A coworker of Drake's (also a good friend of his) is getting married this summer. They say to block out the weekend of their wedding because they're getting married in Northern California, so it's going to be a multiple day affair for us. So, I make the plans. We're going to drive up there, drop the kids off with my mom and spend a nice extra long weekend doing the wedding thing, then spending a couple of days, just Drake and me. (Our anniversary is right around that time) WOOOHOOO, four days with NO KIDS?!?!?!!?!?!!? HEAVEN! The last time I got to go out with Drake sans kids was about four years ago. I've NEVER had a full day, let alone a full NIGHT, let alone FOUR FULL DAYS AND THREE FULL NIGHTS with my husband and no kids. Add to that the fact that I get to see my family more than once this year and my friend Tracey, and I'm totally stoked!

Then, Drake springs it on me... Bridezilla is freaking out about the cost of the wedding, so she decides to scrap the whole big wedding idea and instead is having a small wedding with just family, then a small reception in northern California and a small one in southern California. So, there goes my chance to see my family. There goes my chance to see Tracey. There goes my chance to spend four days with my husband, sans kids. Instead I get to drag all five kids to a BBQ reception that I will be miserable at because my kids will be driving me crazy and I'll be wishing I had someone to babysit so I didn't have to take all the kids to the reception. It would be nice to be able to go somewhere and not feel like I have to leave early because the kids are getting crazy or people are drinking too much and I don't think it's a good environment for them to be in. For once I would like to stay the entire time and not tell Drake "Oh no, you stay...enjoy. I'll just take the kids home. There's no reason for you to have to leave early as well." Of course, I absolutely mean it...I want him to stay and have a good time. I just wish I could as well. Instead, I'm the one constantly holding the baby...making sure Ethan isn't getting into things...telling the kids not to run...telling the kids to stop asking random people for food...corraling the kids in the living room so they don't get in people's way. Social events are a chore...not a pleasure. I was really...REALLY...looking forward to this event. Now, I'm dreading it.

Of course, I realize it's not all about me. I'm just making it seem like it is ;) Whatever bridezilla...errrrrm, I mean, the bride...wants, she should get. It's her wedding, afterall. I'll just smile, say hello and congratulations, tell her how beautiful she looks, stay for my usual, "I'm here to be supportive and let you know that I value our friendship," amount of time, then go home. Yay, fun.

I told my mom that I wasn't going to be up there this summer. She was disappointed. She told me, "But you could always just come up anyways. It doesn't have to be for the wedding." Of course, when I bring that up to Drake he says, "There are so many other things we should be using that money for. It was going to cost us a fortune to get up there and stay up there, now we can use the money for things we need it for." This, of course, is absolutely true. Still, it makes me sad. I've honestly been looking forward to this since they got engaged and planned a northern California wedding...so, about a year or so.

So, for our anniversary, we'll just do what we do every year. Have a nice dinner (that I cook and clean up) with the kids and...yeah...nothing else.