happy 5 years to us!

we made it!
FIVE whole years!

and to celebrate
we had a wine dinner

on our dock with some of our friends
four courses

four different wines

or beer...for those that can't handle their wine

two years!

we've officially made it to two years of wedded bliss!
and yes, i'm still calling it wedded bliss
because it truly is!

i think when you wait as long as i did to find "the one", he really is
it has its advantages and disadvantages though
advantage - you've gotten your independence out of your system and know what you want
disadvantage - you've been single so long you're pretty set in your own ways

with each passing day i learn to love him more than the day before
as i try to accept the independent ways he's set for himself
and he tries to accept mine

i wouldn't change my life with sean and duke for anything
i think we have a pretty amazing family and life together

as for our plans to celebrate?
i'm laying in a hotel bed enjoying the beautiful flowers my honey had waiting for me when i checked in
(even though i changed hotels at the last minute and completely freaked him out)

it helps some but, truth be told, i'd rather be spending it with my family, cuddling on the couch

this man...

has been gone for far too long...

Remember the London trip?  Well, we went because Sean had been there for work since November (love me a vacation with a free place to stay).

I can't say it's been easy...or enjoyable...being home alone while he's off touring Europe working hard.
In fact it's been the hardest thing I've had to do in quite some time.

I didn't realize how much I had come to love having him around 24/7.
I knew we were meant to be together considering we could work together all day and still want to be around each other after work.
So, when he's all of a sudden not around, I freak out!

6 hours doesn't sound like much - but it is when you're trying to find time to talk during the day.

But he's back now and I'm ecstatic!!!

I love that he loves my baby as his own.
I love that he supports me no matter how many hobbies I try.

I love that he loves to travel as much as I do.
I love that he's such a softy - even if he doesn't want people to know.
I love his free spirit and fun nature.

I love that he's also focused and gets stuff done.
I love our life together and so glad we're physically back together!!!

where you'll find me

Having just had our first anniversary we did a lot of reminiscing about our wedding and honeymoon.  The fondest of memories always returned to all those evenings we enjoyed the sunsets in Thailand with all those amazing colors and the waves crashing....

and that evening when it looked like the ocean was putting the sun out...

cuddling in my husband's arms enjoying a glass of wine - trying to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.  Could it really be that I finally had someone I could call my "husband"?  Would I ever get used to using that word?

Oh, to be back in that moment without a care in the world, just enjoying each other and looking forward to the life we would share together until eternity.  So we could relive that moment all summer, every summer we picked out this amazing chair for the dock (baby not included).

with the top all the way down - great when you're wanting full on sun

the top in this position is best in the morning sun

if it's not too windy you can put the top straight up to shade the mid-afternoon sun

the top flipped all the way over offers just the right shade for sleeping babies

As you can see, it's enjoyed by young and old alike.

baby Isla (what a great model)

Sean, Grammie and Duke

Even though there are no pictures of it, I've spent my fair share of time in it - have even had a nap in it.

Because it's so sweet I have to tell you about how my husband surprised me.  I was out of town and he told me it wasn't coming until after I got back.  I got in from my flight at 11:00 pm and it was an extremely hot evening for Maine.  It was 10 degrees hotter inside the house (we don't have AC).  Sean said "let's go down on the dock and cool off and check out the stars".  This was not that unusual as we spend a lot of nights out looking at the stars - it's one of the benefits to living where you don't get city light pollution.  When we got down to the dock he shined the flashlight on it.  I was so surprised and we curled up on the day bed.  We almost slept out there all night (but were afraid of Duke trying to play with all the nocturnal creatures).  I love surprises when they're great like that!!!

faith

It's official - we have now been married for exactly one year.  It was the most amazing wedding if I do say so myself.  Everything was perfect!  The entire thing was a culmination of faith though.  Faith is acceptance of what we cannot see but feel deep within our hearts.  In this day and age, people have so much trouble with faith.  If they can't see it, it just can't be true.  It usually has a religious context and how people that believe in God have to do so by faith - we cannot and have not seen him so we only know he exists by faith.  I have this kind of faith; I know he exists deep down within my heart.

I think it's having this faith that allowed me to be so calm on my wedding day - I had faith...

faith that I would find that someone special some day

faith that he would also find me

faith that two children under 5 and a dog could make it down the aisle

faith that it wouldn't rain (as for why I didn't need a back-up plan)

faith that the clouds would roll in at the right time for perfect picture lighting

faith that everything would go exactly like I wanted

faith everyone would get there and home safely

faith that at least one of our Grandparents would be there to see it

faith everyone would fall in love with Maine and want to come back and visit us over and over

faith that my life will end up even better than I could ever imagine

Some of my favorite/most memorable parts of the day:

• having breakfast dropped on the floor during breakfast with my attendants
• candlepin bowling with all my girls the morning of the wedding
• turning the corner coming down the "aisle" to Stairway to Heaven (orchestral version) to see all my friends and family staring back
• the look on Sean's face
• having Sean's grandmother there
• the sand ceremony
• bagpipes by the neighbor
• first trip around the lake as husband and wife upon the "Ship O'Fools"
• ride to the reception
• showing Maine what the Cotton Eyed Joe is
• proving to Sean that people really do dance at weddings in Maine
• extending the reception each time they told us it was time to go
• being able to have all our closest friends and family there to enjoy the day with us
• taxi ride home after walking through the sparkler path

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Now for what you've all been waiting for...

the winner is...

