So the last few days, if judged by our expectations, would have to be deemed a failure.  We had intended to go down to Carrie’s parents and spend three full days of wedding planning so that Christmas with each family could be wedding-planning free!  It was a well thought out plan…
    Carrie still had a mountain of work before her that was due a.s.a.p. so she was working feverishly between our appointments with the pastor, a bridal shop and her dentist (not wedding related, but thought I’d be thorough).  That night she was up all night getting the paper done so that it would be in the professor’s email before 8 a.m.  She came by my room at 8:30 a.m. to ask that I would come wake her up before her appointments started at 10.  She had scheduled appointments with bakers, dress shops and florists but her mother and I conferenced for a few minutes over breakfast and made the executive decision to cancel everything and let her sleep.
    We were, in the end, still able to go see the reception site but Carolyn got some much needed sleep.  We had to cancel about half of what we intended to do during the three days, but it made the rest of the trip very enjoyable.  Carrie got a full morning’s sleep. And we’re heading to the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Springfield on our way back to Chicago.  All in all it was a great few days.  We just didn’t get much wedding stuff accomplished.

Title Photo:  With Carrie at the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, IL.  You can’t see so much in this photo but it was decorated beautifully for Christmas but, of course it is a beautiful house anytime of year.