The best thing that's ever been mine.

There is a day that is more dear to me than any other in my memory. 

There are no words to describe it, none that could ever adequately capture it from this now dreamlike place in my mind and bring it back to physical reality. It went by so fast and yet...when I close my eyes sometimes and focus on the dream, every detail comes back to me with startling clarity. I suppose it's because that was the day that defined the rest of my entire life, and lives of everyone that will now come after me.

It was the day that I was blessed to keep the very greatest gift I have ever received...the day I was sealed for eternity to my very best friend.

I never could have imagined this day, or the wonderful blessing it was. I never could have imagined how  in love I'd be, or what the incredible man would be like that walked out of those doors with me into the cold January morning. It was the same world I'd always known, but on that day...it seemed absolutely new.

I never imagined that he'd have eyes like the cerulean crayon I loved so much as a little girl, or hair so blonde that he already looked like one of my own family.

I never imagined the feeling of unconditional love and support that I'd feel every time I was near him.

Nor could I have imagined the butterflies he'd give me, or the feeling of unfailing confidence and security I hadn't previously known existed.

I couldn't have imagined how much he'd teach me about cherishing my own family, the ones I was sealed to first and forever.

I couldn't have dreamed how much I'd love watching him treat his own family with sincere affection and loyalty. I had no idea how excited this would make me to begin our own, and see how many more lives would be touched by his genuinely loving nature.

I had no way of knowing just how much more fun life would be with him around...or how much life he would bring into my own.

I hadn't ever felt the words that could be spoken by the touch of a hand...

...or the thoughts that could be conveyed by the sweetness of a kiss.

I was unaware of how happiness in its complete form felt until that day. I didn't know I could smile so big.

I could have never guessed how unbelievably, incredibly, amazing this man would be.

And that he'd be the best thing that's ever been mine.

Better together. :)

Welp, I'm a Mrs.

A Mrs. Shay Petrone.

A wife, companion, other-half, breakfast maker, laundry doer, sore shoulder rubber, beyond happily married girl. :)

And I have quiiiiite a bit to update about our lives. I was hoping to stay up on this so well that I could give every little detail about every little thing, but then I'm afraid something happened to prevented that. And that something is called "life." And "life" didn't really feel like slowing down to let me dwell on the little details, but instead brought on every big thing.

But then guess what? Life's new companion, called "husband," fell asleep super early tonight so I got a little bored. It's tough when your biggest and best playmate is all played-out. What's funny though is that as he's lying next to me, snoring slightly on his back, he does the cutest thing when I nudge him. He doesn't ask, "What?" or "Mmmm?" or even roll back over moaning because I interrupted his slumber. Without fail, every single time, he mumbles, "Amuvooo." Which translates to: "I love you."

Every time. I think I've done it like six times now just because I wanted to hear it. Hee hee...

Anyway, I'll start with just before the last place I left off at which was prior to the events that will heretofore be listed later on in the duration of this post. And with these bigish things, I'll list as many littleish details as I can! 'Cause they're fun and make me smile, that's why. :)

BRIDALS!!!

The details:

LaCaille is BEAUTIFUL and expensive and has crazy swans.

I was blessed with an amazing photographer and a very patient maid of honor and mother and groom-to-be who were all so much more kind to me than I deserved that day. But that's why they are who they are to me. :)

I was fearful that I'd leave this four hour (yep, FOUR hours in the freeeeeezing cold) photo shoot with only a handful of pictures that would maybe make me smile and go, okay, that works I guess...but no. I am having the hardest time picking out which pictures to post, and if I even posted all the ones I like after narrowing them down, I'd still probably blow my blog up. I wish I could show you the fabulous bride's room that made me feel like a French princess, with mirrored walls and powder puff chairs and flowers and sparkles. I wish I could show you the ducks that played prop for us or the swan that took a snap at our photographer when she tried to get him to do the same. I wish I could show you the fireplaces and winding staircases, the lamp post that I swung around on and the manmade snow cave created by a constantly running sprinkler. Instead, I want to show you these:



Our photographer was amazing at catching our personalities. She got lots and lots of us laughing...because honestly, that's what we do about 80% of the time. I was grateful that she caught on so fast. :)



"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter, as long as I'm laughing with you..."



