Cassie's Getting Married!!!!

My sister is getting re-married....on Christmas Eve.  When did she decide this?  SUNDAY!  That's right.  Cassie and Ben decided to get remarried on Christmas Eve on Sunday.  That's when they spoke to their pastor and asked him to marry them on Christmas Day.  He said no, but he'll do it on Christmas Eve.  The church will be decorated and candle-lit.  It'll be beautiful and very special.  I'm so thrilled they are getting re-married.  God has worked a true miracle in their relationship, and for that, we are all happy.

BUT....

This means that I have to find a dress NOW.  Yesterday would be even better, but that is obviously impossible.  I figured I would need to go out and find a dress, but I didn't expect it to need to be super-formal wedding attire.  That's what she wants, and NO ONE can get me a dress before that date. 

So, as if the holidays aren't already busy enough, I pleaded with my mother-in-law to make me a dress.  After we exhausted all other possibilities, like borrowing a dress from my sister-in-law who is much shorter than me, on-line stores, and local thrift shops...she agreed reluctantly, so we went shopping for a pattern and fabric today.  It's a beautiful, deep shade of red with a pretty glittery pattern on it.  It's a-line with cap sleeves and a square neckline.  It's going to be beautiful.  I hope my sister is happy with it.   I'm so nervous that I chose the wrong shade of red and that she's going to be unhappy, but I like it and I think it'll be beautiful.  Plus, it'll sparkle so well in the candlelight!

On top of finding a dress, now I have to readjust my holiday plans.  We weren't planning to be in Coshocton on Christmas Eve, so that's a big change.  But...I wouldn't miss this wedding for anything. 

We're finding ourselves going through things during this holiday season that we have never faced before.  Where do we spend each holiday?  We've never really had to think about this too much because we've always lived in another state.  It's a nice problem to have, but one that most people figure out within the first few years of marriage.  Here we are working our way through year nine of marriage and just now facing this!  LOL

So should we just stay in Coshocton on Christmas Eve and open gifts with my parents on Christmas morning and have Christmas dinner at my sister's, or should we come home after the evening wedding ceremony and then go to Eric's parents for Christmas dinner?  This is our dilemma. 

Here's the tidbid that will show you all how spoiled I am...my parents no longer put up a Christmas tree, and that is what is making this difficult for me.  They have a 4 foot crochetted tree that has lights on it.  Truthfully, it's beautiful, and my grandmother, who is no longer with us, made it herself.  But...it's not a tree that I can put my children's gifts under after they are snuggled into bed on Christmas Eve.  I know.  I need to grow up and just be glad that I have the opportunity to spend this special day with my parents.

Anyone have a suggestion?  I'll take any and all suggestions into consideration (within reason, of course).

If there was a way to make everyone happy, I would do it, but that just isn't going to be a possibility!