Inspired by Alyssa
So... everything up to now.
The wedding was fabulous and amazing. Honestly, working up to it I was nervous about enjoying myself on the day of the wedding, but in the end I had a wonderful day, though it all seems a bit silly looking back now. I wish it could have lasted longer. The couple weeks before the wedding were marked by doing a lot of prep work, cooking meatballs, cutting fruit. All the food cost us less than $600 and it seemed to come out really well. A lot of people pitched in to help. An amazing number really, more than I was expecting. Holly put words to what I was feeling the day before my wedding, in the midst of almost twenty people helping set up. "These are the moments when you know how loved you truly are." I don't think I can thank everyone who pitched in enough, if only because you surrounded Juan and I with friendship and support. I really felt blessed, even though I may have seemed spastic and all over the place.
The morning of my wedding I woke up extra early, about 6 a.m. and Cheryl picked me up and when we went down to Webster to visit the cemetary. We didn't stay long, but we stayed long enough. It was a quiet start, and it didn't really pick up for awhile from there. Cheryl dropped me off at the mall, the Galleria, and I got my hair done. Laura and her mom picked me up, bought me a soda from the foodcourt, and bought Laura some make-up. Then we headed to the church, avoiding traffic fairly nicely. I went upstairs and started the whole getting ready bit. People arrived, we greeted, Janel painted my toenails, Che took charge of making sure details were panning out and I stayed upstairs in my little bubble of excitement and calm. Food was gathered and I ate a lot of fruit. The photographer arrived and photos began. People moved in and out, I focused pretty hard on not worrying about the schedule. Luckily I had surrounded myself with good people, who took care of problems as they arrived and created solutions so I didn't have to. I remember hanging out with Dad and Robbin, looking out the window into the lobby below. I didn't LOVE the flowers at first, but they grew on me immediately. They were wild and beautiful and very textured. I loved the courtyard and the centerpieces. I loved my bridesmaids. I love that Cheryl's hair looked hilarious, and that Laura's 'pixie do' looked insane. Oh and that all of my bridesmaids looked like they were trying to slip out of their dresses, oh those pesky straps. I started to get a little nervous when I was standing with my dad in the lobby. He was being sweet really, he kept patting my hand. I love my father, he's not always openly affectionate, but on my wedding day he made sure I knew how much he loved me. When he walked me in, we both thought there was supposed to be a music change... so we ended up standing there for a long time. It's allright though, because it relieved some of the nervous energy. When my dad dropped me off on my side, I was shaking really badly. I loved being able to see Juan because we were mouthing things to each other. ((nothin' dirty)). He looked so handsome and I loved the way his 'posse' looked lined up behind him. I shook all the way until we got to stand beside each other and he took my hand. Robbin fussed with my veil and sang me a little song about breathing. It was fabu-lash. Anyway, the ceremony was wonderful, though I almost forgot the words to my vows. The pictures after the wedding were really short. They didn't all come out great, but they came out well enough for what they were- stock family photos. (btw I think Juan's pre-photos turned out better than mine)
After photos we continued on to the reception, where we danced La Marcha and many other dances. The sausage was delicious and everything was beautiful. It's quite the rush to be able to walk up to anyone in the room and have the conversation suddenly turn to you! I love all the pictures I've seen. There was a bit of a bump because of some miscommunication about the music, but it was our wedding and we got over it and enjoyed ourselves. I loved my toasts, though Cheryl's was mostly funny because she started mumbling halfway through. She told me three times that day that she was proud of me and that mom would be too. Though she always muttered the last part while blushing and not looking at me. It's really very sweet. Oh! And Frank gave me mom's pearls before I went to take pictures. It was really wonderful and it meant a lot for me to be able to wear them.
