Fun Facts Friday - Anniversary Edition

Since tomorrow is our 11-year wedding anniversary, I thought today would be Fun Facts Friday - Anniversary Edition.

• We met just before St. Patty's Day in 1995 at a party that I had to chauffeur my sister to.
• We pretty much only met because Sarah was dating Jason's friend (also named Jason).
• Jason and I didn't exactly hit it off like love at first site. I just happened to be the last girl standing anytime we were around each other.
• We stupidly moved to AL together within 6 months of meeting - somehow that seemed better than AR. 
• We lived together for 5 years before deciding to get married.
• We actually bought a townhouse together before getting married.
• Jason "proposed" after a long night at the restaurant (he cooked in a fancy schmancy French restaurant). Basically, sitting in his stinky chef clothes, me in my PJs, both with Bud Lights in hand he just asked if I wanted to go ahead and get married and use our vacation package as the honeymoon. Sure...why not. 
• My sister go married in June; we got married in August. Families love this of course.
• We catered a sit-down dinner for 78 guests making homemade manicotti, which I have not made since. 
• The reception (aka party) went on until about 11:30 pm (wedding started at 6:30). 
• The wedding was outdoors, in August. It was only 107 that day.
• I lost my wedding band after we walked down the aisle - funny to watch guests digging around the grass searching for a ring. It was found though, no worries.
• My mom made my dress (and my sister's).
• We were broke - I did my own hair, nails, makeup, etc.
• My mom and I decorated 4 Italian Cream Cakes with lace, pearls, and ivory silk roses (again broke).
• My bridesmaids all carried 2 ivory silk roses that I later took to the grave site of a dear friend.

So, even though the wedding wasn't fancy, it was spectacular to us. Everyone enjoyed themselves and that's what we wanted the most - a party to celebrate our lives together. Because it was a small affair, we were able to really visit with everyone, sit down and enjoy dinner, dance, sing, just have fun. Very unpretentious. No receiving lines and formalities.

And you know what? The actual wedding doesn't really matter in the end does it? It's over, the mess gets cleaned up. Presents opened and put away. Life moves in a forward direction. We eventually sold the townhouse, got new jobs, bought our current home, have lost two furbabies, adopted two more furbabies. Seasons come and go. Times can be rough, but they can be good. And eleven years later, Jason is still the love of my life.

Daily To-Enjoy List:

• Day on the lake
• Being disconnected