Eight Days Away...

My oldest sister is getting married next Sunday...and I'LL be glad when it's over. She's been driving herself crazy with all the planning and whatnot, plus all of the other random drama that's popped up in the last few months or so. I know she's just anxious for the day that they can say their "I do's", go on their honeymoon, and finally relax a little.

It seems to be working out well...the family gets along with the BIL (brother-in-law, for the acronym-impaired), and he's basically the brother I never had. The fact that it took them so long to get to this point is another story in itself, but it's just good that they stuck it out, and they made it. I've seen so many other couples fall apart in the time they've been together, and usually over things that could be resolved with a little time and patience.

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous. Not only am I groomsman, which is an honor in itself, but I'll be singing, too. To be more specific...I'll be singing for my sister as she comes down the aisle. Not the traditional "Wedding March," as you would expect. I've been working on it, but I know it's still going to drive me crazy when the time finally comes.

My main focus is being able to keep my eyes open long enough...working overnights isn't hard, but it's definitely thrown off my sleeping pattern. Here's the general schedule for next week: I have to work the Friday and Saturday before (I was going to work late Sunday, too, but my mom convinced me otherwise. Not that I think work or money is more important, but I NEED to. We'll go into why later...). Wedding stuff is basically all day Sunday...if I don't finish up at work at a decent time (around 7:30am), there's a good chance that sleep just won't happen for a while.

But wait, there's more...there's the possibility of a doctor's appointment on Monday afternoon, I'm supposed to go to a White Sox game with a friend that night (I haven't been to one in years, so I'm not trying to miss it...that, and a girl that enjoys baseball is hard to come by), and I have work again Tuesday morning. Thankfully, I have Wednesdays and Thursdays off...I'm turning off everything, and passing out!

The weird thing is...there was a time when I thought I was close to where my sister is now. I was pretty sure that I'd met the person I was going to marry...but things happen...lines get crossed, and there's not enough that can be said or done to clear the air. Is it sad? Definitely...no one wants to lose someone that they really care about. But the silver lining is that someone will come along, and it'll make you completely re-think the way you do things, usually for the better.

Okay...back to the need to work. Yeah, it's something that should just be done, but next Sunday also starts an unofficial countdown of sorts. At some point in early 2009, the newlyweds are moving to St. Thomas...the BIL's originally from there, and his dad owns a resort there. They're going to take over running the business...it wasn't supposed to happen for a while, but there was an unfortunate incident earlier in the year, and it kinda sped things up a bit.

As it relates to me, it only gives me a few months yet to keep the ball rolling, and find some new digs, or face one of four situations: I move in with my other sister (granted, I would get to see the little dude a lot more, but I would slowly turn into a babysitter...not too fun), I move back with my dad (anyone who knows me knows that this just isn't happening, and for good reason), or I stay where I am, and live with my mom when she gets ready to move (I love my mom to death, and it's the most viable of the three, but it would effectively destroy my social life), or I pack up and move to St. Thomas with the couple (I'd have a place to stay, and a job lined up fairly fast, but I'd have to leave the rest of my world behind).

This is reason numero uno for getting myself to work every day...busted economy or not, a person's living situation is one way we indicate their personal progress. Whether it's accurate or not is different, but the surface is usually all that we have to go on. My circumstances aren't your run-of-the-mill type, but I have a pretty good grip on what needs to be done. I'm going to take my time, and cross things off, one by one.

I might end up staying in Chicago...or I might end up on the other side of the world. Either way, I'm going to make myself happy. You're welcome to come along for the ride, but if not, I'll see you when I see you. Let the countdown begin...eight days.