University

Did I mention my husband is studying to become a structural engineer? No? Oh, well he is, and let me tell you...he the most intelligent person I know.

Do you understand this? (if you do please remain silent)





amazing right?

I'm more of a history person. Throw a series of numbers at me and I go blank and my brain shuts down. The worst part is when he tries to explain it to me. Are you serious?! Save your breath and let me go back to watching some High School students break out into song. I've learned how to ignore him, but still look like I'm listening intently. Is that mean? I really do think it's fantastic that he's so passionate about something so...complicated and that he takes proper care of me, but please stop making me feel so stupid! My husband is getting his bachelor's next spring and will continue on for another 2 years for a master's. So we'll be up in the frozen nether regions for a while. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it up here! Six hours away from family, winter 9 months out of the year (it's late June right now and it's 52 degrees), beautiful diverse college town, and a whopping three blocks from the nearest beach. I can't think of a better place to wait for him to be finished with school.

Honeymoon

Can you say fantastic? I can't believe we weren't even going to have a honeymoon until 2 months before the wedding. What the Hell was I thinking? Forget the wedding, let's just go on a week long vacation in beautiful northern Michigan. It was just what we needed after all the stress over family drama and mayhem. We stayed at the Park Place Hotel in downtown Traverse City and pretty much just relaxed. We ate room service, went for long walks, took a drive around the peninsula, and took advantage of their hot tub and swimming pool. We were finally married and it was an amazing feeling! He was my Husband and we were officially a family now. Without further adieu...pictures!

Fairytale come true: The Wedding

I can't remember being as happy as I was on my wedding day. I felt like I was on a cloud and nothing that anyone said or did could ruin it. My husband and I decided to see each other before the ceremony so that we could get most of the pictures done and we could enjoy more of the reception  together. I remember being so nervous...what if he didn't like my gown? Or my veil, makeup, hair? I was in a panic. Then he turned and saw me in the corner and I will never forget the look on his face. It was as if he was seeing an angel. I was the only one that saw that look and that's how it should be. It was too intimate of a moment for 100+ people to witness.

The ceremony was a blur and before we knew it we were officially Mr. and Mrs.
The Best Man later said that he was amazed that I didn't drop the ring when I reached for it because my
hands were shaking so bad. I was surprised when he said this, I was a little nervous, but not as much as the day before during the rehearsal. The day before when I saw the chairs and ceremony set up I felt like it was my execution the next morning. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't getting cold feet about marrying this man, it was the people. I don't enjoy large crowds and when I'm the center of attention bad things happen. But by some miracle, nothing catastrophic happened. I didn't drop the ring, I repeated my vows loud and clear, I only tripped slightly, and my mother's sobbing was only moderate.

The reception was full of the awkward moments that every wedding requires. The kiss demands from the guests, the weird uncalled for glares from his distant aunt,the inappropriate behavior from some of the younger guests, and snide comments from my older sister. But up on my fluffy cloud everything was perfect and nothing bothered me. I was a newlywed with a bright persistent hope for the future and a family of my own. We danced for hours along with the wedding party and took family portraits. I remember one instance when his mother stood between us during a photo and I wanted to switch places. "Oh, no no no! It's fine!" She said. "No, I would prefer to be by my Husband." I replied. It was such a small moment, but it was the first time I was "allowed" to stand up to her. From that day on she had lost control of him and I was now more important and higher on the priority list than her...even though it's been that way since we started dating. Everyone played nice and didn't mention how young we were and congratulated us. The guests went through the motions of complimenting me on my ensemble, my handsome husband, and fawning over my rings, but days later I couldn't get rid of the feeling that everything they said was dripping with sarcasm...or was it only paranoia?  I was so used to hearing nasty condescending comments from family and strangers that I couldn't believe that these people were genuine. I keep telling myself that even if I was 38 years old verses 18 people would still have a pessimistic view on our marriage and be making bets on how long it would last. People have very little hope in marriage these days.

Just for kicks here's a few more pictures!

Once upon a time...

Becoming a teen Bride was not a decision I made lightly. Before I met my future husband I had every intention of going to a university and getting a degree in history and seeing where life took me. I remember hearing a speaker say there is always one event in a person's life that is the separating point, for example: before natural disaster, after natural disaster. Mine was before I met my husband and afterward. I was young and naive, and frankly I still am, and was the "new girl" in school and never had a guy's attention before. It was completely knew for me to have multiple guys wanting to take me out and I soaked it all in and had my first heartbreak as a result. Then, as if on que, my now husband swept into the picture and I've been with him ever since.

We went through our struggles mainly because of his family's controlling and manipulative ways in the years to come, but came out a stronger couple. At the tender age of 17 and 19, after a few years of dating, we decided we were going to get married after I finished school. I made the tough decision of not going to college and working until my husband's finished with school then becoming a housewife and mother. I knew I could do both, but I felt I was forcing myself to choose a career when what I really wanted to was take care of my family. I went through the rest of High School in a daze, dreaming about the wedding and marriage and how great it's going to be. I felt different from my classmates who were crying over a boy while I was on my way to the altar and had my life planned out well before my time. I only had a couple friends that I felt comfortable with and rarely went out and did any normal teen activities. Instead, I focused more on my future with my fiance that lived 6 hours away while he was going to university. We spoke on the phone each night and saw each other every 2-3 months or so...this went on for 2 years. I skipped my junior and senior prom and graduation parties while planning the wedding.
A week after I graduated, we got married.