Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Sooo...Now What?

So, now I'm engaged. I have this beautiful ring, I have this guy I really love that I want to marry & now what? I had started picking up bridal magazines here & there. I flipped through them all & looked at all the wedding dresses online at David's Bridal. Hmmm...I don't really like anything. I hate strapless. I hate foofey. I really don't like the idea of spending tons of moola ('cause we don't have it). And then Mike got The Letter.
The Letter would be a layoff notice from his employer. He has worked for the same manufacturing company for about 13 years. The company is experiencing some hard times & truthfully there have been layoffs going on at different times for over a year. Silly me, I kept saying, "You've been there so long they'll have to shut the plant before they get to you!" Hmmm...guess what? They might shut the plant.
The Letter says that as of December 18th there will be a plant-wide layoff. Of course, they expect this layoff to be temporary. They usually have a shut-down period of about two weeks over the holiday anyway. So, my thinking is that they are not sure at this point if they will be able to keep this plant open. They lay everyone off & then they can save some money because they won't have to pay them holiday pay (bah humbug!). Then if they need to shut down, it's already in process. In the employee meeting that was held, they said that they intended to call about 70 workers back as of January 5th. Mike is about #45 in seniority. If they call back by seniority, he should be included. Since they aren't union, who knows what criteria they will use to select employees to call back. Higher seniority = higher rate of pay so that may cook his goose.
Sooo...now what? I was thinking April for the wedding. Now we're not so sure. I've been kind of discouraged about it. But my heart & mind keeping coming back to the assurance that the Lord is in control. He knows all about it; He knows our anxieties & our desires. He will lead us for the right timing for our wedding & I'm praying He'll provide great deals along the way as we plan things.
In conclusion, if you're wondering when we will set the date for our nuptials, just know that we're wondering, too! And praying & seeking the Lord's will. Pray along with us, please.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, dear! What horrible news right before the holidays. So thankful that God has all these times in His faithful and sovereign hands! Keep us posted on how the Lord leads and provides!

Erin said...

I'm sorry about the layoff. You have a good perspective about it though. Don't get too discouraged...just rememeber that God has provided you with a great guy that loves you and wants to marry you. God will continue to take care of the rest.

Joe & Sarah McDaniel said...

Praying for both of you. And, if it's any consolation, I got a great deal on my big, traditional-ish wedding dress, and I still wish I had gone simpler. In the end, you're married, and the dress (or most of the other "stuff") doesn't really matter.

Adele said...

I'm sorry to hear about this!

I got my dress at a JC Penney Outlet. It was a lot cheaper that way. There was not as much selection, but I found something I liked and am still happy with the choice. I've also heard about girls getting theirs at thrift stores or from other ladies. You may want to check out freecycle or craigslist (unless you really want a new dress).

I know God will give you peace about the timing. One piece of advice (whether you want it or not!) - make the wedding about you and Mike, not about your guests or anyone else. If you want to go simple or skip certain "normal" things, then do it! This is especially important if it means you can afford to get married when you would like, not when you've amassed a small fortune!

Keep us posted! :)

ExploreColorado said...

Congradulations on your engagement!!!
I finally placed you. Seeing you in that picture of Erin's with Becki is what did it :D Sorry it took me so long. I feel terribly bad. You and Becki hung out alot if I remember right. Correct me if I'm wrong, you were both in Judsons.
I must be getting terribly forgetful in my old age ;S