10 Years Ago Today

I married my best friend...my partner, my co-hort, my go-to-guy, my life here on earth thanks to God...it has been the best day of my life, leading to the best parts of my life.

I had prayed for no rain because I wanted to have these beautiful outdoor photos at the reception.  The trees and landscapes were amazing, and our photographer had gone to great lengths to find us some amazing shots...

It didn't happen though, because I had wanted something else a lot more, and thought I just wasn't going to have it...a candle light ceremony.  I'd dreamt of how romantic it would be...but our church had events the evening we had decided on, and so Eric did everything he could - making the wooden pedestals for the candles on the aisles, etc to create the mood.  God saw to it to give me that candle light ceremony by giving us rain...and a lot of it.  It was dark and cozy and romantic, down to the wood burning fire place at our reception...perfect...

I'd given Eric a gift of two things...a watch - to tell time, to know I would love him for all time, to think of our time together...and one other.  A hand written note I'd written long before we were together of my "hopes and dreams of a husband" list. He met them all when we talked about different things except for one, and then the one part we didn't talk about but did happen on it's own.  I wanted my husband to read me Song of Solomon from the bible as a romantic gesture...I never told him that in my list, and one night when he'd called me, he started to without warning...I will never forget how much I cried that night in happiness and content. This is the man for me.  I knew at 10 years old when I'd seen him for the  first time, and I knew it now, so many years later. Song of Solomon is engraved into both the insides of our wedding rings...the verse that is about my Lover is mine and I am his...

His gift to me for our wedding day were diamond and pearl earrings and necklace to match, so sweet and pure.  He was a darling about giving them to me, too.

Eric worked very hard on creating our wedding invites and programs, our wedding videos and music...my favorite movie for the longest time has been "Father of the Bride" and I really loved the music in it, so Eric made sure to put the soundtrack into our wedding through out!  It was so loving and made it all the more precious to me.
I think of the different people there...Kelly, whom we laughed together on different things and getting rid of my jitters in being the perfect bride...Jeana making me laugh, smile, and making my undergarments the way they should be...yeah, that's a story in itself...stupid, naive me...geeze!  Jaimie, seeing me cry for the "ump-teenth" time, decided to play a certain game that consisted of beating each other out of who would chicken out being the loudest...began with the letter "P"...Sally, giggling, then saying"GIRLS!"...stopping before we went to go down the aisle to pray...my dad came up to break the silence because honestly I think he was afraid I would cry the whole time, which I would have had it not been for his jokes down the aisle. And knowing me, I didn't want to be a blubbering mess, and he is so good at making that better!

I think of the time during our wedding, after our vows, Eric joking, laughing and trying to keep things light, not only to keep me from crying  - yet again (yes, I have Kirkhart in me, all my mother, grandmother's side cry so easily...we're very tender-hearted!  ;)  ) - or still - but to make me smile, talking about how we should make a run for it during one of the songs...let's go babe!  We're set!

I loved leaving as people threw rose petals as we ran from the church to the car...I love how we were greeted by the warmth of the open, two-sided fire place to our reception along with the gathering of people thrilled for us.  I loved the beautiful, rich fall colors coming in on our reception through the giant windows behind us...it was a good day, a good night, and it has been a good life...

I can't wait for the rest...