Frankie says RELAX

Remember when "You've Got Mail" came out with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? Well, I always smile to myself when I check my email and think of that woman's voice, "You've got mail!" That phrase seemed to dominate the 90's. It's funny how in the moment, trends seem so new and interesting... but when we're on to the new and more exciting things, the previous exciting thing will feel like ages ago.

Well, I'm being my usual cheesy self and thinking, "You've got mail!" as I open my email, (I use Yahoo, not even AOL, but a girl can still have fun). I see an email from one of my brides with the subject line: I NEED A FAVOR.

All caps, huh? No sugar-coating here. Wow, this has got to be good. I quickly forget the dozens of other emails and their subject lines, (I generally skim over all of them before deciding what emails need to be opened first), this email clearly has priority. As soon as I click on the email, I'm greeted with adorable pictures of an eight week old brown, black and white, Shitzu-poodle puppy. Uh-oh, I'm in trouble. Everyone knows my husband and I, as well as my twin sister are self-proclaimed, devout animal lovers. I already know what is coming.

The email outlines the fact that my client ordered Frankie, (the ridiculously adorable puppy), for her fiancé's birthday. Her fiancé's birthday happens to be Christmas Eve, ten days from when the email was sent. The problem is that the puppy is flying into the Colorado Springs airport more than a week before the birthday and my client reaaaaallllly wanted to surprise her fiancé on his actual birthday.

Never fear, Christy is here! Of course I tell my client I would be happy to watch her new pup so the surprise can happen perfectly. Just like with weddings, sometimes sacrifices need to be made so the day goes as close to perfect as possible. This time, the sacrifice is on my end-but I am a firm believer in karma. I've already got my twin sister's Siberian Husky and Maltese-Yorkie mix, as well as my own Black Lab and Pomeranian; what harm can ONE more do? Ehhh, my husband Pete will tell you...

"You agreed to WHAT?" he exclaims on the phone, trying to sound alarmed. I can tell by his tone that he is not the slightest bit surprised.

"Don't worry, it is just for a couple days, we will be in Sarasota visiting Grammy before you know it!" I assure him. I try to turn the conversation to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie quotes, which he particularly loves this time of year.

"Christy, a couple means two. You're talking about eight or nine days. Has the fur-ball had his de-wormer shots yet at least?" He calls my euphemism bluff.

"I'm not sure... Ok, well I love you, see you when you get home!" I quickly get off the phone and start thinking about his favorite meal I can prepare for dinner to take his mind off our temporary 'situation'.

Among the many fun parts of having an eight week old puppy in the house:

-Frankie's not yet potty-trained

-Frankie's breeder put him on a plane to us, so he is very leery of his nemesis: the crate.

-Frankie's not yet accustomed to sleeping through the night

-Frankie's strongly dislikes his crate, yet he is not accustomed to sleeping in a bed, (and he tends to do nose dives off the bed, unaware that the bed has even ended and he is face-planted on the carpet)

-being a male puppy, Frankie has an affinity for humping everything, all two pounds of him..

-my own dogs are suspicious of this new furry squeaker

-Porter, my Black Lab, is not happy that she isn't the baby of the household anymore

-Frankie has not yet learned that his puppy teeth and nails are razor sharp and hurt like heck

Besides all of the interesting 1:30 AM, 3:00 AM, and 4:30 AM potty breaks, Frankie might just be THE cutest puppy I've seen in a while, and very deserving of a few days of my time. Although it is very easy to make up little white lie excuses to yourself and others, it is ALWAYS more satisfying in the long run to help out someone in need. You never know who will be there for you when you need a favor.

The lessons here? There are many, but to summarize:

1) Regular life still goes on when you're planning a wedding. Not only does your regular daily life go on, so does your work life, personal life, birthdays, holidays etc... These all still occur while you're planning your wedding and all of these wonderful things will keep happening AFTER the wedding is over. Don't let the, "Big Day" blind you from your even more important daily life. The present is a gift, don't overlook it!

2) Weddings, among other events in life, can be overwhelming... *GASP* The planning process and even the Big Day are not always perfect. The purpose of weddings and other important life celebrations is to bring together loved ones to do just that: celebrate. If you are too busy trying to control every detail of the day, you won't be able to step back, take every moment in, and enjoy your day. Your family and friends may or may not have been supportive of you and your significant other for the duration of your relationship, but this is the time to let them show their support and lend a helping hand. If you need to have your Wedding Planner pet-sit your fiancé's birthday/Christmas present for a week, don't be afraid to ask. If you need the best man to return everyone's tux rentals after you've left for your honeymoon, don't be afraid to ask! Channel that inner Bridezilla! This is the one time in your life when you're allowed to ask and even demand things be done a certain way.

Many times in life we get caught up in pettiness and forget what relationships are all about. Family and friends are supposed to be there in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health... sound familiar? Believe it or not, those words don't just apply to husbands and wives; friends and families vow that type of unconditional love as well. This means if you're willing to accept and lend a helping hand, when needed, you can count on your loved ones to reciprocate.

My husband's favorite term comes to mind again, "Team work makes the dream work, baby!"