A Few More

Sorry the recap hasn't happened yet; jet lag, the REM concert, and general tiredness have been hanging over this loft. I'm super tired still.... but here are a couple more photos. I'll have more today, and then I can properly do a recap (I have almost no photos of the ceremony yet).

William and I with our certificate and minister, who was AWESOME. Shaka, brah!


William and I with a sign that we think his great-grandpa (we were confused; his grandpa or his mom's grandpa?) who did cartoons for the local paper.

In case you can't read the sign in the photo, it says "Yes, We Done "It". Just Married...and for the first time, too!" Then there's a little drawing of a rolling pin, which is labeled "A Bride's Weapon".

I don't know exactly what's happening here, other than it's during the ceremony, but I love the photo...

Classy Bride

I don't have any photos of the ceremony yet; we just got back today at about 2 pm. (Yes, a day later than we planned, more on that later.)

More writing tomorrow, a big recap, but I'm honestly exhausted.

So, I leave you with a photo of the classiest bride ya ever saw:



What? I was hungry, and canned, radioactive colored cheese with chips was readily available as we waited for our catering after the ceremony!

I hope to get some ceremony photos tomorrow. . .plus other photos to come with all kinds of loverly details.

Sigh. Total bliss. It was perfect, honestly perfect, far better than I could have ever imagined for us.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow morning, we are leaving. We are embarking on one of our biggest adventures of our lives.

I ran errands almost all day today; I'm packing right now, or finishing. I got the people on the airline to agree to hang and store my dress for free, and still allow me another carry-on (it required two phone calls, the second put through to a much nicer operator). I thanked her profusely and told her she made my day. I'm hoping we might get a free upgrade tomorrow, but she said she couldn't say one way or the other, but that the airline does do that for people. Hope for me!

I finalized everything with the wedding planner. Flowers are being planned; guitarist is hired with songs to practice. Plans for the night before, getting ready, underway. Our first days in Hawaii are so close we can nearly smell the plumeria in the air. I had my ring cleaned today so it's nice and sparkly.

I have paperwork, directions, folders, wedding accoutrements of all kinds in my carryon. Nothing that goes to the wedding goes in the suitcase. I hope my carryon fits the dimensions...I will practice my "i'm getting married" pout and smile.

We are drinking red wine and watching tv and packing and this will be our last night in our little loft as a "dating" couple. Our last night of two last names in one residence.

It was a beautiful day in Minnesota today--sunny and warm and blooms exploding everywhere. Yet I'm not sad to leave a stretch of decent weather for Hawaii, for the wedding, it is happening, it is here, it is upon me, and I can hardly believe it.

Tears, happy ones, have tracked down my face several times today. I'm starting to feel the emotional and physical load of all this, facing marriage, the rest of my life with my honey.

I was completely overwhelmed and felt so loved by all the people who called me today and wished me congratulations and early happy marriage and safe travels, all the blog comments and emails and facebook messages on my wall. Who said they just had me in their thoughts. Happy messages that kept my stress level down, that made me feel so loved by everyone. Thank you.

Tonight William said to me, "When we get old and it is snowing and I hold your hand to help you cross the street, you'll feel warm when you think of this night, the night before we leave for Hawaii." Then he leaned over and kissed me, and all I could do was cry.

The next time you hear from me, I'll be a married woman. I can't promise photos or entries while I'm gone but I will try.

One Week

In one week, I will be wed to the love of my life.

I will be in Hawaii in two days.

I laid off coffee, and pop, even though I want my caffeine drip so badly I can taste it (and have the headaches to prove the withdrawal). But this non-sleep thing has to go. Last night I slept pretty well, and the night before. I will take your advice on the Simply Sleep though, ladies! Thanks!

Tonight we booked our inter-island flights, our rental cars, and generally got a little freaked about money. We pulled out our suitcases and started putting our stuff in them. Tomorrow I will finish packing, saving for the things that I am going to need the morning of. I have a few errands to run, too, tomorrow.

Then it's the Idol finale and resting up before our big flight.

Just saying that releases a storm of butterflies in my stomach. A storm. we're renting cars, booking lodging, we are packing, we are leaving, we are goinggoinggone to Hawaii on Thursday morning.

Just like that. Paradise for multiple reasons.

I am one week from being a Mrs. Two days from Hawaii. Completely broke but completely excited for the adventure ahead.

I can hardly keep my mind on anything else.

8 Days

Sunday morning, 7 a.m. My usual M.O. would be to sleep another three or so hours, maybe lounge around with coffee and the Sunday paper (read: the Target ad), and maybe shower around 1 or 2, with some light cleaning in between. No need to get ambitious on a Sunday, in my mind.

But let me tell you something: I was up at 7:54 this morning. I find this utterly obscene. Just illegal.

I am so tired. I don't know how to drive that point home. My eyes burn, my stomach hurts, my limbs feel like lead many times throughout the day. Then I lie down in bed, and. . . nothing. Eyes wide open. Sometimes I fall asleep right away and as I am sinking, sinking, sinking (ahhhh yes, sweet sleep), I think to myself "Tonight's the night. Full night's rest, dude." And then around, oh, 2 a.m., there I am, wide awake. And then again, maybe around 5 a.m. And then, up for good around 8.

I have tried all manner of things; wearing myself out physically, thinking about sleep, all my usual tricks that usually lull me to slumber every night have failed. Yesterday we went to Art-a-Whirl, typically one of my favorite things to do each year, and I was SO TIRED. I barely spoke the whole day (although I enjoyed it). My brain is simply too deprived to talk about art. (Example: I thought a painting of a tornado was a photograph of a closeup of a grapefruit. After that, no talky-talky.)

I don't know what is going on with me, but I just might go crazy if I don't get some shut-eye soon. For reals.

This morning, William is driving his parents to the airport. The AIRPORT. We are getting to this point now. People are going, they are leaving on the airplane to take their Hawaiian vacation. We leave in FOUR DAYS. In eight, we will be married.

I guess I am like that kid in the Disneyland commercial: I'm too excited to sleep!

That's about all I can figure.

Superstition

More posts later, but I"m on deadline for a story tomorrow.

I just have to say.

Happy Birthday, Stevie Wonder!

Let's give a little love to the legendary genius. I can listen to Stevie in any kind of mood, and instantly feel better. A lot of people get caught up in his '80s "I Just Called to Say I Love You", but come on. To the man who wrote Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Master Blaster, Higher Ground, and my personal favorite—Superstition.

If you don't believe the man was the funk masta, or even if you do, you have to check out his rocking appearance on Sesame Street. No, I am not kidding, and get ready to groove. It's my favorite. Dance with me, now.

Knock, Knock

WeeMo, let me in!