I don't always stitch

I just thought I needed to make that point.

This week, I'm addressing envelopes. The Save the Dates came in last week. I love them so much, I want to tattoo the little bird off them on my shoulder. But not until after the wedding. My mom might notice and have a fit. I try not to do these things to her. And not til I lose weight. No pudgy birds here.

My invitations came today, a little ahead of schedule, but they were having a 25% off sale at the invitation place, and those invitations were expensive. One thing about wedding planning. Everything is reasonably priced til you times it by the number of guests. Or half the number of guests. I was trying to cheap these invitations down by having black ink, not the pretty, colored ink, but they looked like crap, and I didn't want to look cheap. Fortunately I found the promo code, and it made colored ink a reality.

I had forgotten all the etiquette about addressing and stuffing envelopes from high school graduation. Remember those leaflets they put in your announcements about how to turn the inner envelope? And how to address it? Yeah, 16 years later, I'm having to physically stop myself from addressing the envelopes to "Mr + Mrs." I told HTB he needs to tell me some of these wives' first names for the inner envelope. He tried to tell me I could put "Mrs." I glared at him.

I am learning no one thinks their handwriting is "good enough" when it comes to addressing wedding correspondence. Even my mother, who has the most precise handwriting in the universe, says her handwriting is not good enough. HTB has chicken scratch. I told him he is gonna sit there and fold stuff. He agreed, as long as he does not have to write on an envelope.

I have also learned the fastest way to empty a room is to tell people you need help sealing 125 Save the Dates. People don't just decline, you can faintly hear the, "Oh, hell, no," as they dash out. HTB at least yelled, "Get a sponge," as he ran out to go do some manly, homeownerish thing. Or so he said; methinks he holed up in the camper.

All I can say is, I don't want to hear any fussing when I ask to be taken to where they filmed "North and South." Or when I ask that everyone do the Electric Slide. I've earned it.

I did get a very beautiful gift last night. My friend Kathy and her daughter, Rachel, stitched us two samplers, a Lizzie Kate, and a really beautiful one that says, "Love never fails." I cried when I opened the package. HTB thought they were gorgeous too, and he's a bit biased towards me. We will definitely display them at the wedding. It was so kind of them. I don't have words to explain what this means, other than to say I feel truly blessed and rich in friendship.