This past weekend, Brady and I and troutface visited the mile-high city, Denver, for my cousin Chelsea's wedding. Denver was lovely -- well we weren't really in Denver, we were in the 'burbs, so there were a lot of cars, malls and highways. But it was sunny and warm. And Chelsea and Scott's wedding was beautiful. Chelsea looked gorgeous, her husband Scott is really great (first time we got to meet him), their ceremony was really special, and the reception was lots of fun with good music and dancing. They are really happy together and we were really happy for them. We also met a very nice friend of Chelsea's who just moved to Portland, whom I drove home from the airport because we were on the same flight back (Brady left Denver for Tucson to visit his family, and I returned to Portland because I have few vacation days and I figure I need to save my paid time off). And we saw my uncle and aunt and cousin, although they were busy with wedding things. My brother and his family did not come, which was really sad for me because I miss my nephew Zane and I haven't met my other nephew Larkin yet (he's only 4 months old, born on Leap Day!).
The officiant for the ceremony, Rev. Cynthia James, was really amazing and had several really good pieces of advice for the newlyweds, and I almost remember them all:
1) She said never to stop growing, especially spiritually. A married couple is meant to provide support and space for each individual to grow spiritually, and for the two to grow as a couple.
2) Only share personal marriage problems, issues etc with people who support the "shared vision" of your union, who see the big picture of the two of you together forever, and who can keep that vision in mind when hearing about the difficult things going on in the marriage.
3) She said something about the "appearance of walls," and it was good, but I forget the details ... but I think overall it was about listening openly to the other person, working to listen with love, things like that. (This is obviously an area where I need practice; I should have listened better!).
4) She gave them each a long-stemmed red rose. She said after the wedding, to put them in a vase in a special place, and then at each anniversary, put two long-stemmed red roses in the same place. And then, after an argument, if the argument has ended poorly, when you are ready to listen to the other person with an open heart again, you get a rose and put it in the vase in the special place. Then the other person knows you're ready to start listening again, openly, with love.
After this one, Brady and I leaned toward each other and whispered, "That's a good idea!" And then we heard a woman one or two rows behind us say pretty loudly, "That's a good idea!" and a bunch of people turned toward her (including us) and nodded, and said, "Mm-hmmm!" Brady and I have something like this, a little phrase we use when we're ready to talk openly again... but I can't share it in public. ;-)
The weekend didn't have much to do with troutface, because, ya know, this wedding wasn't about me, or my pregnancy, or our future baby, much to my disappointment. And I didn't eat super well all weekend, although I didn't eat horribly either. I just wasn't on my own baby-making eating rhythm, or my baby-making sleeping rhythm, so that was a little bit annoying. And then on the way home, I started to stress about the airport security checkpoint, and I was standing as far away from the x-ray machine as I could, and hoping that the metal detector doesn't do anything weird to fetuses. I'm sure it doesn't. I'm being neurotic. But still. Plus I got nauseous in the plane both directions, especially on the way back when we had to fly through like 4,000 miles of clouds hanging over Portland and make a sharp U-turn in a huge plane to get into position for landing. That was even stomach turning for the non-prego folks on the plane. But I didn't throw up. Give thanks for the small things.
The officiant for the ceremony, Rev. Cynthia James, was really amazing and had several really good pieces of advice for the newlyweds, and I almost remember them all:1) She said never to stop growing, especially spiritually. A married couple is meant to provide support and space for each individual to grow spiritually, and for the two to grow as a couple.
2) Only share personal marriage problems, issues etc with people who support the "shared vision" of your union, who see the big picture of the two of you together forever, and who can keep that vision in mind when hearing about the difficult things going on in the marriage.
3) She said something about the "appearance of walls," and it was good, but I forget the details ... but I think overall it was about listening openly to the other person, working to listen with love, things like that. (This is obviously an area where I need practice; I should have listened better!).
4) She gave them each a long-stemmed red rose. She said after the wedding, to put them in a vase in a special place, and then at each anniversary, put two long-stemmed red roses in the same place. And then, after an argument, if the argument has ended poorly, when you are ready to listen to the other person with an open heart again, you get a rose and put it in the vase in the special place. Then the other person knows you're ready to start listening again, openly, with love.
After this one, Brady and I leaned toward each other and whispered, "That's a good idea!" And then we heard a woman one or two rows behind us say pretty loudly, "That's a good idea!" and a bunch of people turned toward her (including us) and nodded, and said, "Mm-hmmm!" Brady and I have something like this, a little phrase we use when we're ready to talk openly again... but I can't share it in public. ;-)
The weekend didn't have much to do with troutface, because, ya know, this wedding wasn't about me, or my pregnancy, or our future baby, much to my disappointment. And I didn't eat super well all weekend, although I didn't eat horribly either. I just wasn't on my own baby-making eating rhythm, or my baby-making sleeping rhythm, so that was a little bit annoying. And then on the way home, I started to stress about the airport security checkpoint, and I was standing as far away from the x-ray machine as I could, and hoping that the metal detector doesn't do anything weird to fetuses. I'm sure it doesn't. I'm being neurotic. But still. Plus I got nauseous in the plane both directions, especially on the way back when we had to fly through like 4,000 miles of clouds hanging over Portland and make a sharp U-turn in a huge plane to get into position for landing. That was even stomach turning for the non-prego folks on the plane. But I didn't throw up. Give thanks for the small things. 
Here's a picture of me and my baby bump, in my new dress that Brady bought me for our anniversary in April, that I have been saving to wear to this wedding ... but then decided not to wear it because I felt self-conscious about my baby bump. But some of you moms out there have asked to see my baby bump. So there it is! And it's growing every day!
1 comment:
GLAD YOU GUYS HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE WEDDING and so glad you took the time to go. I remember you talking about Chelsea and I was really struck by the picture of your two. You look a lot alike, same facial structure.
Troutface baby bump is very beautiful! Keep taking pictures! The dress Brady bought is beautiful on you. It looks like you could wear it for a while and show the baby bump like the starlets do for the paparazzi (sp?). The dress color is awesome.
Smooches to all three, Mamie
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