3 Years Today

The saying is true! Time truly does fly when you are having fun.

*little warning...this is a long post.

June 20, 2011; Adam and I celebrate our 3rd Wedding Anniversary! Which sounds so crazy to me. I can remember our Wedding Day so well and it's still so fresh in my mind. I hope that doesn't ever change, though I know it probably will someday. I can still remember the giddy feelings I had for him, and how my heart raced as I walked down the aisle looking at his face covered in tears. It was such a sweet ceremony and reception, with such a sweet, romantic atmosphere.

It was absolutely perfect.

I never knew how much work it was going to be. Having an interior decorator as a mother in-law is a wonderful thing, she got us into a lot more than I could have imagined and I was so grateful for it. 

Adam and I were very blessed by his Mother and his Grandparents for everything they did to get Suzie's home and yard looking like it came out of a magazine. The grass was thick and plush, the house was powered washed and white as snow. Suzie started flowers in her greenhouse in the early spring so that we would have blue flowers around to match the theme, and have sweet potato vines wherever we wanted them. It was beautiful, and that is an understatement.

Our flowers were blue and green hydrangeas. We also had bells of Ireland, green button mums, and other lovelies.

We hung mason jars from the trees in the front yard with little votives in them. They were also scattered in the field around the yard in the grass.

The tables were round with white linens, and they were decorated with dark candelabras and little silver and green bulbs that were either lit or had a hydrangea bloom in them.

We also scattered skeleton keys around on tables and picture frames, it added romance to the atmosphere (I also collect keys).

I stayed the night in Nick's room at my in-laws the night before the wedding while he spent the night with Adam at his apartment for some "brother time" before starting a new chapter.

I remember being so excited that but still got a wonderful night's sleep somehow.

I can remember waking up throwing on my robe and going down stairs. 

Suzie was on the computer watching the weather, it was dark outside and raining.

We were both worrying about the rain and if it would let up in time to put the tables out on the lawn. I walked into the living room and it was cool, there were buckets of Hydrangeas and mums and greenery sitting all around. I can remember the smell and the cold floor on my feet. I was beyond excited and the reality that I would be changing my name that evening had finally set in.

I helped set up tables when the rain finally started to pass until I absolutely had to go back inside and wash my hair. I packed my bag for the day and loaded up to be dropped off at the church. Wearing my hair in a towel and a robe on with my "wedding day flip flops".

Aunt Lora brought me a turkey subway sandwich and a Pepsi to drink.

I wanted to get my hair done alone, to give me some quiet time before all the hustle and bustle. I'm so glad I did, it was wonderful.

Caroline did my hair, I had worked with her at the jewelry store during the holiday season and she offered to do my hair and makeup as a gift. She did such a wonderful job, I couldn't have asked for a better person for the job.

As she finished my hair, the girls began to arrive. After they got dressed we went and took pictures as Caroline put my makeup on in the bathroom, we got some great pictures in there.

Sweet Cynthia did all of our flowers for the day. She is so wonderful.

After we finished that it was time for me to put my dress on. While the guys took their turn with the photographer outside.

My dress was beautiful, I never imagined it to look the way it did. The girls helped me get into it and then we took our turn outside for more pictures =).

Then it was time to exchange letters with Adam.

I had wrote him a letter about how excited I was and how blessed I felt to be marrying him. We didn't see or speak to each other all day so I was especially excited to read his. He didn't just send a letter to me though, he had the jeweler that made my necklace for the wedding, make a matching bracelet for me to wear that day, that I knew nothing about. SO sweet.

It was wrapped in a small antiqued white box with an old key stuck on top, tied with a sheer navy blue ribbon. It was beautiful and perfect, his letter was so sweet too. I still have it put up. I need to find it and add it to this post. (might do that later)

After all of that was over we all just sat and talked until family started arriving. I had lots of visitors and lots of hugs and kisses. I wasn't nervous at all and I didn't shed a tear all day (HUGE surprise to me).

It was time to go, the girls were all gone and it was just me and my dad waiting to be called out of the dressing room.

We started to walk to the foyer when we knew all the boys had made it to the front of the sanctuary. That was such a special time between us, and I'll never forget it.

The wedding went smoothly. My sweet husband cried throughout the whole ceremony, which really touched my heart.

I had a surprise song lined up to sing for him (I will be here by Steven Curtis Chapman), I thought for sure I would cry then but I was too happy for tears.

We did a foot washing and took communion. Our wedding party said a prayer for us, and Bro. Ronnie announced us husband and wife.

We stayed after for pictures while our guests went before us to the reception.

We joined them later in Grandpa Jacks 66' red Ford Fairlane.

As we pulled in, the driveway was lit with white twinkle lights and there were candles floating on the pond. It was dusk and everything looked so beautiful.

We started the reception with the cutting of the cake and followed with the dances.

We had so many of our friends and family there. Our biggest regret was that we didn't stay long enough to visit with all of them.

We received so many compliments on our decorations and the set up. It truly was like a date night for most couples, including us, and the weather was perfect and cool for June.

Centerpiece on the food table

It was getting close to ten o'clock, and we decided to have our last dance to "Come Away With  Me" by Nora Jones.

After the dance we said our goodbyes and drove to Adam's apartment where we had our change of clothes ready and bags packed for Destin, FL.

We hardly got to eat any of the wonderful food that was served at the reception so we stopped at McDonald's on our way out of town (haha, I had chicken nuggets go figure...that cracks me up.)

It was such a wonderful beginning to our marriage.

 The first year was definately a tough one for us but thankfully it just seems to get easier with each passing year. Of course, I have to give all the credit to the Lord for seeing us through it. Our prayer is that He continues to walk with us each day, as we couldn't make it very far without him.

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!

I love you so much and I'm looking forward to the rest of my life with you.