full of great...

fair warning: I have marriage on the brain.

tablecloths and favors and locations and photography and transportation and eco-friendly options. I even looked at vintage dresses online today. I've been thinking about my family. And Matt's family. and my friends. a lot.

and can I just say...WOW. I have had many, many, MANY generous offers from friends. to do things, to help me, to listen, to bounce ideas off of. friends who have offered their services. (PLURAL, by the way!) friends who have said "I would be more than happy to do whatever you need me to do in order to make that happen"--and they meant it. Friends who are searching for dresses, or who are trying to write something special, or who are doing research, or who are just being an ear and an opinion-giver (and if you know me, you know I DESPERATELY need opinion givers!).

but something else I've been thinking about is family.

I mean, it had crossed my mind that I would some day get to be a part of the Fry family. And that made me smile! But other than looking forward to marrying Matt and getting to continue to celebrate with his relatives, I hadn't put much thought into it.

(and totally off topic, but what's with me knowing all the gals whose hubby's last name begins with an F? Faby. Ferguson. Fedesna. Fry. there's another I forgot. it's a LONG list.)

So.

Matt and I had discussed amongst ourselves how now his niece and goddaughter, Bridget, who is 3, can now call me "Aunt Carrie." It's kind of funny, 'cause Matt's sisters, who both have daughters, have always said "Aunt Carrie" and then corrected themselves--and I don't think it's because they minded having their daughters think of me as an Aunt, it's because they didn't want to make me uncomfy.

And today when I told Michele how that was convenient, she said it's a good thing too, because when she showed Bridget the picture of Matt and me, Bridget told her mother that that was "Aunt Carrie."

I've also been thinking about how fantastic it is that my children will have a grandfather, and that he will be a good, caring man. I think most of you know, but my father is deceased, and though he would've tried very hard and meant very well, I can't say with certainty that I'd have mostly positive terms to describe the kind of grandfather he might be. But I can tell you what kind of Pop-Pop Matt's dad will be, and it brings a smile to my face even as I type.

AND I realized....

When Matt and I get married? I become a sister to THREE ladies. I also gain THREE brothers. I get a Mom Fry and Dad Fry. I get two nieces that are adorable beyond belief. I get a whole new SIDE to the people I call my family. I know that I knew this already, I know that I knew it would be great. But now it is REAL.

And? My family gets a new member too! Matt becomes the oldest of my mom's "kids" --I think she has like eleven now, what with people like SJG and Harvey's friend Brandon--but this is pretty awesome for my family because they love Matt and are so excited to know he's officially a part of my life for, you know, ever. :)

The funniest thing of all to me is the extremely easygoing happy mood I've been in. I have been in a pretty amazinglyhappyfantastic mood, honestly. And I know part of it is all of this hullaballo about getting married to some amazing guy named Matt. :D But realistically I should be kind of down-and-out right now. I've been working ~10-11 hours a day and then coming home and working on school stuff all evening. I've been spending my days with NO down time. I have a wedding to plan and it's getting a smidge complicated.

But you know what? All I have to do is look at the sparkly object on my finger and think about my new sisters and brothers and nieces and family and remember how UNBELIEVABLY kind and generous and helpful my friends are being, and even the craziest of deadlines and the most impending-est of homework due dates aren't gonna get me down :)

and for fun, here's a picture I took of my ring and my CSA pumpkin. admittedly, I saw a similar picture on PW, but I saw it after I'd thought of ithe idea and bfore I had a chance to take it, so I took it anyway!