Posts Tagged ‘marriage’

We’re back.

Our late-honeymoon trip to Pigeon Forge was quite memorable.  The theme of the trip, apparently, was “apples.”

We stayed in a cabin called “Apple Blossom” by the rental company.  Ironically, I didn’t notice any apple blossoms anywhere in the decor… but with apple doorknobs, quilts, knickknacks, and a gigantic apple statue scattered in and around the cabin, I think it may have earned at least half of its name.

Then one morning we discovered a whole cluster of shops and restaurants named Apple this-or-that… the Apple Barn, the Applewood Farmhouse, and so forth.  The Farmhouse served what might be the best breakfast in Sevier County, where the primary (and almost the only) source of income is the tourist trade.  While seemingly nine out of ten restaurants seemed to have either “Pancake” or “Flapjack” (or, occasionally, both) in the name, the Applewood Farmhouse was a breath of fresh, appley air.

The first thing we noticed is that, in comparison to our cabin’s decor, the restaurant’s interior was virtually apple-free.

The second thing we noticed was the huge basket of apple fritters plunked down in front of us by the waitress.

What is a fritter, anyway?  Whatever it is, these were GOOD.

The third thing we noticed was that the complimentary juice wasn’t orange juice.  Rather, it was a blend of pineapple, lemon, orange, and… you guessed it… apple.  It was also quite tasty.

The fourth and final thing we noticed was the amazingly good food served up for breakfast — some of which didn’t actually contain fruit.

We really must go back.

More details in later posts, probably.

Happy New Year.  I’ll get back to my regular blogging activities now that my schedule has returned to the routine.  Oh, and photos will arrive in good time (we didn’t take many, but the good ones are all on old-fashioned film which hasn’t been developed yet).

Us.

I was standing in front of about eighty people, though I was not facing them, and I was wearing a rented suit, black, with white shirt and teal tie, and I was almost the guest of honor. 

The real guest of honor would come walking up the aisle any second. 

To my right, on either side of a fieldstone wall, were high windows, floor to ceiling, overlooking a patch of woods still bearing some of its autumn glory. 

To my left were two families waiting to be joined together. 

The pianist played beautifully but subtly, letting the moment happen without interfering. 

I tried to remember that breathing slowly and evenly reduced the chance of fainting.  I tried to remember to avoid the deer-in-headlights expression that I could feel just beneath the surface.  I tried not to remember that the wedding I was attending was mine. 

Ours. 

The pianist paused, the church fell silent, and then, with the first few notes of Vivaldi’s “La primavera” just beginning to ascend to the high ceiling, she appeared.

I forgot how to breathe.  My heart forgot how to beat… I could feel it stop, hesitate, shiver with excitement, and finally — just in time — step back into its now-hastened rhythm. 

I don’t know whether my gasp was audible.  I do know that to feel air swelling my lungs, to feel my heart pounding in my chest, and to see my bride proceeding up the aisle were the sweetest yet most terrifying sensations I have ever experienced.

She was perfect.

I nearly had tears spilling from my eyes even before she came close enough to see them.  When she stood not-quite-arm’s-length in front of me and I repeated my vows, I could barely see her.  How I kept raw emotion from spilling down my cheeks, I’ll never know.  And when her voice broke during her vows, there was barely a dry cheek in the building, although we — still — managed to contain our own tears, somehow.

We did cry, later.

(She is still perfect.) 

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself… — Ephesians 5:33

My fingers itch...

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

My name is Aylad MacOdys…

Hello, Aylad.

…and I’m a gamer.

Thank you, Aylad, for sharing.

It’s true, I am.  I’m not a “serious gamer” or a “hardcore gamer” or what-have-you, but I would definitely spend hours each day playing video games if I didn’t have other, more important things to do (and a sweet, beautiful wife who knows there are always more important things to do).

Gaming is not my only pastime, by any means.  I’m also a reader, and recently a blogger, and I enjoy web design, and I occasionally like to indulge a bit of creativity in less digital realms.

Sooner or later, however, “the itch” finds its way into my head, and once there, it grows.  And grows some more.  And spreads.  And soon, I am back in front of one electronic device or another, pressing buttons and waiting for the satisfaction of completed goals.

Don’t listen to people who say that gaming is addictive.  They don’t know what they’re talking about.  Cocaine is addictive.  Gaming is GAMING. (more…)

What a change is here...

The plan went as follows:

1. Rent a new apartment large enough for both of us.
2. While paying the first month’s rent on the new apartment and one last month’s rent on our old, separate ones, gradually move in our belongings.
3. Set up satellite TV and DSL internet at the new apartment.
4. Once enough of my stuff is moved, I begin actually living there while bringing the remainder of my property over at my leisure.
5. Cancel satellite TV and internet at the old apartment.
6. Once her last month ends, move her remaining belongings either to the new apartment or to her parents’ house, which is where she will sleep until our wedding.
7. Get married.
8. Bring her and her luggage to the new apartment and begin a blissful marriage.

This is what is known as a segue:  a smooth transition from one state to another.   Best of all, the wedding was scheduled for November 29, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so that we’d both have a few days off from work for last-minute details.

Right.

The actual chain of events was more like this:

1. Rent a new apartment large enough for both of us.
2. Spend two months’ rent on all three apartments (hers, mine, and ours).
3. Bring not nearly enough of our stuff to the apartment before I begin living there.
4. Have satellite TV and DSL internet installed, but have absolutely no time to watch TV or set up the internet access for nearly a week, because I’m
5. spending Thanksgiving week working from 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning until after midnight, every day, right up until the night before we
6. get married in a beautiful ceremony with lots of friends and relatives present (more on this in later posts, but it was magnificent).
7. Bring her and her luggage to the new apartment and begin a blissful but very busy marriage.
8. Spend the day after the wedding still trying frantically to empty out my old apartment (again, more on the theme of “why do I own this much stuff” later).

Argh.  The entire week was incredibly stressful, and I nearly fell asleep on the road this morning, and I’ve been saying for about four or five days that I really will get the internet set up today (which is why I haven’t posted in nearly a week), and it hasn’t happened yet… but, you know what?

The wedding was beautiful, my wife (wow) in her wedding gown was absolutely gorgeous (as opposed to merely very, very beautiful, as she is the rest of the time), the catering at the reception was amazing, and this afternoon when I leave school I’ll be going home to the most wonderful and amazing woman in the world.

I am feeling incredibly happy and satisfied right now.

Maybe she’ll make cookies.

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. — Aristotle

(Photo is in public domain.)