Our wedding turned out beautifully, and we had such a great time! The ceremony was wonderful, and felt like it really represented us, I loved that our sand ceremony got our families involved, and I'm so proud of myself I didn't cry saying my vows, it was so such an emotional moment to look into my man's eyes and promise to him sincerely.
I think the best part of the day, though, was when I met Michael outside so he could see me (in my fancy dress) for the first time... it was such a beautiful day, and it's pretty hard to beat seeing such a big, happy, loving smile on someone you love, because of you. The photographers nicely gave us a few minutes to chat and smooch and reconnect, and it was just... well, pretty perfect. With all the hustle and bustle and nerves, it helped us focus on each other and it made me un-describably happy, even before the ceremony!
There's so much more to say about this day, it's hard to know where to start! It really was fantastic. But for now, I'll let some of the pictures do the talking!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
On Becoming Real
I always loved this book (the Velveteen Rabbit) and the sentiment! I don't think I fully appreciated it when I was little, but now that I'm just a little more "real" I love it even more! This was a runner up when I was looking for good wedding ceremony readings, but I think it's more of a long term project, loving until we're bald, and eyeless, and shabby (metaphorically of course!) .
The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.
But the Skin Horse only smiled.
The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.
But the Skin Horse only smiled.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Fall at Japanese Garden
Today we went back to the Anderson Garden in Rockford to see the fall colors and to see a traditional "thick tea" tea ceremony demonstration. This was just what I needed to regroup, re-energize, and get my head together so the next few weeks are productive, not stressful!
Photos by Sarah, Oct 15, 2010
The tea ceremony was quite interesting, and was performed by men. That in itself isn't unusual, as the Warrior class in Japan (Samurai) apparently did this regularly to take a break from the stresses of life and impending war, and to practice self control. However, I have only seen young high school girls do a casual "thin tea" ceremony, and it had quite a different atmosphere this way. I really love the spirit behind a lot of Japanese tradition, the balance and tranquility, and that they see the art in the spaces... that de-cluttering the space allows for focus and lack of clutter in the mind. Balance is so important, and even in the garden you see it everywhere. The perfect mixing of heights of plants, the reds and oranges from fall with the fading greens of summer and the evergreens that will remain. The perfectly evenly spaced lines drawn around the rocks in the gravel (I get a little thrill at those, I admit!) It's really a beautiful place, and even after only the second time there, I can honestly say it's a favorite!
Photos by Sarah, Oct 15, 2010
The tea ceremony was quite interesting, and was performed by men. That in itself isn't unusual, as the Warrior class in Japan (Samurai) apparently did this regularly to take a break from the stresses of life and impending war, and to practice self control. However, I have only seen young high school girls do a casual "thin tea" ceremony, and it had quite a different atmosphere this way. I really love the spirit behind a lot of Japanese tradition, the balance and tranquility, and that they see the art in the spaces... that de-cluttering the space allows for focus and lack of clutter in the mind. Balance is so important, and even in the garden you see it everywhere. The perfect mixing of heights of plants, the reds and oranges from fall with the fading greens of summer and the evergreens that will remain. The perfectly evenly spaced lines drawn around the rocks in the gravel (I get a little thrill at those, I admit!) It's really a beautiful place, and even after only the second time there, I can honestly say it's a favorite!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wedding License Day!
We took off work a bit early today and made our trek out to LaSalle county to get our marriage license. After a few false starts and emptying of pockets, we made it through the metal detectors and got our info all down on paper, swore we weren't related, (the biologist in me had to hold my tongue about us all being related on a long enough time scale), and signed away.
Since it was beautiful fall weather out, we headed out to the lodge to see what our ceremony area would like that time of night in a few weeks. If the weather holds out for us, it will be really gorgeous! A nice meal on the veranda and some chatting by the fireplace in the great hall rounded the evening. I'm really glad we picked this spot to get married, I love it there! Things are a bit stressful, but it reminded me how fun our wedding weekend should be. Yay!
Since it was beautiful fall weather out, we headed out to the lodge to see what our ceremony area would like that time of night in a few weeks. If the weather holds out for us, it will be really gorgeous! A nice meal on the veranda and some chatting by the fireplace in the great hall rounded the evening. I'm really glad we picked this spot to get married, I love it there! Things are a bit stressful, but it reminded me how fun our wedding weekend should be. Yay!
kite fest
Earlier this fall we went to the Kite Fest out at NIU in Dekalb, and joined a friend of mine and her family for a lovely day of watching and flying kites. It was a pretty beautiful site, I had more fun flying a kite than I thought would be possible with some fabric on some strings, and we got to watch some *serious* kite fliers do tricks!
Photos by Sarah, Sep 12, 2010
Photos by Sarah, Sep 12, 2010
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