Saturday, July 29, 2006

Happy Anniversary!




Garfield and I have been married 6 years today.

July 29, 2000 was a wonderful day. After three years of knowing who I wanted to marry, I finally got to become Garfield's wife. We knew then that our vows were going to last forever; there was no other option, nor did we want there to be. Our ceremony was beautiful and worshipful, and is still vivid in my mind.

The reception was, well, a bit overwhelming. I didn't get to thank nearly enough of the 300 people that had come to witness our marriage. I didn't get to eat nearly enough of the food that I'd spent so much time choosing. I didn't get to dance long enough, or take enough pictures, or spend enough time telling my dear friends and family good-bye. It was all very surreal, and being the first of my circle of college friends to get married, I didn't have a clue as to what to do. But as usual, it worked out. Fun was had by all, backflips were performed by the groom and his groomsmen, Garfield and I even got to do a little tango and riverdancing.

But I think I'd have to say the part I'd most like to relive would be the honeymoon in Tahiti. There's alot I'd do differently about our wedding, but I wouldn't change a thing about our trip to the South Pacific. It was absolutely perfect. No postcard can do justice to the beauty and serenity that surrounded us. We had a romantic overwater bungalow that looked down onto crystal clear water, filled with coral and fishies of all sorts. The fragrance of the plumerias greeted us each time we headed outside. The tropical peaks were lush and green, with no buildings to mar the view. The Tahitian island of Moorea is very sparsely populated, and it doesn't get oodles of visitors, so we sometimes really felt like we were the only people around.

One evening we rented a tiny little red car to drive to the other side of the island. From there we saw a Tahitian sunset, and Garfield got to choose my wedding gift: three Tahitian black pearls to have set in earrings and a necklace upon returning home. It was neat to hand-pick pearls from huge piles. They all had their own little markings that made them imperfect, yet they were all so beautiful.

We found several little open-air restaurants that we loved. (Come to think of it, I don't remember there being any enclosed restaurants on the island. Everything is very casual.) One of them had our favorite wine, another served food we recognized...ah, the joy of spaghetti and Coke after days of Polynesian food! Yet another served fresh coconut ice cream out of a coconut shell, and we managed to hit that place several times.

I could go on and on about the snorkeling, shark-feeding, stingray petting, and more, but someday you'll just have to come visit and ask me to pull out our honeymoon album. This was before the times of digital pictures being the norm, so instead we took 17 rolls of pictures in 8 days!

Garfield, maybe one day we'll go back like we talk about doing. In another season of life, perhaps. But for now, I'm perfectly content being your wife and helpmeet, raising your children, and caring for your home. We never could've guessed all the different directions these six years have taken us, but we know we'll enjoy the ride together. For life.

(The pictures above are of our fifth anniversary last year, and our sixth one this year. If anyone had told me I'd be pregnant two summers in a row, I'd have laughed!)

8 comments:

Kristen said...

Happy 6th guys! And we hope for 60 more like it!

Krista said...

Happy anniversary! I'm so happy for both of you!

Janice and family said...

Congrats guys, we were thrilled to have been a part of your blessed union.

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful wedding and honeymoon. Sounds like such a wonderful time! For my honeymoon I went back to work at the police dept. Luckly I was still in training and had Sat and Sun. off. Some people I worked with didn't quite believe me that I got married over the weekend. Of course they also didn't believe that I was 18. I love the photos of the two of you they were so nice. You look so wonderful in you bridesmaids dress.

Shelley Roberts said...

Happy Anniversary!!! So Steph, are you going to go for THREE summers in a row?? You're a braver woman than I!! :)

Hofwoman said...

Happy Anniversary! Thank you for sharing your memories - I have to agree with Michelle too, you look so lovely in those pictures :)

Anonymous said...

Happy 6th anniversary, dear daughter. We loved being with you on that special day.

Given the blessing and delight in our greatly beloved grandkids so far, why don't you consider being pregnant EVERY summer!?

;o)

Stephanie said...

Thanks, everyone.

Shelley and Dad, I would definitely not hold your breath for another pregnancy next summer. I mean, we love our kiddos, and want a big family, but I don't think Garfield is quite ready to raise the babies without me while I sport my lovely white straight jacket and admire my padded walls. I'd much prefer to drag out all this fun a little more gradually!

But then, with that said, what do I know? I mean, God's proven a time or two that He's got better plans than I do. ( I just hope they don't include three pregnant summers in a row!)