Crazy crazy crazy

Have mercy!

I don't have too many issues going on, myself, but my youngest daughter is attracting them like a magnet. First, we were focused on finding her a job. Then that excitement kind of got overridden by her engagement and the start of wedding plans. And then that excitement got swamped by the sudden necessity to replace her car.

The car issue was settled yesterday. With abundant help from my adorable dad, the kids found a 2007 Dodge Caliber SXT with just 37,700 miles on it, and they swung a deal for $2,500 under the blue book retail value. WooHOOO! We had such wonderful support from so many people. Elizabeth's husband, Jason, who is a mechanic for a Dodge dealership, inspected the car before we bought it, giving us a lot more confidence. My credit union came through without a hitch. When everything falls into place like this, I feel like it was meant to be. Thank you, thank you to everyone who helped!

So, of course, the second the transportation issue was settled, the wedding issue got full focus again. There's been a good deal of extended-family-related trauma and drama already, so Codie and Corey have been rethinking their plans. Last night, they decided they'd rather have a tiny at-home wedding and spend the rest of their budget on a honeymoon trip to Disney World. (Aren't they smart? I'm so proud of them.) It looks as if the wedding date will be moved up to April 18. The down side is that Polly may not be able to come - changing her schedule takes quite a bit of lead time right now. But somehow we will find a way to include Polly and Claire, nevertheless. The decorations we bought for the reception and then abandoned (due to the extended-family-related trauma and drama explosion) will now be used to decorate my little living room and dining room. Codie will still get to wear her lovely dress, and the couple will be surrounded by love and joy. And they'll leave their celebration to go get on a plane and fly to Orlando and whoop it up for a few days.

So heads-up, crafty girlfriends! Janna, I'll be calling you any minute about the engagement photos. Looks like we're going to need them sooner than expected. YaYas: Prepare to decorate! Annie, stand by to help me figure out how to make a tutu for a cat. (I know. Really.) Joy, the bride says she can be happy only if her hair and make-up are done by you. Grandma, get out your cookbooks and start looking for quick and easy hors d'oerves. We can do this!