I usually go to Anderson for supplies on Thursdays, but this week I had gone on Wednesday.  So Thursday I worked on regular wedding prep: Guest check-in, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Friday and wedding for 125 on Saturday.  On this day too, Jacob, the high school student who lives ½ mile down the road, was trimming ivy and vines and helping my brotherinlaw Gary weed in the garden, and helping me with little things.  They were both quitting at 5pm.  Feeling quite tired but happy that we three had gotten as much done as we did, I slowly walked back up to the residence and sat down in my chair, so thankful that I didn’t have much else to do that night.   Now, each couple is to return their completed wedding plan confirmation summary to me at least two weeks out, which is a “snapshot” of the wedding ceremony and reception, and includes rehearsal details, special notes on family, new mailing address, etc.   These pages were lying open on the table as I had been rereading them all week because this month had been a very difficult one and I was feeling exceptionally drained.  I had been asking God to help me not make a major mistake or forget anything.  We had already done four weddings that month!  Anyway, I’m in my chair at 4:46, considering shutting my eyes for a minute when something made me get up and look at their info one more time.   My eyes stopped on one line in particular:  Rehearsal Dinner here?__”yes” Rehearsal Dinner time?__”6pm Thursday”  THURSDAY?  THURSDAY!?!    Oh my God!   I looked again at the clock…I had 22 people coming for rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in one hour and 14 minutes.   As many times as I had read them, my eyes never saw the word “Thursday” until now!    If you can picture a comedy where they speed up the film to have the person whip around the room…let me tell you, it can be done without speeding up the film…a person can really move that fast when they have one hour and 14 minutes to make Baked Ziti, Salad, Rolls, and Chocolate Mousse and set-up the buffet line and the tables and be ready to rehearse first.  I immediately ran down the hall and grabbed pots and pans and ran back.  I threw the water on to boil and the Italian sausage in the pan.  Grabbed the jars of sauce, pasta and cheeses while deciding to skip mincing fresh onions and go with the dried ones from the spice cupboard.  I whipped open the door and yelled down to Jacob who was leaving, “JACOB!  I NEED YOU HERE NOW!”   He stepped inside the house, took one look at me and stared, saying, “What in the world happened, Mrs. Blake?  You looked good ten minutes ago.”   Trying to steady my breathing I replied, “I didn’t have 22 people coming for dinner ten minutes ago.”   “Oh my God.” he replied.   “I need you and Gary to do as much set-up on the patio as you can.  I’m calling Sandy now.”   As I continued to work, I called my great friend and neighbor across the street and said quite breathlessly, “Sandy, I realized I have a rehearsal dinner for 22 in one hour.   Can you help me?”   “Oh my God.” she replied.   “Bill and I have a dinner we have to go to, but I can help you for an hour.  I’m on my way.”   Next member of the cavalry -- Jarred -- Eric’s best friend from high school who had just started his last semester at Clemson.    I texted him:  “CALL ME ASAP.”  Jarred gets out of class at 4:45 and sees the text and thinks to himself, “Now, what could Mrs. Blake need on a Thursday night?  I see his number ring in:  “Jarred, I forgot I have rehearsal AND rehearsal dinner for 22 at 6pm.”   “Oh my God.” he replied.   “Yes, that sure is the consensus around here.” I said with a sigh.   “Well,” Jarred said, “I had something I was going to do but I’ll cancel and be there as soon as I can.”   I put the mousse up to beat, stirred the sauce into the meat, and drained the pasta with the steam adding to the sweat pouring down my face so much I couldn’t see.   My phone rang again, “Ms. JoAnn…this is Jess (the Bride!)”   I felt like Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell when they were arguing in Apollo 13 and he was suddenly linked in with Houston.   “Hi Honey!” I tried to say as lightly and calmly as I could.  She continued, “Everyone’s getting out of work late and can’t get to Westminster by 6…I’m sorry to ask this now, but could we start a little later…like 6:30 or 6:45?”   Wiping my face with my saturated sleeve and working hard to keep my voice and breathing even, I said, “Yes, I can make that work.  Don’t worry at all…we’ll adjust things here, no problem.”  “You’re the best!” she said.  Yea, right…I thought as I watched Sandy hurry down the driveway to join Jacob and Gary.   Long story short:   Jarred arrived, made the tea and coffee, set up the buffet, defrosted rolls and made the salads; Jacob set up the tables and chairs and put the red and white linens on; Sandy readied the plates, forks, napkins, and table centerpieces; Gary bought in supplies, stocked the bathrooms, wiped off the chairs, and readied the trash cans.  We all looked at the time when we were ready:  an incredible 5:50 pm.  ALL DONE IN ONE HOUR!   Now, I desperately needed a shower, so I left to do that, but not before Jarred said, “Mrs. Blake, you’ve never done this in the seven years I’ve worked here.   I’m calling this your one and only “Mulligan” – you only get one of these.”   “Agreed.” was all I could say.