this day... two years ago

September 15.

That date bring all sorts of happy memories flooding my mind. Two years ago, it was the day before my wedding day. It was a day full of preparations, last-minute arrangements, and just a little stress. It was a whirlwind of activity... and anticipation. Lots of heart-stopping, tummy-tickling, happy-sighing anticipation. I'll never forget how I felt that day, knowing that there were only a few hours left between my life as it had always been, and how it was going to be from then on. The next day, my wedding day- September 16, was the second-most pivotal moment of my life, second only to the day my eyes were opened to see the Lord as beautiful. But September 15 was full of *promise*... and the anticipation of the sweet fulfillment of the promise long hoped for.
I remember only a few actual details, like how windy it was and how I prayed for beautiful weather for the next day (it was gorgeous), I remember having a very special time of worship/singing at the piano in my parents house with Rob, my sister, and my friend and bridesmaid, April Talley Williamson. I remember flitting about at the church, overseeing the last-minute decorating and flower arranging. I remember Rob still writing and recording the wedding music (!) haha, that's where the "little bit of stress" came in.
I remember being not much good or help at the church, so I decided to go home and finish up some last-minute cards to family and get some rest (ha). I dropped off Jenni Carroll, the wife of Jon Carroll, one of Rob's groomsmen at her hotel on my way home and we both chatted and laughed about how silly it was to be driving all that way together on THIS day, hardly even knowing each other. Good times. Late that night, I sat up and talked to my mom (on the floor in the hallway outside her room, of all places!) about how excited we both were... we both cried and laughed until it was way too late. Daaaang, I love and miss that lady!
Earlier, I remember hugging so many of my good friends and wishing that we had time to all sit and talk for hours.
I remember dressing for the rehearsal dinner very calmly and taking a bunch of casual pictures with my brothers and parents. I treasure those shots, that was actually the last time we were all together since then!

The rehearsal dinner was beautiful... in a golfcourse clubhouse, overlooking the course with the mountains in the background, it couldn't have been better. I only vaguely remember the actual dinner, one of the things that stands out in my mind is the sweet poem that my good friend Elizabeth wrote for me and read during dinner. I remember not wanting my makeup to run, then not caring.
The rehearsal itself is a complete blur, the only thing I remember clearly is the "oh my gosh" feeling of walking down the aisle with my Dad in the first practice run-through. It all seemed so REAL all of a sudden! There I was, with all my special friends (all together in *my* town!) and my whole family, about to make the most important step in my adult life... with the most amazing man I'd ever met, who was so much like the most amazing of fathers.
Okay, I also remember goofing off with Rob and having a blast with my dearest girlfriends. (Apparently I'm fun to pick up? And apparently I get along well with blonde girls. Maybe takes a special brunette to be my friend... or something?)

After the rehearsal, Rob and I drove back together, and stopped at "our spot" (actually a parking spot in front of a dumpster by a Starbucks, haha) and exchanged our wedding gifts to each other. I gave him a snazzy watch that I put a lot of thought into, and a few other little gifts. I was pleased with my selection... until I opened his gift to me. He had made a hard-bound book full of pictures from the two years we had been together, prefaced by a heartfelt note on the front page. How did I manage to get such a sweet, thoughtful, and creative guy??!
As soon as I opened it, the tears started flowing freely for the first time that day. The thought of that he was going to be MINE, and I was going to be HIS, fully and finally, the very next day was overwhelming. Since January in 2005, when he first told me that he was interested in me, Rob has been the tangible expression of God's grace to me. He has loved me unconditionally, he has listened to and forgiven my deepest sins, and he has led me to pursue a deeper and more "alive" relationship with his treasure, our Lord. Not to mention, he fills my days with happiness and never passes up a chance to make me laugh, usually at him! I honestly can't imagine my life without him; he was made for me, and I for him. We complete each other in ways I didn't even know I needed a completer! Every day I marvel at God's goodness in giving me Rob... and I only ask for more.

We took a few "last engaged kiss" pictures right before he dropped me off at my parents' house for the very last time that night.
If I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything! Like Derek Webb sings, "I Wanna Marry You All Over Again", Baby!

I wanna marry you all over again
I wanna meet you and I wanna be friends
I wanna chase you all the way to Tennessee
I’ll meet your parents at the airport bar
I’ll take you out in my rental car
I wanna court you on the record label’s dime

[Chorus]
come on baby let’s go back to the start
take it back sugar then gimme your heart
don’t you know baby I would do it all over again

I wanna buy you an old upright
I wanna accidentally stay all night
I wanna read the Bible and I wanna make out
I wanna marry you all over again
I wanna fall in love and say we’re just friends
I wanna race you all the way to Kansas City

[Chorus]
come on baby let’s go back to the start
take it back sugar then gimme your heart
don’t you know baby I would do it all over again

I wanna give you a diamond ring
and then we’ll run into my ex-girlfriend
oh, I wanna sing songs while the sun’s going down

[Chorus]
come on baby let’s go back to the start
take it back sugar then gimme your heart
don’t you know baby I would do it all over again