April 27th, 2002

7 years ago today. Do you remember that day? I do. I woke up around 7 am with two of my dear friends. They weren't overly excited about me waking up that early but I was giddy with excitement. I took a bath and I would imagine that I ate breakfast. I don't remember much else about the morning. I remember going to get my hair done, my finger nails and toe nails. (For the first time.) My girlfriends were with me, scurrying around getting themselves ready.  When I arrived at the church it was cloudy and a bit dreary outside. The weather report hadn't been good but it didn't matter. At the end of the day I was still going to be Mrs. Donald Resemius.

Like every wedding day it certainly had it's short comings. My dress was beautiful, two peice with a corsette. Well when you wear a corsette it's important to have the ribbon that loops through the holes in the back and ties at the bottom. If you don't have this you're top isn't going to stay up. Well I left mine at our new house, that was an hour away from the church. Pictures were starting soon and I started to freak out just a little bit for the first time all day. My amazing hostess sewed the flower girl dress and designed it to look like mine. Being familiar with my dress she went to BEN FRANKLIN and found a ribbon that matched perfectly. Whew! Problem fixed. 

The day went on. I got to see my groom. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen in his black tuxedo, tan skin, dark hair! I was going to commit the rest of my life to him and I couldn't wait. 

So back to short comings.. ok.. so fast forward to the ceremony. We did pictures, and all that stuff. Well so here we are during the ceremony. Let me ask you something, Do you remember your wedding ceremony? I really don't. Kind of sad. My head was in the clouds, it had to have been in order to completely miss that the table cloth that our unity candle was sitting on had started on fire during the ceremony!! WHoops... 

Pastor Rob quickly put the fire out without skipping a beat. Neither Don or I even noticed but we heard about it later. I do remember standing at the altar with my groom. He flirted with me, and whispered cute things that no one else could hear. :) Standing there with him, was my highlight, and saying my vows. 

We were pronounced husband and wife at 7:03pm. I think it was after the ceremony that I realized what was happening outside and why there are people to this day that remember April 27th, 2002. Did we pick a day or what. There was a thunderstorm that night, complete with thunder (of course), lightening, rain, and SNOW!! It was the weirdest weather. However, by the time the reception started the snow added to the ambience of the night and it was breathtaking. Our church has a garden that is in the center of the church surrounded by glass and the top is open to the outside. The trees were blooming gorgeous white flowers and they were covered in lights. The snow was falling gently onto the trees, this was the view you had as you sat to eat dinner and listened to the string quartet playing by the fire. At one point Don and I ran outside ( I was barefoot, because I didn't want to wipe out in my wedding dress with 3" heels) and got our picture taken with the snow falling. :)

I can't help but talk about my wedding day as I celebrate our anniversary. I feel as though I am reliving it today. I can't believe it's been 7 years since that day, 11 years total that we have been dating and married, and 12 years that we have known each other. We have owned 2 houses, 3 dogs, we have watched friends get married, supported others as their hearts broke from divorce, grieved as friends laid their baby to rest, welcomed a child into our lives, anticipate the birth of a second, celebrated many christmases & other holidays, gone through A LOT Of jobs, celebrated the completion of a Masters Degree and anticipate the completion of another degree. There is probably so much more that I am not thinking of. I can't imagine what the future holds. What I do know is that I am sharing it with the person God intended me to walk through life with. The words catch in my throat as I try to imagine what to say about my husband. Rob shared a story at our wedding about a family that would put a puzzle together every year. One year they tried to put it together without the picture. It was so challenging and frustrating. He explained that marriage can be that way when you haven't had a picture of what a healthy marriage should be like. Don is a man who loves God, is strong, faithful, and committed. I think we have certainly seen the challenges of figuring out our marriage without that picture that we all so depserately need. However, again I know that this was the man that God intended for me because of those qualities he holds. Together we walk side by side with the Lord as our guide showing us little by little what it means to be a husband, a wife, to love unconditionally, and selflessly. I am so thankful for my husband and very proud of the man that God has shaped him to be. Happy Anniversary!! I love you.