Thankful.

It’s Thanksgiving and all over social media we are publishing what we are thankful for but don’t always get time to recognize throughout our busy schedules. I, like everyone else, have much to be thankful for and plan to take the time to share what I am thankful for with you.

First and foremost my husband, for loving me through all my flaws, faults, stubbornness, good times and mood swings. It takes a special kind of man to put up with that each and every day, I am lucky to have him by my side and through everything life has to throw at us.

For my best friend of ten years, we’ve been there for each other since day one, through all the ridiculous outfits, heartbreaks, fights, and milestones in our lives we have been there for each other.

My family; adopted, biological, and married, they’ve taught me to love and to do it unconditionally, that’s the greatest lesson a person can learn. They’ve supported me, challenged me, and pushed my buttons but it’s helped me become who I am today. 

My closest friends in college, honestly I would have never survived college without them. They were my biggest supporters in my decision to join the military and there through all the Physics/ROTC/dancing meltdowns when the stress became to much to handle.

For everyone who has come into my life, even if they’re not a part of it anymore. You were there for me in that part of my life when I needed you most; our time may have been short but it was needed to get to the points in our life that we are at now.

I have eyes that can see the beauty of the world [although corrected with glasses], ears that can hear the music playing, nose to smell delicious food and unpleasant scents, working hands to type my thoughts, a brain that functions to read and interpret all the words I want, a voice to share my [sometimes unwanted] opinion, legs that allow me to run and dance, arms to hold the one I care about, and a heart to love more deeply than I ever thought possible.

My time in the military, teaching my discipline and leadership. For bringing me my “battle buddies”, regardless of where they may be in life or globe they are no more than a message away.

Technology, for allowing me to talk to loved ones whether down the street or half way around the globe. You make long distance easy.

There’s a slew of things to be thankful for and only so much time one can take to write about it. This is only a fraction of what I am thankful for; so what are you thankful for not only today but each and everyday of the year?

 

They lived happily ever after

Flooded with emotion I can hardly believe the events that are about to unfold today. It’s the event that as a little girl you only dream of and start planning until you find your Prince Charming. You plan the food to be devoured by the hundreds of guests attending; most you can’t remember their names. You plan who will spin the music that the drunken relatives and guests with bad hips will attempt to dance to. The dress has been picked out in a delicate shade of white, the tulle playing peek-a-boo underneath. The tuxes have been measured, hemmed, and perfectly fitted. Everything is in line for perfection; it is just waiting for the cue to start.

This is that day, but there is no white dress or tux, no embarrassing relatives, no planning of food. There is a bride and a a groom with a handful of closest family members. The white dress and tux have been replaced with standard issue digital camo with a flag adorning one side and a rank in the center of the chest. The high heels and shiny black shoes have taken a backseat to the tan laced up combat boots that have seen better days. A tiny courtroom acts as the chapel, the pews are a group of large polished wooden chairs arranged precisely in rows, each one with a perfect view. There are no flowers, no colour pattern, no silly entrance music. There’s a feeling in the room that radiates from everyone. It’s the feeling of parents watching their son grow into the man they raised him to be. It’s the feeling of ten years worth of a friendship watching their once heartbroken friend find the happiness she didn’t think existed.

There is only one thing that matters, the man standing across from me. He’s standing tall and dressed nearly identical to me, one of two differences… the last name on the right hand side. His hands reach over and take mine as we’re about to begin. Dressed in her traditional black robe, the magistrate begins. I know she’s talking, I can only half hear her though, I’m facing the man that I will be spending the rest of my life with and my heart is beating loudly. Holding my hands is the only person I found that makes me feel complete, the crystal blue eyes look at me in such a way I can only describe as: I know this is where I belong. I’ve watched this part in movies, the vow exchange. The part where in front of our little audience, God and each other; we profess to be forever one, in sickness and in health, til death do us part. The amount of emotion in this part of the ceremony is clearly unable to be captured on the cinema screen. I wanted nothing more than to shout “I DO, I REALLY DO’ and kiss him before I was told to do so. Trembling from the happiness and the holding back of tears, I manage to get out my “I DO” just loud enough that he can hear me and know that from this moment I am forever his. He says his “I DO” with confidence in his voice and his mouth forming a smile as he finished and gripped my hands tighter.

“I now pronounce you: husband and wife; you may now kiss the bride” and I melted. Melted into the arms of my true love, the one you think you’re not going to find because it only exists in “The Princess Bride”. However, I found it, and he is my husband.. my husband. I don’t want to let go, I want to stay in this moment as long as I can. As we break apart I feel a tug at my top and the sound of velcro ripping as my maiden name comes off my uniform and is replaced with my husband’s name; our name. And we turn to greet our family, the parents gaining a daughter and the ten years worth of friendship gaining a friend she is fully confident will take care of her “sister”.

Stepping outside, the sun shone brighter than any afternoon I’ve ever experienced in July. The city I spent my life in felt completely different or maybe it was that I felt different not that I’ve changed, but that I felt… whole. “Ready to go?”, and we walk towards the car Mr. & Mrs. getting ready to live happily ever after.

Note: This is my rendition of the event that took place a year ago today on 16 July 2012 when I married my best friend and better half. I only hope that one day everyone finds someone and even if they share an ounce of the passion and love we share for each other than you’ll be happily ever after too.