Stand By Me

I remember August 14, 2010 like it was yesterday. Waking up at 3:30am, needing to find the will to fall back asleep - the day was too important to be feeling lethargic. Excitedly getting out of bed three hours later and resisting the urge to wake Sarah & Jo in the next room. That half hour or so was the only time I truly had to myself that day. Looking back, it was nice to sit alone with my thoughts and take it all in...

I was getting married.

Fast forward a few hours... I was getting married. Um, holy shit! If there was one thing I was not expecting on my wedding day, it was how I anxious I would feel while getting ready. Two words: nervous wreck. I couldn't eat, couldn't drink, and in all honesty, could barely talk without feeling completely nauseous. It probably didn't help that the clock was staring me in the face, mocking my strategically thought out timeline for the day. (Damn you, Father Time!) Yet somehow, even when it seemed like it couldn’t all come together, I was surrounded by some very important ladies, stepping into my wedding dress.

Cue the water works. (And for the sake of full disclosure, I would cry about my wedding weeks months ahead of time. Usually when I’d hear a song on the radio that I just knew would play at the reception… even Lady Gaga. I know, I am ridiculous.)

Once I saw Mr. Malone, I knew I would be okay. And it was true. Even seeing the way he stood at the bottom of the stairs – hip kind of checked out to the side. It was as if we were back at the jello shot party where we met, but this time, he was dressed to the nines.

You know what all of my married friends told me prior to that day? “It was a total blur – it all was over so quickly.” Frankly, I have to disagree. Time stood still for me that gorgeous Seattle afternoon; whether it was the party bus, Father Ritter telling our guests that they should be single & ready to mingle, or the 8+ hours of non-stop dancing… it seemed like a weekend of celebration all wrapped into one day. One beautiful, amazing, unforgettable day.

I cannot put into words how humbling the experience was. I clearly remember standing with my dad, gripping his arm as we prepared to take this walk that we’d both been thinking about for quite some time. Looking through the glass doors into the church… seeing our family and friends, who traveled from all over the country to be there… I lost it. (Seriously, I cried the entire way up the aisle.) I wish I would have had more time with each and every person who was there that day. And if you are re-living this occasion with me now, and were there a year ago, I hope you know how much your presence meant to Mr. Malone and I.

And to my husband (a word I still giggle when I use), I could not be happier to be going through this crazy thing called “life” with you. We both know it won’t be easy, but I think together we can get by with laughter and a whole lot of love, and maybe a PowerPoint presentation or two. Here is to our first year together as Mr. & Mrs., and to the many more we will celebrate in the future. I love you.