50 per slice is a bit much for a wedding cake.

After the appointment with the baker, we returned to my future in-law's...to yet another surprise party. There was a veritable ARMY of family and friends waiting to meet me and wish us well! I'm going to need to start a flow chart to keep track of John's family!

I love a big family. You never get bored with a big family.

We returned completely exhausted...but VERY happy. This visit made it all the more real that we will be spending the rest of our lives together.

To keep the "We're Spending the Rest Of Our Lives Together So Let's Plan For It" train rolling, we opened a joint bank account and started the paper work so I can list John as my spouse for my health and dental benefits.

It's been a whirlwind, yes, this engagement.

But its been a beautiful and happy one.

<3