With 6 months left until the wedding I am in full planning mode, complete with a little notebook I carry with me just in case I get an idea. I am not stressed about paying for it anymore thanks to CALSTRS (California State Teachers' Retirement System). I got my annual statement while I was in CA and my mom suggested I see if I can get that money out since I don't live or teach there anymore. I called and they said I could take all or nothing and when I found out how much was "all" was I took it! I won't say how much, but it's enough to pay for the wedding and pay back a personal debt we have with my parents. This is the biggest blessing and the biggest weight off our shoulders. I would cry almost nightly wondering if we were going to have a wedding at all and now we will! I am aware of the penalties and tax stuff but after they deduct we will stay pay for 95% of the wedding. This gives me freedom to pick out invitations and favors and such. Now I can have fun and not be so financially stressed. Before, the wedding seemed to be flying closer because of the dollar sign hanging over us but now it's going to seem like forever because I can't wait for it now. Plus we have an officiant after a decision I had to make about our former one. Now Mark Schoch from DFCC will be performing our wedding. 175 days to go!
