How About Something Happy?

I've been wanting to share this post with you for a week now, but the timing wasn't right. I felt like I needed and wanted to have the last few posts be about Shawn and what I was going through with the one year anniversary. However, now I'm ready and I want to share Sarah's wedding with all of you!

This wedding was the best wedding I have ever been too. I'm not just saying that because Sarah is one of my friends, this was truly an amazing wedding. The message of the ceremony was beautiful and I still tears in my eyes when I think about it. It was a great wedding and a great day, although a tad emotional. The wedding took place in a small chapel on a huge golf course. The chapel was very old and it had lots of character, like a tin roof,the old wooden pews, and two amazing white wooden doors that would open when it was time for Sarah to walk down the aisle. The chapel was small, but perfect for the wedding.

I saw Sarah briefly before she walked down the aisle and she was simple gorgeous. In the ten months that I have known Sarah I had never seen her look so happy. I walked into her dressing room to give her mom some flowers and Sarah was putting on her make-up. She looked at me and started jumping up and down saying "I'm getting married today" over and over again. Then she gave me a huge hug and asked how I was doing. I responded with "Good, I mean it I'm really good today. I'm so happy for you that you were able to find happiness once again." Sarah looked at me and gave me a hug and told me that I would too again one day. She was simple amazing looking, and was so so happy.

The wedding ceremony started with Sarah's friend Hillary (now a friend of mine as well) walking down the aisle to light some candles. After Hillary was done Jim and our Pastor walked to the front of the alter. Sarah and Jim's children walked down the aisle each with an unlit candle of their own. Just a little back ground here, Sarah has three children one girl and two boys and Jim has three children two girls and one boy. (Yes, the Brady Bunch) The six children walked down the aisle two at a time each holding an unlit candle. While they were walking down a soloist from our church was signing Amazing Grace. I tried really hard to hold it together and not cry, but seeing those kids walk down the aisle did it and I instantly got all teary. Once the kids reached the alter they each lit a candle with their initial on it. It was so cute watching them all light their candle. Then the Pastor of our church said a few words and asked everyone to remain seated while Sarah walked down the aisle.

At this point and time the white doors entering to the church were now closed. Then they opened and there stood Sarah in her amazing dress and the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face. She practically floated down the aisle, she was so happy, and in love once again. At this point in time I looked a crossed the pew from where I was sitting to one of Sarah's best friends. She was already crying as well. She quietly asked me if I had any Kleenex and I shook my head no. Seriously, why I did not bring Kleenex with me I do not know. So we each both kind of laughed about that. Then our Pastor started the ceremony.

Again, I'm not just saying this, but Sarah and Jim's wedding was the most amazing wedding ceremony I have ever attended. It wasn't your "typical" ceremony. There was so much love inside that little chapel and everyone in there knew exactly what Sarah had been through, and Jim as well. Our Pastor started the message of the ceremony and the tears instantly started flowing out of my eyes. I knew it was going to be emotional, but I had no idea how the message of the ceremony was going to get to me. I know I'm not going to do as great of a job telling you all, but I'm going to try and share with you the best that I can because the ceremony was so touching. Pastor started the ceremony talking about what it means to be married, what you do for each other and what you give to each other in a marriage. Then he started to say that God did not create man and woman to be alone, he created them to be together. Together to love each other, to find happiness and to support each other. People were supposed to be together, and not be lonely. Keep in mind this is about two minutes into the ceremony and I'm bawling my eyes out.

Then he talked a little bit about Sarah's journey and how even when she didn't want to, and didn't have a choice she was alone (now everyone is crying), he talked briefly about her journey. Then he talked a bit about Jim's journey and how parts of his past have left him lonely as well. Next, he went on to say that when people are lonely they do some odd things. He made a reference to the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks. For those of you who don't know this movie he was stranded on an island. Well one day a Wilson volleyball appeared, somehow is character cut his hand, hit the volleyball out of anger and left a hand print face on the volleyball. Out came "Wilson" Since Tom Hanks was alone on the island he started talking to Wilson. Wilson was his source of companionship, it was all he had on the island. Well one day while on a raft Wilson floated away from Tom Hanks leaving him alone again and his character cried when Wilson left him. Ok...background that you all need to know here. When Shawn and I watched Cast Away for the first time I cried, I mean totally cried when Wilson floated away...it was awful. Shawn looked over at me and started to laugh because I was crying because a volleyball had floated away. I told him to stop laughing at me that I was crying because the one thing he needed was his Wilson and know he was all alone again. I know...I know...he is just a volleyball that can't talk, back but still. Anyways a few days later Shawn made me my own Wilson and gave me a copy of the movie with Wilson. With my Wilson and the movie Shawn also wrote me a note saying that I would never be alone because I would always have him and Wilson. (insert more tears here) My Wilson is still with me today sitting on my book shelf.

