[Magdalen] I need to vent...

[Richard S. Crawford]

My sister has been dating her boyfriend for over six years. They recently
got engaged, and have set a date: this coming New Year's Eve. Which also
just happens to be my 50th birthday. We only found out on Saturday night.
When I expressed surprised that my sister would schedule her wedding on my
milestone birthday to my mom, my mom replied, "Don't worry, you'll be able
to get home to see your admirers later in the day." It *is* a morning
wedding, but my wife and I live nearly 150 miles away from the rest of my
family, and we're not particularly keen on driving home from San Jose back
to Sacramento on New Year's Eve, no matter what time of day. I suppose it
is fortunate that my wife and I had only just started making plans for my
birthday party that night... said party now to be scheduled a week later
than originally planned.

Last night my other sister pinged my wife on Facebook and said, "I can't
believe our sister planned her wedding on my brother's 50th birthday." So
I'm not the only surprised one in the family.

So... I suppose I'm angry. At my sister, at her fiance, at my mom. I'm not
used to feeling angry at my family, and it's messing with my head big time.
I've been having trouble sleeping, and what-not.

So... prayers, please, that I get over this anger quickly. I want to be
happy for my sister, but my anger is overshadowing that.