Third Anniversary

March 1st, 2003 was a Saturday.

It dawned nice, sunny, and COLD but clouds started building up quick. I got up and took a long leisurely bath and talked to Emma. She was nice enough to come sit on the potty and "do her business" while I was soaking. She was worried about the ceremony and hoped she didn't mess anything up. She was worried her dress wouldn't fit because she had grown since we ordered it. I reminded her that she had tried it on a couple of days ago so the dress would be fine. She worried over Ethan messing up during the ceremony (she was the little mother to him back then), she worried that the flowers had wilted over night, she worried that my dress wouldn't look pretty (but Mommy you are pretty so it would be your dress not you I had to giggle at that), she worried about the pictures, the candles, our hair, and the reception. You name it, she worried about it. I really didn't have to stress about the wedding because my poor baby did it for me. I think most of all she was worried about the honeymoon Scott and I had planned.

She worried so much she gave herself an upset stomach. After I got out the bath I got some medicine in her and a Sprite and she started calming down. While throwing on the under garments that go with a wedding dress and sweats I noticed that Scott was standing in the bedroom in nothing but his underwear. Well, he was holding his socks and staring at the tv, which wasn't on. I asked four times if he was ok before he finally snapped out of it and smiled at me and said he was just fine. I noticed he was a little green around the gills but didn't question it.

I hurried Emma into getting dressed and got Emma, mom, and all of our dresses into the car to rush to my hairdresser.

We arrived at the shop to find that my loverly hairdresser, D, had brought coffee and pastries for all of us. I made myself drink the coffee and eat a little of a pastry so I wouldn't pass out in the middle of the ceremony. I wasn't necessarily nervous, it was more of a mixture of excitement with a little bit of nervousness. Just a little.

My matron of honor, A, showed up when my hair was half done and plunked down in a nearby chair to tell me about the exciting night she'd had before.

Emma's hair was adorable, it fell to her shoulders at that time and D pulled her hair back with flower clips that you had to swirl into the hair and he put ringlets in the back of her hair. He did something similar to mine but with fewer curls. Mom's hair was just poofy.

When Emma's, mom's, and my hair was done we headed over to the church to get ready while D finished up A's hair. A's hair was done in a funky, crazy style but it looked really good on her, it was all side swept and spiked out to the side and looked fabulous with the style of dress we had decided on.

Mom and Emma got dressed while I did my makeup and waited for A to show up. I wandered around to make sure that the flowers were ready and talk to the guests who got there really, really early.

When A showed up I followed her to the nursery where we were going to dress. We were both almost completely naked when the door opened and in walked P, my friend that was going to walk me up the aisle. Apparently mom had told him to just come on in! We both squealed and he yelled WOOOO, and turned around and slammed the door behind him. We could hear mom, my aunt G, and various other female relatives laughing over this. We could hear P ask why didn't you tell me they were naked! A and I fell into each other giggling so hard it took awhile to calm down and get dressed. I then had to fix some makeup, the giggles had me all teared up.

When we were finally ready I opened the door and we walked out to take a few pictures before the ceremony. When it was time for the ceremony to start we lined up, my cousin started the music. Ethan, the ring bearer, and Emma, my flower girl, went first and bumped into each other the whole way. A went next followed by P and I. Now, P is this big burly guy who lives in t-shirts and shorts, even in the winter, and has tattoos covering most of his upper body. To see him in a tux that day was amazing. With his hair spiked back and the tux he was very handsome. A and I teased him about ditching the wedding and the three of us running away.

Then "THE" song came on and P and I headed down the aisle. The ceremony went pretty smooth until it came time to kneel at the alter while our preacher gave a final prayer. Kneeling at an alter in a wedding dress doesn't mix, at all. Scott had to help me up and by then I had the giggles. We made it through the lighting of the unity candle without catching anything on fire, Scott loves to play with fire!

When the preacher said you may now kiss the bride, Scott got this one of a kind, very kooky, outrageous look on his face as he swooped in for the kiss. I heard later on that our preacher had told him to make it a memorable kiss, don't just give me a peck, make a spectacle of us. And he did. I will never forget that look and if for some reason my memory fades we have it recorded. Scott's sister Sherri was recording the ceremony and she had managed to zoom in on Scott and got the perfect shot of the kiss.

