Tears of Black Friday

Today is Black Friday.

I'm sleepy.  Yawn. 

Alene and Liz have a holiday tradition, along with about 35 million of their closest friends, of going out in the early morning cold each Friday after Thanksgiving and committing economic stimulus.

That's shopping, to the rest of us. 

They tend to find some super deals on Christmas gifts, so I really can't fault them.  They seem to have a really good time, too.  I just can't get up that early to do something that doesn't involve nylon line and hooks, or shotgun shells and blinds.  

Since I don't hunt, that just leaves the line and hooks.

And I haven't actually fished in a few years, so I guess that means I don't want to get up that early for pretty much anything. 

Except this morning.  

Alene has been having a wonderful/exciting/terrifying time with this whole wedding thing.  What began as a simple little ceremony on the lawn behind the church or in a park has morphed into a somewhat larger event.  

Which I'm perfectly fine with, don't misunderstand.  I'm excited and joyous and honored to marry Alene in any venue, anywhere, whenever she wants to do it. 

I will do it in the rain, I will do it on a train.  I will say "I do" to you, even if I'm turning blue.  

You get the idea.  

I am ecstatic at the idea of sharing our day with many, many friends.   We're just making adjustments on the fly as we go, which is driving Alene crazy.  

So, last week Alene found a wedding dress in which she looks, in the words of her daughter, "smokin'", and she bought it, after which she got the first full night of sleep she'd had since she told me "yes" on the bench at the lake.

One thing off our list. 

Oh, who am I kidding, off her list. 

She won't even let me look at pictures of her in the dress, or a picture of the dress alone, but whatever.  I know she'll be beautiful because she is beautiful, in a way that makes the sun and the moon and the stars stand still and take notice, that makes the oceans ..... oh... uhm... 

Whooo.... breathe....

OK.

So this morning she was on a mission to find wedding rings for us at the Black Friday sales.  She asked me, if she found some rings she liked if I'd meet her at the store.

At 4am.

Or 5am.  

Silly me, I said of course I would. 

So, Liz calls me at a little after 5am, saying they were at JC Penny and Alene found some rings she liked. I got dressed, baseball hat, t-shirt, sweatpants, and jacket, no coffee, and drove bleary-eyed over to Sunrise Mall to the Penny's jewelry counter to meet up. 

Aaaaand they weren't there.  I called Alene who said they were over at Sears, and would be right over.

Two minutes later, after power-walking the mall, Alene and Liz show up, giggling and out of breath. 

Crazy Black Friday shoppers.  

Anyway, the rings were gorgeous.  Turns out I have fat fingers so we had to order mine, but Alene's we brought home right then.  We walked to our cars, I hugged and kissed her goodbye, (they were going to continue shopping) and I drove home. 

They walked back into Pennys where,  Liz tells me, she asked if Alene needed a moment to collect herself.  

Alene stood in the men's section of Penny's and cried tears of joy. 

Another thing off her list, yes, but the greater joy was the reality setting in: she and I are actually, truly, really really really going to be married.  

I'm actually, truly, really really really going to marry her.  

So, here's to Black Friday.  You can keep your 70% off electronics and household goods, and your lines around the store.  

I'll take my fiancée and make her my bride, at any price.

At any time of the morning. 

I look forward to another restful night's sleep with another thing crossed off our... er... her list.