8.28.09

I haven't killed him, and he hasn't run away: it must be love! Happy one year anniversary to us!

Seriously, a whole year? Where did the time go? You blink and boom! the newlywed period is done with.

It's honestly a kind of sad day for me too. As happy a day as my wedding day was, think of it makes me sad, since those memories are some of the last I have of my mom. I know I've touched on missing my mom, but I don't think I've talked a whole lot about it in blog-world. Long story short(er): My sister and I decided to do our weddings back-to-back, mine on the 28th and hers on the 29th. They were both very tiny--not much more than a ceremony and dinner--but it was just what we wanted. All our family would already be in town, so we figured it would be a perfect and low key way to do things (neither of us have ever had big fancy wedding dreams). We honestly never expected our mom to be able to attend. She'd been very sick with emphysema for many years and leaving the house was not easy. She was a very strong/stubborn woman though, and she made it to both. It was the best day of my life. It was too much on her body though, and she went into distress toward the end of my sister's dinner and was taken to the hospital. She spent nearly a month in the ICU and passed away on September 25. She was on a ventilator the whole time, as well as heavily sedated with propfol/diprovan (the "Michael Jackson drug"), so even though she didn't pass away til September, my sister and I really count this weekend as the time we truly "lost" her.

It's been a rough and rocky year, I'll be very honest. My mom was my best friend. We talked every day. And I don't care what people say, making the adjustment to married life is tough (especially when, like me, you haven't lived with someone else since your college dorm mate). So much had changed, and my usual rock wasn't there for me. I wanted to be happy and experience the "newlywed bliss" everyone talks about, but it was so hard. Sometimes Hubby just didn't understand. And I guess I can't blame him, he's (thank God) never lost a parent. I'd hold all my feelings inside, then he'd say/do something trivial and I would explode. I'm a very independent person who hates "dumping" on others, but I've learned that the only way to get through this is to lean on him. I know he genuinely cares. We certainly tested the "for better or for worse" aspect of our vows immediately. If we can get through this, I think we can get through just about anything. I'm a lucky gal.

I know my mom, and my mom would want her baby girl to celebrate today. So how 'bout some wedding pictures? Everone likes looking at random peoples' wedding pictures...right? Sure.


I loved my bouquet so much (Yup, that's the one I use as my profile photo. Gerber daisies and cerise roses, with the stems wrapped in polka dot ribbon).


One my fave photos of my dad and me.


One "traditional" wedding element we did, despite my lack of love for dancing, was a first dance. I We picked "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley.


I wanted a pretty sunset picture, and I certainly got it.


I loved our sweet little cake! 2 tiers, one my fave flavor (red velvet) and one of Hubby's (carrot cake). I promise I only used that ribbon on the cake and the bouquets. I swear I was not "that girl with the polka dot wedding". I love polka dots, but I know my limits.

I really did love our wedding. We rented an old Southern estate home in a beautiful lakefront park in Orlando and had dinner catered in. Florida's typical summer thunderstorms ended just in time, and we held our ceremony under a gazebo as a rainbow formed overhead. It was simple, sweet, and totally unstuffy, yet still felt formal and important. We had a great dinner, drank lots of wine, and visited with our dear friends and family. My mom said it was the best wedding she'd ever attended, so that's one of the sweetest memories of the day. Plus I snagged myself a pretty darn amazing husband. It really was a perfect day.

Thanks for sharing my celebration! T.G.I.F.!