i'll follow you

so we were married legally and civilly for the love of insurance benefits, and then we were married for real... on this day, september 23rd, 3 years ago.

there was no proposal for our civil marriage. it was decided one day and done the next. our only witnesses being that other couple sitting at the courthouse waiting for their chance at a shotgun wedding. our "real" wedding date had already been set before this decision was made, so we continued with that plan, a year and 2 months in the future.

about 8 months before our wedding, we were in Sedona, officially booking our wedding site. after plunking down a large chunk of money that we'd never get back, joe took me to the exact place where we were going to say our vows-on a stone platform next to oak creek. there he offered me a proper proposal-down on one knee, with the ring i'd chosen, a speech, nerves and all. it was adorable. though, i guess i didn't give him the proper response. instead of the, "yes! a thousand times, yes!" one might expect, it was, "baby, why are you shaking? you know the answer, we're already married!" [it was still appreciated though, love. it really was.]

what's more is how nervous he was during the ceremony as well. i mean, i was nervous, but mostly about the boys throwing a giant fit during the ceremony, or my post-partum body squeezing into that wonderful, gorgeous dress. [just two more reasons to add to your list of why exactly "first comes marriage."]

i would do it all over again though. i would. especially now that i know the outcome.

but don't worry, i won't recommend it to your daughters.

when the stars go blue - ryan adams