Everyone dancing to Friends in Low Places was priceless, and so was Time Warp. Loved the dollar dance, Juan's dad is a REALLY good dancer. Juan's brother was fabulous the whole time and I got a great picture with us on the stairs. So, we left amidst bells (and yes a few were tossed AT me) with the teddy bears in tow (lest they get left behind). We met up with friends at our hotel room, just to veg. Didn't take that long to get out of the dress, but being in a corset all day left me feeling fairly stiff. We wandered down to the hot-tub, which ended up being a luke-warm tub, and thus sucking. The next day we headed back to CS and after that it was off to College Station.
It was wonderful and relaxing. We stayed at a hotel on the river walk and got to visit with Juan's family and do touristy stuff. We slept in late and had amazing married sex. It was low key, but it was the perfect counterpoint and I am really glad we got to spend time with Juan's family before we had to go back to Ohio.
Juan is on facebook now, if you are too, you should add him. Also, if you are on facebook and you have wedding photos you should put them on there. OR- if you aren't on facebook you should email me the wedding pictures you took, at least if they are digital if they aren't you might find it harder.
My roommates are both really fabulous and have really kept Juan and I from just staying at home all the time doing nothing. They are both really lively and have led to a number of fabulous weekend photos. I really would like to be able to get a new camera, but I just don't know when we will be able to afford it. The other day Juan and I went to a party held by some of the kitchen staff from Phan Shin's and it was a lot of fun. Juan got a new hat that he traded somebody for his bandana. I got to learn a little bit of dancing, and we played dominoes and just chatted, broken English, broken Spanish.
Things are great here really, I wish that I'd lived in this kind of situation a few years ago. It's invigorating and I like that it keeps me going out and doing things, but I think Juan and I are both feeling a little restless, wanting to have the same permanency in our life surrounding us as we now have with each other. I think we both find our own permanancy comforting and wonderful and I think the place we're living now is the perfect final thing before we settle into a more permanent location and more permanent jobs (or at least semi-permanent).
Well I suppose that's about it for now....
Maybe later I'll recount some stories told to me by Wen, the owner of Phan Shin's about her life in Cambodia under communism, her escape to Thailand and subsequent move from refugee camp to Cincinatti, Ohio.
The wedding was fabulous and amazing. Honestly, working up to it I was nervous about enjoying myself on the day of the wedding, but in the end I had a wonderful day, though it all seems a bit silly looking back now. I wish it could have lasted longer. The couple weeks before the wedding were marked by doing a lot of prep work, cooking meatballs, cutting fruit. All the food cost us less than $600 and it seemed to come out really well. A lot of people pitched in to help. An amazing number really, more than I was expecting. Holly put words to what I was feeling the day before my wedding, in the midst of almost twenty people helping set up. "These are the moments when you know how loved you truly are." I don't think I can thank everyone who pitched in enough, if only because you surrounded Juan and I with friendship and support. I really felt blessed, even though I may have seemed spastic and all over the place.
The morning of my wedding I woke up extra early, about 6 a.m. and Cheryl picked me up and when we went down to Webster to visit the cemetary. We didn't stay long, but we stayed long enough. It was a quiet start, and it didn't really pick up for awhile from there. Cheryl dropped me off at the mall, the Galleria, and I got my hair done. Laura and her mom picked me up, bought me a soda from the foodcourt, and bought Laura some make-up. Then we headed to the church, avoiding traffic fairly nicely. I went upstairs and started the whole getting ready bit. People arrived, we greeted, Janel painted my toenails, Che took charge of making sure details were panning out and I stayed upstairs in my little bubble of excitement and calm. Food was gathered and I ate a lot of fruit. The photographer arrived and photos began. People moved in and out, I focused pretty hard on not worrying about the schedule. Luckily I had surrounded myself with good people, who took care of problems as they arrived and created solutions so I didn't have to. I remember hanging out with Dad and Robbin, looking out the window into the lobby below. I didn't LOVE the flowers at first, but they grew on me immediately. They were wild and beautiful and very textured. I loved the courtyard and the centerpieces. I loved my bridesmaids. I