After the receiving line the photographer got the pictures finished up. And that is when the tears started. Not mine, Emma's. She was afraid again of the honeymoon, and afraid we didn't love her anymore, and afraid of so many things. In every picture but one Emma is clinging to me, her face red and poufy from crying.

Finally A was able to calm her down and talked Emma into riding with A to the reception. Scott and I cheated and raced home so we could change into more confortable clothes for the reception. The only picture we have of the two of us alone is coming down the stairs to the reception hall that was across town. I had put my veil back on and was holding my bouquet.

It took Scott and I a couple months to find a bakery that would do the cake to our specifications. We wanted a totally egg free cake, decorated in Winnie the Pooh figurines. I was amazed at how many bakeries turned us down, not because of trying the eggless cake but because we wanted Pooh figurines. Everyone of the owners thought that Pooh was not appropriate for a wedding. Closed minded wienie heads!

Our reception lunch was enchiladas, homemade tortillas, chips and salsa, and beans. A favorite of both families. The cake was so pretty with lots of purples, yellows, and a little green. And Yes, we really had the bakery arrange all of the Pooh figurines on the cake. It turned out just like I wanted it.

I was so glad to find this bakery and find that they would work with the eggless cake recipe. Why, you ask, no eggs. Myself, mom, and a few other of my relatives are alergic to eggs. Makes for a fun life sometimes, boring food choices too.

When Scott and I cut the cake and did the whole shove it into each others' faces bit I didn't really get a taste of it. Ok, to be fair, he was very gentle about it and I wasn't. He got it up his nose and was laughing so hard he snorted the cake all the way down, gross I know. Sorry...

I cleaned up my face and started cutting pieces for everyone. When everyone had a piece Scott and I sat down next to P, A, and their guests to eat some cake. And I spit out my first bite because it was a big chunk of lard. I was so disappointed and almost burst into tears when everyone at our table did the same thing. The cake was so horrible. Actually horrible is an understatement. We ended up throwing most of it away and didn't even keep the top half for our first anniversary.

I later found out that the bakery didn't follow my directions and recipe I had provided and decided to experiment. They refused to refund any money. I'm still irritated about that. I'm not uspet about the money, I'm upset because they really didn't follow my wishes and ruined MY cake.

All the guests insisted we open our presents before we headed off into the sunset, namely Vegas. We received some gorgeous China, candle sets, and lots of cash, enough that we paid for our whole honeymoon with that cash, this includes the tickets to the two shows we saw in Vegas, the tickets into Disneyland, Universal Studios, the hotel rooms, the gas and all the food. My MIL and boht SIL's had chipped in to get Scott and I lots of naughty lingere to wear while we were gone!

We spent two nights in Las Vegas and saw The Blue Man Group one night and did the Tournament of Kings dinner at the Exaclibur another night. The third day we headed to Anahiem and Disneyland (my first trip ever to the magical kingdom!) and spent one day at Disneyland and one day at Universal Studios. Then we headed to San Diego and spent one day wandering around little towns along the Pacific Coast highway, and Scott got his first tattoo, and then spent a second day at the beach.

We finally made it home the night before Emma's 6th birthday.

One of the things I loved best about this day three years ago? It snowed off and on all day long and our church has wall to wall windows on one side of it and the soft lighting with the candles lit and the snow falling outside made it so perfect for me.

And, yes, we really had Pooh figurines on our wedding cake. We also sent out Pooh wedding invitations. My uncle, who was an usher, wore a Pooh tie and my Aunt G, an usher as well, wore a purple Pooh shirt. Some might have thought it was tacky but I thought it was perfect.

Scott had made the CD of music that was used in the ceremony and at the reception. He spent hours upon hours finding just the right songs to burn and we ended up with three wedding CD's.

We've had our up's and down's like any marriage does but it has been a wonderful three years. We've created a gorgeous little boy that is full of wonderment and curiousity and is highly amusing. My kids have loved Scott from the day they met and his kids like me. I'm ok with just like, it gets easier to be around the middle son, Ronnie, the more time he spends with us. Scott's oldest is 22 now, just 10 years younger than me and his middle son, 13 years old now, is a boy genius, waiting to hear what his SAT scores are so he can decide which Ivy League college to attend. Still blowing my mind when I think about that!

Is there even a specific gift to get for 3rd anniversaries? I'm not sure.

I'm looking forward to many, many more years Scott.

I love you!