My Wedding

Fourteen years ago today

I married Hottie Husband.

Here are the things I remember most about that day-

I loved my dress and still do.

I was intent on having colorful flowers.

I wore Twig colored lipstick by Mac. I still carry the same color in my purse which is sort of frightening. 

The day was lovely, then started to drizzle as we left the church.

I loved his face as I walked down the aisle. 

He had a little cold.

Everyone said I did a little jump at the front of the church when they pronounced us husband and wife.

His friends had written something on the bottom of his shoes and the pastor wasn't very happy when it disrupted the ceremony.

My great Aunt Clara and my Aunt Jeanette came all the way from South Dakota. 

My sister had given birth to twins three months before and had to nurse them before walking down the aisle so her dress would zip.

We rode in HH's parents very cool bus type motorhome on the way to the reception, honking through town, and listening to George Strait's "Forever and Ever, Amen" which is our song.

He carried me into the reception and we knocked down a bunch of drinks.

Here is a pic of that moment.

It scanned weird so my flowers look a little tweaked.

I wished I could buy covers for those horrible pink reception chairs.

My sister sobbed through her very loving toast. She could barely breath.

I sobbed when my dad danced with me to the song 

he had picked by Dolly Parton- "I Will Always Love You."

My friend Rachelle from UCLA started sobbing so hard watching my dad and I that her boyfriend had to take her outside. 

The band played Elton John's "Your Song" for me and personalized it for us. 

I love Elton John. 

We each spoke about our parents at the reception thanking them and HH got so choked up that his mom walked up to the front and just hugged him.

I danced a slow song with my beautiful mother. 

There were milk duds on every plate, a joke from my sweet mother-in-law who heard the story of me, very hormonally crying over milk duds one time with HH.

But, mostly I just remember being very happy.

We were in the moment and we had a blast. 

This is one of my favorite pictures. 

We had only been married minutes.

I love the cross in the background, the way we are looking at each other.

We still look at each other that way and I believe the cross has a lot to do with that.

You see, being accountable to yourself is hard.

Being accountable to each other is hard too.

But, when you are each accountable to the cross and the redemption there, 

then there is less room for selfishness, self-righteousness, bitterness, unforgiveness.

It causes you to trade those things for selflessness, a willingness to give up your right to be right, forgiveness and love. 

That's where the blessing of marriage shines. 

I love you J.

Happy Anniversary!

By the way, this might be my card to you because I didn't buy one yet and the kids have friends over today and then basketball tonight and ...