Ketchup

People, people, its been so long! Well, the non-wedding do went off wonderfully and we had a rip-roarin’ good time. Indeed, good times were had by all. The wine was delicious, as was the food. My dress was a big hit, Sam looked swell as well, wearing in fact, the same tie he temporarily lost on his tie-rack (light blue is such an excellent choice for those of the ginger-haired persuasion). Better than these things, though, was that we had gathered a large number of people very dear to us. It was so great to see everyone! Though I had only met most of Sam’s friends once before, and some of them I met for the first time (like Helen, who is so great! Can’t wait to get to know her better through the years.), generally I think you just tend to find dear those your best friend (i.e. significant other) finds dear, if you know what I mean, and vice versa. In fact, maybe if this is not the case for you (and you are not yet married but just dating or considering it), you should maybe do some thinking. But, I cannot emphasize enough that we just had a fabulous time. I hadn’t really known what to expect, emotionally, but I am all the more thankful to the Lord for bringing Sam and I together, indeed, for crafting us for one another.

The ceremony (as slightly uncomfortable it made me to plan my own ceremony since I tend to like the traditional more than the contemporary/ spontaneous when it comes to these kinds of things, but when there is no tradition in place one must be flexible) was very moving. That is, after the point at the beginning where Sam’s dad surprised us with a slide show complete with cheezy romantic soundtrack and a Star Wars theme, of us growing up. It was really great, though, and thoroughly entertaining. Especially the school picture of Sam at the time in his life when his hair formed a giant wave-curl on his forehead. The ceremony proper was made up of scripture reading, hymns, a message from Uncle John Grice (Sam’s Octogenarian surrogate grandfather) very powerfully and tenderly delivered, our parents praying for us, and Sam and I reading in turn specific thanks to God for various things in our lives. The whole thing was so warm, comfortable, slightly scary since I was the center of attention (well, shared center of attention), and very spiritually moving. It was wonderful to see Sam and his father cry when his father prayed for us, to hear tiny Margaret read Psalm 77 with more fervor than Billy Graham, to sing ‘I Surrender All’ along with Sam and everyone else while holding his hand, to look out and see a hundred plus faces of people I love! And, people, I just get to do it again in December, with real vows and even more and different people I love! How much excitement can a girl stand?

The reception, as I alluded to at the first, was so fun, as well. There was plenty of good wine and food, and excellent selection of music by Sam’s Uncle Ash who also tore it up on the dance floor with the lovely Auntie Revel. Antony (who incidentally is moving to Vancouver, which totally rocks, I’m very proud) was up to his usual ‘eating is cheating’ party behavior and proved a good partner later on the dance floor. Our parents danced, even Sam’s dad, and I finally collapsed at home, after first enduring Tony’s drunk ramblings on the car ride back home. Not many things funnier than a drunk Scot who is already really funny when sober. He is upset that Sam is not pursuing his destiny in stand-up comedy like he himself is. But, the next day, also we had a barbeque with all those 20 plus people who had camped out in the garden and survived Sam’s mother asking at 7.30 in the morning what all these bottles and cigarette-butts were doing in her garden, when she came out just to make sure no one wanted to go to church at half past 8. Oh dear.

And now, my parents left a few days ago, which was really what mostly kept me from writing. I had such a nice time with them, though! The pictures you see are just a random smattering of stuff we've done/seen. Obviously, there were too many to post them all, so I just included a few pleasers from Chatsworth (home of the Duke and Dutchess of Devonshire) and Macbeth at Tolthorpe theatre, though we also went to Stratford upon Avon, Lincoln castle and cathedral, and a few other places. Also, the Long Eaton (outlying town from Nottingham) Steam fair on Saturday was great. It was fun because it was just a sort of medium-sized town fair, with normal everyday Long Eaton-ites and their steam engines, dogs, sweets, and various fair-wares.

The best part of that day, though, was that I got to see a real Punch and Judy Show. Complete with baby beatings, other types of beatings, an alligator, a ghost, the constable, Punch, Judy, sausages, and… the devil, who came at the end to take Punch to hell because he had been a wicked man, and then proceeded to give the crowd a moral lesson about how if we are wicked boys and girls, or mummies and daddies, he will take us to hell, too! So we better be good! It was fantastic.

Also, I finished reading Harry Potter which was oh so good, yet again. I did enjoy the slimmer than the last book feature, though I don’t necessarily subscribe to the ‘half as long, twice as good’ philosophy some have applied to book 5. But it was thoroughly stimulating and entertaining, and gaaaa its so annoying to have to wait another two years or however long for the next one. What’s going to happen, people!? What about Ron and Hermione?!

Well, those are the most recent chunks of news I have to report. The handsome face to your left is how most of these pics were made possible. Well... at least half I'd say. In an unrelated note, I’m thinking of starting a stamp collection. Oh, and Chris and Anna got in today, woohoo! And, their blessing is on Saturday, yay! Can’t wait! Also, I miss Poopus! The dog to the right is merely a stand-in named Sorrel that we met at Chatsworth. A cute poopus nonetheless. And done.