Ardennen

Our summer family vacation came together in the form of a camping trip to the Belgian Ardennen. It's a beautiful, woodsy area, hilly, and a complete nature-lovers paradise...nature being the key word when we discuss our family adventure. Nature as in outdoors. Nature as in under the cloud-covered, misty, grey, dripping wet skies....for 90% of our vacation. Still, not being one to complain about travels, we had a really good time and lots of fun moments all together as a family. (Such as when Kaeden called the bunkbeds 'Double-Deckers') We didn't take the tents, knowing beforehand that the weather Gods were not with us, but rented a tiny little hut with nothing more than 4 beds to give us shelter from the storm. It did the job...

Share Some Of Our Summer Fun!

Vedauwoo

I remember back to the morning of my wedding...actually, the days leading up to my wedding. So many visitors, so much to do...a house full of strangers to each other trying to all mix and mingle and come to know one another before the day they'd all land together in one place for a special event....my event, the day I had invited them to share a memorable and treasured moment...my wedding day.

I tried to keep my butterflies alive as they emerged from their cocoons. Beautful, but small, butterflies I had raised all on my own, to complete our ceremony with an Indian Prayer. I cried when I had to be pulled away from necessary jobs and attend my bridal shower, hosted by my aunt in a locl restaurant, inviting everyone she could gather together for the ocassion. I tried to be happy, but was annoyed, until I arrived at the restaurant and everyone was there, there for me...and I was happy.

I went to the beautician to have my hair done for the ceremony, and the bridal wreath of little flowers looked more like the death crown worn by God as he was nailed on the cross. Tears welled in my eyes but I emerged with little pieces of the crown all pieced together by the beautician in a simple little wreath I had so desired, with tiny baby's breath circling my head like a halo, curls rippling around my head.

I took off in my best friend's car to the wedding site, an outdoor location surrounded by natural rock formations, hoping everyone had and would arrive as expected. I had no idea who was ready or not, but knew only that I saw my groom waiting for me as I sneaked behind the rocks waiting for 12 oçlock noon...the time of our wedding ceremony.

The bridal music came on, much to my surprise and happiness. Someone had come through and found the wedding march. I think it was my cousin, though I still don't know for sure. But when the music played, my dad and my son walked me to meet my groom, passing wildflowers and big rocks with all of our guests sitting on the rocks in the sun...a picture-perfect day.

My singers, a good friend and my aunt, sang the songs we had chosen for our wedding. Daddy's Girl brought tears to my dad's eyes, and I saw many guests wiping away tears as Kaeden gave his mama's hand away in marriage. All along, Jari climbed in my arms begging for 'milka'. He was thirsty in the heat, as were numerous other guests.

We said our vows, me stopping to gain my composure as a crying jag came upon me. My almost husband rubbed my shoulder and waited for me to complete the words which would make us husband and wife. I looked out at all the people and felt blessed to be standing there, next to my husband, with all these people witnessing something so beautiful as our marriage.

The candles of our unity candle, held by our moms, lit. A true miracle n Windy Wyoming. We became a family united that day, August 9th, at Vedauwoo. The day I became my husband's wife, his life partner, his companion forever. The day our rings, those circles of union, were placed on each other's fingers, never ending.

It was 7 years ago that my marriage became a reality. It was 7 years ago my husband picked me. It was 7 years ago, I gave everything as a single woman away, and chose everything that comes with marriage. I chose to share, to give, to love.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't have it with any other man. I made all the right choices on August 9th, 2003 at 12 oçlock at Vedauwoo. I became Mrs. I became his wife. I became Me.

Happy Anniversary to the Man of My Reality. Even better than the man of my dreams. XOXO