Happiness

Let the Planning Begin

I really have no big news to report today, however, I still feel compelled to write.  I'm at home alone while Matt works at the Rec Center until midnight or later.  I should probably be grading papers, but can't bring myself to do that just yet.  This seems to be pretty standard behavior for me as of last Tuesday.  Matt and I have been engaged for one whole week today and my general state of euphoria does not seem to be waning :-)  

After teaching all four hours of my block class, I cut out and took a half day to view our two choices for our wedding reception.  I know that seems early, given that it's only been seven days since our engagement, but we've been talking about this for much longer than that.  Now that we're "official," it's time to get some things booked and we're running out of time if we're serious about getting something scheduled before next summer's spots fill up.  

Mom and Olivia came up to view both Reichmann Pavilion at Stephen's Lake Park and the Orr Street Studios art gallery.  Matt met us for lunch and some wedding talk and Sommer came over to my place after she got off work.  It really meant a lot to me that they came to look with me, and I was sad to see them have to leave at the end of the day.  Today's visits were my second time at both venues, and I thought I'd leave feeling more confident about a choice.  No such luck, because I like them both!  The only problem is that we don't know how many people the art gallery can seat and we aren't sure about how many people from our guest list will actually be in attendance.   Mom liked both places a lot - each for different reasons.  What it will boil down to will be price and even more crucial, the amount of seats each will hold.  

Whatever about all that.  Matt and I will make that decision and won't look back.  Tonight, I'm sitting at home, a little sad that the day is over, but very glad I got to do some wedding talking with Mom and Matt and Sommer and Olivia.  

Perfect Proposal Pancakes

It was 5:33 am - just two minutes before my alarm had been set to go off.   I found myself awake, groggy, not knowing what was going on, thinking Matt was headed back to bed after using the bathroom.  Something about his entering the room woke me up.  It wasn't until much later that his coming back to bed from that direction didn't make sense since we have a master bath and he was coming from the living room. 

Everything was dark except for the small sliver of light coming through the door from the hallway.  There was a smell - familiar, yet elusive so early  and unexpectedly in the morning.  Despite my groaning for just a few more minutes, Matt announced that it was time to wake up because he had made me a pancake breakfast.  A pancake breakfast in bed? I was all for this new treat!  Still moving slowly, Matt coaxed me to put on my glasses (I think I dropped them twice during this process), sit up in bed and focus my eyes.  He actually made quite sure I did all of these things before he pulled the chain on my lamp.  When I was finally able to open my eyes without a wicked squint, he placed the plate of pancakes in front of me on the bed.  In skinny, crispy, burnt little pancake letters, he spelled out "Marry me?" By the time I caught my breath and knew what was happening, he was on one knee and holding out a ring!  I didn't realize it until I tried to speak that I was crying already.  It has only been 36 hours and it's all a blur to me.  The excitement, the fact that it was first thing in the morning, my blinding happiness.... all factor into that blurry, fuzzy, shaky feeling I still have in my chest.  

It was so cute, so heartfelt, so us.  I love his proposal.  I love him.  I'm going to love being his wife. 

50 Years of Marriage Celebrated

Morning prep = garden picking.

   

The "plums."

The talented caterer.

The girl who loved boys.  

On their way to fifty - 27 years down!

The man and woman of the hour.

Just taking a breather after the event. 

Baseball and Balloons

We spent part of our weekend in Saint Louis with the family, and included trips to Busch Stadium for the Cardinals/Cubs game and to Forest Park for our annual Balloon Race picnic.  We made it back by Saturday night in order to spend Sunday "catching up."  Swell weekend.  

    

Matt and Olivia - Sleepy morning fun.  

            

Two sets of sisters :)

        

We love the Forest Park Balloon Races.