With advent right around the corner, we are nearing the end. Just about a month out from the wedding and excitement is building. So many things have been accomplished and now the troops stand ready to descend upon the hall and decorate and prepare for the big festivities. This truly will be a most joyous holiday season!

Preparing for the wedding, I wanted to share a little bit about the four lovely young women that all agreed to be my bridesmaids. Perhaps Matt can post about his groomsmen some time as well...

Candace (Maid of Honor) has been my cousin for, well forever. There are plenty of stories from us growing up, each family visit to Rhode Island a treasure trove in and of itself. I'm sure something about me biting her when we were two years old will come up, as it always does!

Candace is currently a slave to the books at Roger Williams University Law School. Great thing is, I recall one summer, we must have been perhaps eight or nine years old, Candace knew that she wanted to be a lawyer even back then. Over the years she has become an inspiration with the vast knowledge and passion for government and politics. This past winter we took a short field trip to the LBJ Library at the University of Texas, what a way to see her in action!

Kathleen is the youngest Hartley, my new sister in law. That being said, she is quite plucky and not to be underestimated. I trust this has much to do with growing up under her two brothers. I've truly enjoyed getting to know Kat little by little over the last few years.

She is part of the news breaking Middlebury Quidditch team as well as a plethora of other quirky activities, most of which I am just not hip enough to understand or follow. On a more personal note, I am excited to have Kathleen take part in the wedding, as I can shamelessly point out, Matt is quite fond of his sister (but don't tell anyone).

Cousett has been one of my oldest friends from Austin. We met back in high school at good old Saint Michael's Academy. Not only has she been fiercely loyal and loving to me, but she is truly part of the extended family.

Over the years, as we left high school and embarked on the journey to become the people we are today, our families stayed close, celebrating (and celebrating and celebrating and celebrating) and sharing all our ups and downs together. Today it is hard to imaging life without any of them when it comes to home in Austin.

Cousett has blossomed from the quiet, shy friend in high school to become among other things a leader in her work, now in the IT department at St. Edward's University (which has also has been the stomping grounds for countless degrees for her, it seems). I'm not even sure what exactly she does, but it involves everything from mentoring up and coming students in technology to attending conferences in Berlin, Germany.

Last, though by no means least, Julia is another part of the extended Family in Austin.
Although she escaped Saint Michael's (unlike her brother's - all three of which we at SMA with Cousett and I), Julia hasn't missed out on the many years our families have plotted together.

Over the years, Julia and I have grown closer over the shared plight of our crazy families and church-lady mothers. Her most insightful gift to me, this past year was a hilarious little book called Lamb by Christopher Moore.

Julia is currently back in Austin, working in the family business and keeping everyone on their toes with her shrewd if unexpected insights.

A big, warm thanks to these four wonderful people. Though with the long distance they've been spared much planning aside from some truly epic e-mails from me with long lists and questions, their presence and help at the wedding is a blessing. Not to mention the fun they will bring to the reception!