Keepsake Moment

Thanks Whirlwind! Your blog was the first one I ever won something on, and now you've awarded me my first award.

*blush*

I'm so honored. Now, the pressure is on!! My initial panic set in when I saw you had to pass the award on to 10 other bloggers. Sadly, since most of my waking hours are spent reading and researching blog posts for work that talk of social media marketing and text analytics, it is going to be tough to ask those bloggers to share their keepsake moments. And, I think you had most of the mommy bloggers I follow on your award list so I may have to get creative.

So, let me explain my award responsibility to the 3 family members that read my blog:

The rules of this award state that I need to tell a "keepsake moment" in my life, as well as to pass on the love to some of my fellow bloggers. That's where the "ten of them" comes in. I'll try my best, but that may delay sharing my moment as I scour the internet looking for ten new bloggers.

While many of the keepsake moments in my life could include my children, my keepsake moment has to do with family *before* children. It would be our wedding day.

Almost 9 years ago, hubby and I set out on our adventure as a married couple. I can ASSURE you I was not one of those girls at 10 years old who dreamed of her big church wedding, dressed in a big white flowy gown, releasing doves into the air with a small choir singing in the background. And while that is lovely and perfect for some...it wasn't for me.

In fact, my dress cost approx $300 and was off the rack of a small shop in Maine - no train - no fittings - little fluff. I wasn't going to get a veil but caved at the last minute - there is something princess-like about the veil.

We bypassed the church which is VERY FUNNY thinking back on that now that my daughter is in Catholic school. I just didn't want them involved in my wedding. I couldn't imagine standing, kneeling and praying for an hour. Twenty minutes, max, was my goal.

The ceremony had to happen near the ocean. We were living in Maryland at the time and I longed for the rocky shores of Maine. Turns out my Aunt graciously offered us her home and her backyard, which is beachfront in Maine, and with the help of my sweet Nana pulling some strings in heaven (she had passed 8 months before my wedding) we had a GORGEOUS beach day for a wedding.

But my keepsake moment of the day wasn't how we looked, or where we were or what the weather was that day. It was the joy. The joy inside as I held my soon-to-be-husband's hands and thought of all the ups and downs (and downs and ups) we endured that brought us to that moment. I don't think I ever really believed we'd be married. He had had his share of a marriage that didn't work, and I had decided that being an independent woman was pretty cool. But timing and fate had other plans and on that day, with our parents as our witnesses, as we repeated the words we had written for the JP, I was overcome with joy and I knew it was forever. No doubts. No fears. Just joy. It is my keepsake moment, forever. Oh, and the party that followed was pretty kick-ass if I do say so myself!



OK. Now. Ten bloggers, huh? If it's okay with you, I might change the rules a bit and tag my friends on Facebook that don't blog. I know they'd love to join in and wouldn't get a chance if I kept it to bloggers-only. Plus, I don't think I can come up with 10 new bloggers since you already awarded Chicky Baby, In the Trenches and Fairly Odd Mother. See...I'm already out of bloggers that I follow religiously :)