[Marilyn]

My nice pink sweater I haven't worn since last January is in the washer on the hand washables cycle. Guess that's what I'm wearing to the shower on Saturday. I looked at the weather history for the wedding day, Dec. 22nd, and the record high was 83, record low was 16. So shall we pray.....

This past Tuesday evening, at 6:30, the wedding time, it was cold, dark and pouring rain. I was thinking, if this happens on the 22nd, only the closest of family and friends will be there. Actually though, that would probably suit Karen just fine. Like she said, the three most important things are the dress, that her family be there and that she get to marry him. That can happen come rain or cold or whatever. Just hope the old church building has a good heating system. The girls are all either sleeveless or strapless. That's the style in our usually warm climate.

And now, the groom is probably leaving for Afghanistan even sooner than originally planned. We are just hoping it won't be before the wedding day. We really don't think it would ever be, but it is a minor concern. After the speech Tuesday evening, people were getting calls on Wednesday moving up deployment dates by 2 months. Carlton was scheduled to deploy Aprilish and had said that he could go as early as February. He's in training right now, out of cell phone range, so Karen hasn't heard any updates from him, but she expects the first thing the will tell her when he is able to call is his deployment date. Please keep him in your prayers. He will be going into the front lines with the Marines. We are soooo concerned, but we just have to pray and let God take over.