Today's feeling: RELIEVED!

Hey everyone,
The invites have been sent and we are sooo sooo happy about that! We can't wait to start getting the R.S.V.P. postcards in the mail soon and find out who we'll be celebrating with June 28.

The invitation was designed by our dear friend Amiee Fredrickson. We've known Amiee for a lot of years and she's one of the most talented artists I know. She's currently in the midst of a tattoo apprenticeship at The Body Matrix, a shop in downtown Bemidji. I really can't thank her enough for the beautiful work that she did with the invites. I never imagined the invitations would be one of the things that would make me feel all sappy and emotional. But when you see them, you'll get it.

After Amiee's many hours of work, many more hours were spent by me cursing at my printer, cutting paper, folding paper and stuffing envelopes. A few weekends ago, I headed home to Bemidji so that Mom Blanchette could help assemble everything and Mom Tjader could help with the R.S.V.P. labels. We accomplished a lot Saturday night until I finally needed a break and headed to the bar with Tyler for a glass of wine. I won't even tell you how guilty I felt leaving my Mom sitting at the kitchen table with 130 envelopes in front of her waiting to be addressed. She insisted that I go, so I did. When I got home around 1 a.m., Mom was still sitting in the same spot and had hand-addressed every envelope AND even wrote return addresses on all of them. She went to bed with a numb hand.

Anyway, the invitations are just one of the many things in our wedding that are a great collaboration of so many people. It's THAT kind of thing that makes me realize how lucky Tyler and I are to have the kind of family and friends that we have in our lives. Our entire wedding is turning out to be homemade with additions, help and encouragement from so many people.

THAT is the best gift any couple could ask for...