And she got some super romantic ones. Like that one above. I absolutely fell in LOVE with that picture, and with the guy in it all over again.



I have such a studly husband! This was during Shay's solo with our photographer while Kari and I went back to the bathroom to fix my hair and warm up.



I love the symbolism in this picture. It's the biggest print that we had made for the wedding, because I adore what it seems to be saying. Isn't every love story that way? Two people coming from different roads, joined together finally on the same path and dressed in black and white. :) Neither really with a good idea of what to expect or what might happen, but neither really focused on that as much as they are on each other. Because really, that's what is going to get them through whatever lies on the road ahead. Each other. :)

The next adventures each deserve a post of their own, so in respect I shall defer those details until a later date.

Hitting the pause button.

Sometimes I have found myself needing to take a deep breath through all these plans...like my life has gotten stuck on fast forward in anticipation for what is coming in less than two months and I have to make a conscious effort to stop, look around me, and actually see what is going on.

And sometimes there are days when it hits me all over again...

I'M GETTING MARRIED.

*squeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllll!*

One of these times occurred the other day when Shay and I were sifting through the 100+ engagement shots we took last Saturday in the hopes that we would find one, maybe two, possibly three that would pass my ever-so-rigorous-and-slightly-overly-critical-judgement and make it onto the official announcement. Surprisingly there were 20 or so that passed...some more than others...which is something I am truly grateful for as it's yet another thing that has been successfully crossed off our "to do" list. During this quest for the perfect picture, one of them caught my eye and made me stop completely. As I gazed at the picture in awe and noticed yet again the little token of love and affection that had been carefully placed on my finger with more sacrifice than I'm probably aware of, I was completely blindsided. These were my engagement pictures. There was my fiance, who would someday be my husband, the man who would lead and guide my children and I throughout the rest of our lives, my very very very best friend and the biggest blessing I have ever received.

And in 55 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes, and 10 seconds I get to officially keep him forever.

Needless to say, that puts a ginormous smile on my face. :)

I used to wonder who this man would be that I would someday fall forever in love with...what his name started with, what color his eyes were, whether or not he'd laugh at all my corny jokes, what kind of music he liked...and the list goes on. I never would have nor could have guessed what was in store for me, but I'm glad that was the case. I like that the surprise I got is the best one of all!

Here's a sneak peak at the pictures that made the cut:



The ducks behind us were quite amusing. :) Their flight south for the winter was apparently delayed and they were so starved that they literally followed us around the pond as we took the pictures, hoping that we had come instead to feed them. A couple had even lost a foot somehow but were still able to keep up with the others...it was pretty cool to see how they had adapted. :)



This "dock" was questionable...much less sturdy than I remember it being as a little kid. Then again, I never used to care about that anyway...as long as I could hang my homemade fishing pole off of it and catch gazillions of huge imaginary fish, it was the best place in the whole world.



I always wanted a picture like this, but never knew it until now... :)



He was trying to dip me. Without warning. And I was like, "Nuh-uh." Right after I stopped laughing. :)



Kissy-face! :) His poor ears are so red, we were both freezing! I probably shouldn't have procrastinated so much on getting these taken, Mother Nature didn't want to wait as long as we did. :P



I always wanted a picture like this too. Only I knew that one beforehand. And I rigged the shoot so I could get one. He wasn't being very cooperative for very long though...



...and this is where we ended up. Gosh I love him. :)



One of my favorites, hands down. :) I think we'll have cute blonde-haired blue-eyed little ones someday. Yep. :)



Another fave, which will probably be one that ends up on the announcement itself.



And this is how the adventure ended, as most everything should in my opinion. :) Sealed with a kiss!