Pecking Order

This afternoon I am going to a bridal shower. One of my receptionists got married last month. She did a reverse order. She became engaged on a Tuesday and married on that Friday. Today is the bridal shower and next Sunday is the religious wedding. Years ago there was a pecking order of life events. Date, engaged, married and then children. Nowadays it is a crap shoot. The order can be any combination. My receptionist's order is due to immigration circumstances. Her longtime boyfriend finished his internship, but due to the economy his company could not hire him as a full time worker. Hence, the rushed wedding. In her culture, unless you are married in a religious ceremony, you cannot live together. She still lives with her parents in her bedroom and her husband lives at her parent's house in the basement. After the formal wedding next week he will be allowed upstairs. They will look for an apartment after the new year. I am looking forward to a fun afternoon.