The Dodge Family Blog

I can’t sleep, it’s 6:00 AM and the clock on the wall is chiming a melancholy tune to remind me that the final hours of my “singlehood” are upon me. The kids will wake up in a couple of hours, I will feed them breakfast, take them to Grandma and Grandpa Dodge’s, where we will have lunch…then, the temple.

Actually, it is all very exciting to me, and I am unable to go back to sleep because I am nervous of what to expect, worried that I will forget to pack something or bring something…I told Johanna that my nerves would hit me this morning, and I was right.

Aiden and James had a sleep-over last night with me, so that Johanna could get ready for the wedding without all the distraction that two young children can produce. Besides that, I have their tuxes and am best suited to get them ready for the whole event, so it seemed only natural that I take them for the morning. At one point, I asked Aiden if he was having a good time on the sleep-over, and he said he was. I told him that starting today, we would have sleep-overs together forever, since he, James, and his Mommy would live with me. He was half asleep, so I didn’t get much of a reaction from him…but I think he was happy with the idea.

Anywho, since I can’t sleep, I thought it might help calm me down if I wrote a little something about this transition, got my feelings into words. This is probably the only time you will find me posting something so personal on this blog…well, until Johanna and I have another kid…that might top this one. But here are some random thoughts that have been fleeting through my mind this morning:

• I wonder if Johanna will like the place(s) I have chosen for us to stay on our honeymoon. (For those of you who are interested, we will be in the Hines Mansion in Provo Friday night, and in Vegas we will be high above the Strip in the Stratosphere)
• I wonder if Aiden and James will start calling me Daddy right away, or if it will take a while.
• I wonder if I am ready to be called Daddy right away.
• I don’t really have a choice in that, I AM Daddy right away.
• I wonder if I will cry at the wedding. I actually hope so.
• I need to get some sunglasses before the wedding. 4 pairs, I think that would be a super-cute picture, Johanna and I and the kids all ‘chillin’ in shades. (Thanks Groves’ for the inspiration on that one)
• I need to remember to pack everything. EVERYTHING.
• I can’t remember the engraving inside my ring ‘word for word’…is that bad?
• I am glad I got a paycheck yesterday, it will make the honeymoon price tag a little less painful.
• I really have had a good single life so far, my family means the world to me.
• I’m talking like I’m at a funeral, they will still mean the world to me.
• Will Dad’s bowtie fit? Will Dad Evelyn’s fit? Will they think I am weird for making them wear real bowties? Will they let me tie them on them?
• Will the temple let me wear my tux shirt through the ceremony, or do I need to quickly iron a white one.
• I had better iron one.
• I love Johanna. LOTS.
• What will happen with the wedding dinner? Will everyone show up on time? I told my friends on the phone that it was at 7:00, but afterwards found out that it was actually at 6:30.
• What will happen between the wedding at the dinner? The wedding ends at 3:45, the pictures take roughly an hour…
• I found out last night that Sarah has a blog…I need to get that address and link to it.
• I hope the car makes the trip to Vegas and back alright. The thing has had trouble starting up lately.
• I need to brush my teeth bad. If Johanna doesn’t kiss me because of bad breath, it would be a really bad omen.
• I hope that she brushes her teeth.
• I can’t brush the kids’ teeth, I don’t have their toothbrushes.
• I’m nervous.
• I’m excited.
• I love technology. But I love Johanna more, you see. But I still do love technology. Always and forever.
• Camels are weird. Why am I thinking about camels? Oh yeah, Rachel made a comment recently about getting proposals from Arabs who had tents in the desert.
• Rachel would probably love to go to the art gallery that Johanna and I are going to.
• Speaking of art…I need to make sure Johanna gives the camera to someone to take pictures at the temple.
• I need to get the memory card out of the computer.
• I love Aiden and James. They are amazing. Even when they are obnoxious, they are amazing.
• I wonder if Chewie will ever behave and get house trained for Johanna.

Enough of this, I have to get ready for the day. I should triple-check all my bags, eat something to soothe my stomach, triple-check things again, etc.

I guess that’s gonna be all for today. Next time y’all hear from me, it’ll be post-honeymoon. Ta-ta!