That does sound funny, but mean at the same time.  Fourteen people in a wedding party - WOW!

Please send me an email so we can coordinate when you would like to receive them.  They're live so you're going to want to receive them the day you're going to cook them.

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pictures by numerous wedding guests and Duke

Thanks to everyone that tried for the lobster giveaway.  We really enjoyed hearing about your favorite memories from weddings past and I've really enjoyed reliving the memories from my wedding with you.

wedding week recap: rehearsal dinner

 With not really telling people much about the wedding, we really needed a rehearsal.  So after I was done getting pampered at the nail salon everyone showed up at the Camp ready to do a walk-through.  It took us 3-4 times of going through it before we finally got it right and I felt comfortable everyone knew what to do and when (including me). 

The rain started to show up during the rehearsal but that didn't stop us.  It did prompt more of the "what's your back-up plan" questions though - which I didn't have and didn't need (in my mind at least).

Now that we were all ready with the wedding it was time to relax, enjoy my last night of freedom, I mean singledom, and crack some lobstahs!  The neighbors were nice enough to let us have the rehearsal dinner in their garden (which I've blogged about before).  I was dressed and ready in my cute little apron I got as a shower gift.

We had lots of lobster newbies - mostly my family - but I was impressed they tried in the first place.  My nephews (who happen to be twins) had an arrangement worked out.  One ordered lobster and one a steak; that way if one didn't like the lobster they still had something to eat.

Sean's uncle was there to give lessons to the less experienced.

This allowed us a little time to actually sit down and enjoy the feast, too.

Remember the sprinkles I mentioned during the rehearsal?  Well, we lucked out that the downpour held off until right after all the food was cooked and brought under the tent.  Sean's Grandma felt so sorry for Duke.  She insisted on drying him off.

After the dinner any other guests in town were invited to come over for drinks and socializing...

and cigars?

Do you know how dark it gets in the woods in Maine at night?  Here Jennea models a headlamp to guide you to the potty.

Midnight quickly approached and it was time for us to go our separate ways.  I'm a traditionalist that way - no seeing each other before the wedding.  So Sean headed to Tim's house with all "his guys" and I headed to the Camp with all "my girls" to get some rest before the big day.  It was hard to go to sleep thinking about all the fun we would have the next day and giggling about Charlie Bartlett but somehow we managed.

Come back tomorrow to find out how the wedding went, if it rained and who won the lobster dinner giveaway.

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Pictures compliments of Jennifer, Tamara and Mom.

You have until midnight pacific time to leave a comment for the lobster giveaway.  Find the "a one year giveaway" post in the archives list to leave a comment for your chance.

wedding week recap: the best surprise ever

It took quite an orchestration and help from some of Sean's friends but it was all worth it.  We got Sean, and we got him good!!!  Someone, somewhere, some very long time ago decided when two people get married that they should get each other a present.  Isn't my love enough, or the ring (as Sean would probably say)?

Anyway, I decided I would partake in this "tradition" and set out to find a gift for my soon to be husband.  I knew what I wanted to get but needed some help from Rob and Andy.  So they set out to read through Uncle Henry's and scout the side of the road and whatever else they did.  Soon I think almost all of his friends knew what I was trying to get him and were very excited - so excited that you would think I was getting it for them.  I'm very proud of their ability to keep it from him though considering how excited they were.

Sean got a little suspicious when I left one night to see one they found.  We hardly ever leave the house without each other.  After quizzing Rob and Andy over and over about it we decided this was the one.  Rob and Andy took care of everything - picked it up, cleaned it up, stored it, delivered it, and decorated it.

Sean helped with the surprise factor and didn't even know it.  It had been a yucky day weather wise so our plans of barbecuing with my family turned into a trip to Pat's Pizza instead (Sean's idea which helped them deliver the boat and get it decorated).  After dinner my nephews rode home with us in the Jeep.  Sean decided to drive them over to a nearby lake to see some trails to take the Jeep on.  This gave all the family and friends that were in town time to get to the Camp to get ready for the surprise.

Pulling up Sean was a little surprised by the amount of cars there but it's not unusual for a bunch of people to drop by, especially during the wedding week.  But they were all there, patiently waiting for us to get back.

With the gift, decorated and ready to be revealed, we finally showed up.

Sean's reaction was priceless.  He said one thing "Are you serious?"  There wasn't another word said for about 20 minutes.  Can you see his hands over his mouth still - completely speechless.  I promised him I wouldn't put up the picture of him crying (oops did I say that?).  Don't let him fool you, he's such a softy!

Andy tried to teach him all about how to use the new party boat but I'm sure it all went in one ear and out the other.

As you can see, Duke loved riding around in the boat...

I found a great spot for some sunning...

and of course there were many friends in town for the wedding to give sunset tours of the lake to.

I'd like to give a great big "thank you" to Rob and Andy for all their help and for all the friends and family that were there to share in the event.  I will never be able to top that though.  The stars were all aligned that day to pull off the best surprise ever.  Will the stars remain aligned to pull off the best wedding ever (in my opinion of course)?  You'll have to come back tomorrow to find out more.

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Some photos by me, some by Tamara and some by Mom.