9 Years Ago Today

9 years ago today, I was married. And my life has been quite the adventure ever since! The photo above is my favorite. It was snapped by my ~9 year old cousin as she rode past us in a convertible. The driver, contrary to popular belief, is not Amish. He's just an old farmer. The horse not shown is named May. The DH (dear husband) and I have a reservation to take another carriage ride on our 50th anniversary.

Our wedding was very special! We were married in the front yard at my parents' home. It was a surprisingly comfortable August day in the Midwest. It was a casual affair. My parents surprised me with the horse and carriage. My sister was my Maid of Honor. I say that it was a "small" wedding, but we had nearly 100 people there. To me, small is appropriate because most of the group was family!

My grandfather married us. There wasn't a dry eye in the yard when he asked us to kneel, then touching us, prayed for our marriage. I remember how his voice and hands shook.

We had a reception at the local Lions Club building. After the festivities, we came back to my parents'. Several of my cousins followed along, and we ended the deal by being thrown into the pond - an old fashioned family tradition for newly weds that just happened to get revived at my wedding!

Now, coming full circle, I am making preparations for my sister's wedding, which we will celebrate at the end of the month. Happy Anniversary to us all!