Ok back to the wedding...so Pastor makes a reference to Wilson and what people do and how they act when they are really lonely for feel like they are alone. At this point, I'm crying so hard because I'm remembering the time when Shawn gave me my Wilson. Our friend Collette wraps her arm around me and just snuggles me a little bit. As Sarah and Jim exchange their vows I finally start to regain a little composer and I'm not crying like an all out fool. After they exchange their vows our Pastor starts talking about marriage again and what it means. He reminds all of us that marriage is a very special thing that two people share. He tells everyone in the church to go home and hug their wife or husband extra long tonight, to tell them that they love them, and to never take them for granted. Shocking...but now I'm crying again. This time Hillary turns around to me, grabs my hands and tells me that I will get a chance to be happy again one day, and that we will be doing this for me. Sarah's friends have become my friends and have really embraced me into their lives. When Hillary is telling me this, I was shaking my head and saying I know, but at the same time it hurt just so bad and I missed Shawn more than ever.

Then it was the end of the ceremony and Sarah finally got to kiss her knew husband. She was literally bouncing up and down at the alter with excitement. They kissed and the entire chapel started clapping for them and they walked down the aisle as happy and as in love as two people could possible be. I met Sarah outside and she gave me the biggest hug and told me thank you for sharing this special day with her and her family. I told her thank you for letting me share it with you, thank you for becoming my friend, and thank you for giving me hope. Then she asked me if I had made it through without crying...I told her, "No way, I lost it at Amazing Grace" and we just stood there and laughed.

Then we were onto the reception. The reception was about 25 minutes away out at Jim's farm. Yes, we had a farm reception but it was the classiest farm themed reception I have ever seen! Collette, who was also the wedding coordinator rode with me. We were a little, ok a lot late leaving the wedding and we had stuff to do at the reception before the guests started to arrive so Collette asked me if I would speed. I told her sure, no problem, there are never cops out here. Wouldn't you know as soon as I said that I saw the head lights a flashing. CRAP!!! I was pulled over for speeding...my first EVER ticket!! The officer was actually really nice and only issued me a ticket for going five over, and well I was going a smidge faster than that. Collette kept saying over and over again that she was sorry, and all I could do was laugh. I don't know why, but I thought it was about one of the funniest things. A week later Collette and I are still laughing about it. Anyways, we got to the reception about a half hour before the guests started to arrive. It was a great reception and Collette did a wonderful job planning and coordinating everything. It was simply amazing and we couldn't have asked for a better day weather wise. It was a gorgeous sunny day. A little on the hot side with a temperature of 93, but perfect none the less. Here are a few pictures of the reception. The centerpieces were different sized clear vases. Each vase was filled with white rocks and a variety of sticks. The sticks had little green flowers glued onto them and each vase had a black and white polka dot ribbon tied around it. So unique, classy, yet farm like all at the same time.

Here is a picture of each place setting. Instead of chairs we all sat on bales of hay that were covered in white muslin material. It was great!

This was the centerpiece at the head table. The green vase was just great and on these branches we hung little votive candles.

Next are a few different pictures of Sarah and I. Doesn't Sarah look amazing?!

I had such a great time at the wedding and the reception. I'm so glad I "found" Sarah when I did, she has given me so much comfort and hope over the past ten months of knowing her. Sarah and her friends have now all become my friends and I'm so grateful and blessed to have them all in my life. I'm so happy that happiness has once again returned for Sarah...she deserves to have all the happiness in the world.