....and the Princess had her day, actually DAYS to be exact!

The last several weeks have flown by so quickly with so many memories now implanted in our minds as the only reminder (besides the photos, of course). When I sit back and think about how much preparation and time went into planning my small, intimate wedding I still am surprised by how quickly it went by. It was a day more amazing and magical than any other day of my life except, and I emphasize a big except, for the days my two kiddos were born though being in pain from childbirth isn't exactly magical.

The week of the wedding brought my sister,brother-in-law and two beautiful nieces from Florida. It is always such a great feeling when I see them and knowing they came to share my special day with me made it so much better! My string bean and my jelly bean had grown since I saw them in January and I reveled in the hugs and smiles they gave to me. We all hung out and just had fun being together once again. This is a rare occurrence so when it happens we can't get enough of it. I kind of just want to drown in it like a good beer. Mom and Bob arrived Tuesday evening and Dad and Judy arrived late Thursday night.

Wednesday evening was my bridal shower. My sister and my very good friend Trisha (my other family) had planned a shower for me that was absolutely delightful. My closest friends were in attendance and I really felt like royalty. I cannot thank my sister and Trisha enough for giving me a little bit of something I never experienced before. It was to be a surprise but it was soon found out that the cat had to be let out of the hat. The girls didn't want several showers going on at the same time with the same people to be in attendance! We dined at la Madeleine, played games and I got presents....lots and lots and lots of wonderful pink presents and many, many gorgeous other things from all my friends so dear to me. It was all I could do not to cry becuase I honestly felt like I was a Princess and that all these people cared so much about me to share this with me just touched my heart so deeply.

After the shower we headed over to the McKinney Tavern and had some drinks and celebrated my last night out with the girls. While it was rather tame it was still a wonderfully fun time.

Thursday was game day. My son had his first game where he actually had someone else in attendance besides us and our "other" family. It was so nice that there was family here to watch him play and share in our excitement of seeing him out on the field doing something he loves. And to top if off, as if anything could be topped off at this point, they won the game! I cannot tell you how proud I feel when I see my son out on the field. I imagine it's the same feeling every parent has when watching his/her child do anything but it's just an amazingly warm fuzzy feeling.

Friday brought a day of running around doing last minute things that I was "allowed" to do (since I was told I was not doing anything on Saturday but relaxing and getting ready for the wedding) and rehearsal. Rehearsal went very well and then we noshed on pizza and beer before the guys set out for their night. When 4 a.m. rolled around and they were just getting home, we imagined they had made good on the "bachelor" party!

It was finally here, Saturday, the day I had been planning for for months. I had friends doing my running and family making sandwiches. My sister and daughter and I set out at 9 a.m. for our manicures/pedicures and later that day my sister and I went for a massage. The only way I could imagine spending the day of my wedding! Seriously! My girlfriend and her husband, who generously allowed us to wed in their backyard, really pulled out all the stops. Beth had a friend who just happened to visit during the time of our wedding and became known as the "wedding crasher" was there to help and the two of them did an absolutely smashing job decorating. When I walked out to see how it looked when I got over there for hair/makeup I took one look and just started crying. It could not have been more beautiful, really. Ig asked me the next day what I thought and it was so hard for me to verbalize just how I felt when I saw the way everything looked. Speechless........that's how I felt. But I tried to actually spit it out and did an extremely poor job. Seriously, it was amazing. I hope those taking candids and the photographer got photos of all the little extra touches that made it something that was so much more than I could have ever expected. Honestly, I told Beth she needed to rent out her house and her services and hold weddings there as a side business. Ig could get ordained and she could decorate and hostess and it would be some serious cash!

We had a very cool surprise. A little birdie told us a day or two before the wedding that Eric's sister, Lisa, was driving down for the wedding. Since up to that point we had resigned to the fact that no one from Eric's family would be attending we were very happy that she was coming. I know he was so happy to have someone here that could take home photos and a play-by-play. Even though the rest of his family was unable to make it, it was a real treat for her t be here on our special day. We are hoping she will come again soon.