love that Cheryl's hair looked hilarious, and that Laura's 'pixie do' looked insane. Oh and that all of my bridesmaids looked like they were trying to slip out of their dresses, oh those pesky straps. I started to get a little nervous when I was standing with my dad in the lobby. He was being sweet really, he kept patting my hand. I love my father, he's not always openly affectionate, but on my wedding day he made sure I knew how much he loved me. When he walked me in, we both thought there was supposed to be a music change... so we ended up standing there for a long time. It's allright though, because it relieved some of the nervous energy. When my dad dropped me off on my side, I was shaking really badly. I loved being able to see Juan because we were mouthing things to each other. ((nothin' dirty)). He looked so handsome and I loved the way his 'posse' looked lined up behind him. I shook all the way until we got to stand beside each other and he took my hand. Robbin fussed with my veil and sang me a little song about breathing. It was fabu-lash. Anyway, the ceremony was wonderful, though I almost forgot the words to my vows. The pictures after the wedding were really short. They didn't all come out great, but they came out well enough for what they were- stock family photos. (btw I think Juan's pre-photos turned out better than mine)
After photos we continued on to the reception, where we danced La Marcha and many other dances. The sausage was delicious and everything was beautiful. It's quite the rush to be able to walk up to anyone in the room and have the conversation suddenly turn to you! I love all the pictures I've seen. There was a bit of a bump because of some miscommunication about the music, but it was our wedding and we got over it and enjoyed ourselves. I loved my toasts, though Cheryl's was mostly funny because she started mumbling halfway through. She told me three times that day that she was proud of me and that mom would be too. Though she always muttered the last part while blushing and not looking at me. It's really very sweet. Oh! And Frank gave me mom's pearls before I went to take pictures. It was really wonderful and it meant a lot for me to be able to wear them.
Everyone dancing to Friends in Low Places was priceless, and so was Time Warp. Loved the dollar dance, Juan's dad is a REALLY good dancer. Juan's brother was fabulous the whole time and I got a great picture with us on the stairs. So, we left amidst bells (and yes a few were tossed AT me) with the teddy bears in tow (lest they get left behind). We met up with friends at our hotel room, just to veg. Didn't take that long to get out of the dress, but being in a corset all day left me feeling fairly stiff. We wandered down to the hot-tub, which ended up being a luke-warm tub, and thus sucking. The next day we headed back to CS and after that it was off to College Station.
It was wonderful and relaxing. We stayed at a hotel on the river walk and got to visit with Juan's family and do touristy stuff. We slept in late and had amazing married sex. It was low key, but it was the perfect counterpoint and I am really glad we got to spend time with Juan's family before we had to go back to Ohio.
Juan is on facebook now, if you are too, you should add him. Also, if you are on facebook and you have wedding photos you should put them on there. OR- if you aren't on facebook you should email me the wedding pictures you took, at least if they are digital if they aren't you might find it harder.
My roommates are both really fabulous and have really kept Juan and I from just staying at home all the time doing nothing. They are both really lively and have led to a number of fabulous weekend photos. I really would like to be able to get a new camera, but I just don't know when we will be able to afford it. The other day Juan and I went to a party held by some of the kitchen staff from Phan Shin's and it was a lot of fun. Juan got a new hat that he traded somebody for his bandana. I got to learn a little bit of dancing, and we played dominoes and just chatted, broken English, broken Spanish.
Things are great here really, I wish that I'd lived in this kind of situation a few years ago. It's invigorating and I like that it keeps me going out and doing things, but I think Juan and I are both feeling a little restless, wanting to have the same permanency in our life surrounding us as we now have with each other. I think we both find our own permanancy comforting and wonderful and I think the place we're living now is the perfect final thing before we settle into a more permanent location and more permanent jobs (or at least semi-permanent).
Well I suppose that's about it for now....
Maybe later I'll recount some stories told to me by Wen, the owner of Phan Shin's about her life in Cambodia under communism, her escape to Thailand and subsequent move from refugee camp to Cincinatti, Ohio.