LOVE ABOUND

THE DAY WAS WONDERFUL AND SO VERY PERFECT. NO GLISTENING SUN. CLOUDS ABOUND. THE RAIN LOOMING. BUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND LOVE EVERYWHERE.

AS I OPENED THE DOOR, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT MORNING, A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUE LOVE STOOD AT THE DOOR. MY CLOSEST AND DEAREST FRIEND. THE FRIEND THAT HAS STOOD BY ME IN THE PAST 3 YRS, THAT I HAVE CLIMBED MOUNTAINS WITH, AND HAVE SOARED ON THE WINGS OF FREEDOM WITH, STOOD IN FRONT OF ME. SHE WAS THERE FOR ME. NOT BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE AN EASY DAY FOR HER, BUT BECAUSE SHE LOVES ME AND LOVES MY CHILDREN, AND WANTED THE DAY TO BE SPECIAL FOR ALL OF US.

THAT IT WAS. IT WAS PERFECT. SHE DID OUR HAIR, HELPED WITH OUR MAKE-UP, SMILED FOR THE CAMERAS, SIGNED THE MARRIAGE LICENSE FOR ME, AND HELPED TO MAKE THE DAY A WONDER.

THEN THE TIME ARRIVED. BEYOND THE POINT THAT THE FRENCH DOORS OPENED, I COULDN'T TELL YOU FOR SURE WHO SAT WHERE. ALL I COULD SEE WAS THE MAN OF MY DREAMS, THE ANSWER TO MY DEEPEST PRAYERS, LANCE. MY BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL LANCE. THE MAN THAT MAKES LIFE SO FULFILLING FOR ME, THE MAN THAT EVERY DAY IS THERE FOR MY DAUGHTERS. TO MAKE THEM FEEL PROUD OF THEMSELVES, HAPPY IN THIS LIFE, CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN BE ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO BE.

THE CEREMONY SAID IT ALL. IT SAID EVERYTHING IT POSSIBLY COULD ABOUT US, ABOUT OUR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR OUR FUTURE. ABOUT OUR LOVE.

THE DAY WAS AMAZING!

THE ENTIRE WEEK TRULY DID TEACH ME THE UNSELFISH ACTIONS OF SO MANY PEOPLE. THE TRUE GOOD OF SO SO MANY...

IT'S TIME

THE TIME HAS ARRIVED. OUR EXCITEMENT IS OVERFLOWING!!!!!

ON SUNDAY MORNING, I WILL BE A MRS. AND WE WILL ALL BE A COMPLETE FAMILY UNIT.

FRIENDS

I PROMISE TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING I HAVE AND THEN EVEN MORE.

THIS IS A PROMISE I AM SO EXCITED TO MAKE. SO HAPPY. NOTHING COULD SEEM MORE PERFECT. YOU TRULY HAVE BECOME MY BEST FRIEND.

A GIRLFRIEND OF MINE BLOGGED ABOUT BEST FRIENDS AND HOW MANY WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN A LIFETIME. ISN'T THAT THE TRUTH?

FRIENDS FROM CHILDHOOD. FRIENDS FROM THE PAST. FRIENDS WE EMAIL, FRIENDS WE CALL. SOME BRIEF SOME THAT LASTED FOR YEARS. OUR SIBLINGS. OUR PARENTS. OUR CHILDREN. SO MANY.

IT'S ODD NOW, MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I ONCE CONSIDERED "MY WORLD" WILL NOT BE AT MY WEDDING. WHY? WELL, I GUESS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS THE TRAGIC EVENTS IN MY LIFE REALLY PULLED OPEN THE CURTAIN TO REVEAL WHO REALLY ARE MY FRIENDS AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I MAY NOT HAVE AS MANY AS I ONCE THOUGHT I HAD BUT THOSE THAT I DO HAVE MEAN "THE WORLD" TO ME, ARE INCREDIBLE, AMAZING PEOPLE, AND ARE TRUE BLESSINGS THAT I THANK GOD FOR EVERY DAY. (I GUESS IT HELPS TO BE INVITED TOO! LOL)

I'M OKAY WITH IT NOW. YOU KNOW.

WE HAVE PARTS OF ALASKA, SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTHERN MICHIGAN, COLORADO, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SO MANY MORE THERE WITH US IN SPIRIT! CHEERING US ON! WHOOPING THERE CONGRATS! AND WE LOVE YOU ALL!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT.

...AND FOR ALL OF YOU THAT ARE JOINING US... WOW! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

YOU ALL TRULY ARE A PART OF WHO WE ARE!

THE WAIT

I KEEP OPENING AND LOOKING AT MY BLOG, BUT THAT IS AS FAR AS I GET. I JUST LOOK AT IT.

THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON. THE ANTICIPATI0N OF THE HAPPIEST DAY OF OUR LIVES TOGETHER THUS FAR AND YET THE SOLOMN SILENCE OF ANOTHERS VICTORY, OR WILL IT BE HIS DEMISE. HOW DO YOU KNOW AND HOW ARE YOU EVER PREPARED FOR THE FINAL GOODBYE? MAYBE AT THE END OF THE DAY TOMORROW EVERYONE WILL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF BUT FOR NOW... WE PRAY.