After the ceremony we tried to spread ourselves thin enough for our guests to get a 'piece' of us and then we sat around and had a few beverages from the bar....ahem. After the kids, yes, I said the kids, destroyed the car we decided it was time to make our exit as husband and wife and enjoy our first evening together as a married couple.

Let me just thank everyone that pitched in to help in any way so that Eric and I could have our day. It really meant the world to us that you were all there to help and allow us to enjoy our wedding and honeymoon!

Sunday we arrived home in time to say goodbye to my sister and her family. Believe me, we had not planned on getting up and trying to scramble to get home but that is exactly what happened. I wanted so badly to see the girls before they left and to hug them and love them and kiss them and squeeze them and smell them and..........(remember that Looney Tunes cartoon with Hugo the Abdominable Snowman who would do that to Daffy Duck?) well, anyway, that's how I feel about them so we did exactly what we had not planned to do. We scrambled and hurried out the door so that we could say good-bye. We spent the rest of the day opening gifts,hanging out with family and packing for Jamaica. Everyone was so generous. We certainly did not expect the love everyone gave to us but we are so appreciative and will enjoy everything we received many times over. I haven't had time to detail what I want to go back and use the gift cards on but that is in the near, and I mean very near future!

Monday we got up at 3:30 a.m. to head for the airport for our trip to Jamaica and all I can say is that place is amazing! Couples Swept Away is wonderful and we decided while we were there that we are going back. We had the most relaxing and beautiful honeymoon. It was so amazing there and the people are so friendly and the food was great. My gosh, I'm surprised I didn't come home weighing an extra 10 pounds but I am happy to say that I didn't gain one pound even though I was eating nonstop and enjoying libations on the beach all day long. The only thing that disappointed me was knowing that I had to come home and I would have to make my own food to eat and that someone would not be waiting on me hand and foot like they did at the resort.



While we were at the resort we went on the Glass Bottom Boat ride and got a good view of Hedonism II and when I say view, I mean view. Gives new meaning to wind blowing through your hair! Ahem! We also saw Beaches and Sandals but by far, Couples blew those away. We enjoyed dinner our special dinners at the two fancy restaurants they have on the resort, Lemongrass and Feathers. Lemongrass is Thai and Feathers is gourmet. They were both good though I wouldn't say I'm ready to go out and eat Thai again. Feathers was good as well but I think I enjoyed The Palms much more. We loved the health food bar, Seagrass, and the biggest love there was the sweet potato chips and the dips that they served with them. They had a spicy Pumpkin Jalapeno dip and a super Tomato Jalapeno dip and an Artichoke something or other dip. Man I wish I had the recipes for them. All inclusive is definitely the only way to go!


Eric and I at Lemongrass


Love those little cool wet towels that smell like lemon and garnished with a beautiful flower. We got those when we arrived right before we got our champagne and they pass them out on the beach as well. Always thinking hygiene! -wink-

When we returned via McFarland Taxi Service we were surprised to see my dad here. We were unaware that he was going to be able to come back down to get mommom Judy and I was under the impression that I was going to be taking her back to meet my dad. Let me tell you, I was so happy my dad was here. I could actually spend some time with him, time I didn't have before the wedding while he was here. He works for FEMA and had to go back to work in Coffeeville the day after the wedding. Mommom Judy stayed with the kiddos while we were in Jamaica and I know she was happy when he showed up because she misses him so much when he is on the road. I should have figured though because he bought Eric's friend Doyle's Jeep the weekend of the wedding and he had to get it and take it back. I honestly just figured that I would be driving it back to good old South Dakota. Instead, he bought a trailer on the way back to Coffeeville the weekend before just so he could take the Jeep home. Oh how my son wants that Jeep so dad, how about a great 16th birthday present his way!!!!!!

Now it's back to the regular grind of life. I'm happy to be home and with the kids but sometimes I think back to how nice life was in Jamaica and wish that I could tap my heels and go back, if only for a moment! Life is good.........