A Perfect Day: Part II

About a million people hugged me. I knew to expect it, but I was so on hug overload. People I didn't know introduced themselves to me, and immediately went in for a hug. Mmm... kay. Receiving line: Made it through, wasn't too sweaty, stayed upright almost the entire time (I did have a child grab me around the waist unexpectedly and pull me right over-- plus my train was like a freaking sail in gale force winds that day... so to hug approx 175 people and only fall over once, I'd say is a good record for me)
Mom bustled my dress and we headed for the reception where a big empty room had been transformed. I don't think it was the warm lighting, gold decorations, or candlelight that lit up the room. Though all those things turned out lovely, when I entered the room it was glowing with the happy faces of friends and family smiling and cheering. The room seemed to float with excitement and anticipation--our guests were ready to have a good time--as the band played the smoothest music you can imagine and we started dining on ridiculously yummy food...
We were working the room chatting with friends and thanking guests for being there when the emcee made an announcement that Chocolate Milkshakes were being served... and a loud cheer of approval went up from the crowd. I laughed-- excited that they liked our alternative to a champagne toast. The Best Man honored our families and parents with his praise during his toast and I thought that was awesome. I fed Z cake! One of my favorite pictures of the night shows me elated to be force-feeding my groom. It was great. Then there was dancing. Z and I alone on the floor dancing through our name in lights (it was pretty sweet) and then surrounded by all our family and friends laughing and dancing a sweet romantic 'anniversary dance' to Love Me Tender. The family dance was one of my favorite moments of the evening... I always love dancing with my Daddy (he ususally sings to me too, and tonight was no exception), and looking around I could see little girls and big girls alike shared that sentiment. Plus... Mammas were dancing with little baby boys, I saw a 13 yr old boy ask his mom to dance, and even my new father-in-law dancing away with his 86 yr old mother. It was the kind of moment that makes you feel all squishy and sentimental inside! :) It wasn't 'til the last 1/2 hour of the night that people really got into the dancing but by the last song, people were begging for more-- they even started a soul train... and Grandma Pogemiller was the first to go! Classic. Z even danced a few more songs with me so by the time we were ready to leave, I was breathless and my face was flushed, but you couldn't wipe a smile off my face. My mom helped me quickly change into a different dress and as everyone was assembling outside to send us off Z and I happened to catch a moment with both our Dads. We told them thank you so much for everything, and hugged them. They both sincerely congratulated us and then we went running outside to our car through a shower of petals and I laughed and waved as we drove away.
We had so much fun. We were exhausted. But our wedding day? Z and I agreed: It was perfect.

(read A perfect Day: Part I and A Perfect Day: Part III)

A Perfect Day: Part I

It started with pancakes-- blueberry for me. Fresh out of the shower I was sitting on the back deck of my parents house in a cool cotton sundress eating blueberry pancakes with my best friends. Through the screen door into the kitchen I could see more friends eating, giggling, and getting hair and make-up professionally done. It was the very definition of 'girl time' and I was surrounded by the best 'girls' anyone could wish for-- My mom. my sister, my so-soon-to-be Mother-in-law, and my three best friends (Oh, and my 'Hair goddess' and 'Makeup Designer'!)

It seemed like I waited an eternity that morning to get in 'the chair' to have my hair fixed and makeup done... but once i got there, the day started moving at lightening speed. Soon the photographers arrived and I was getting dressed, daddy was helping me into the car... and I was seeing my Groom for the first time that day. Actually I saw the back of my groom first... and my goodness, even the back of his head was handsome.
Then we were taking pictures, and I was crawling over fences in my wedding gown, then elbow deep in the church's bathroom sink scrubbing the mud off my ivory silk shoes. I wanted my mom and I finally met her downstairs where I convinced her to stop flitting about and look at me for about 30 seconds while i pinned a corsage on her. And next thing I knew I was walking down the aisle toward Zachary, and what seemed like seconds and an eternity later, holding Zachary's hand, I turned to look right at a packed room of people and Donnie said "Mr. and Mrs. Pogemiller".

(read A Perfect Day: Part II and A perfect Day: Part III)

Wedding Eve

Tomorrow everything changes. Tomorrow we get married... and everything will be different. I don't even know HOW different... I just know that it's about to get all kinds of different in my life. The wedding is all planned. We rehearsed, and are literally hours from everything being set in motion for the big day tomorrow. We went through the counseling. We've talked about and planned for everything under the sun. We've dreamed, and prayed, and waited... and it's finally here, and we will finally be married, and it will surely be wonderful... but life will definitely be different from here on out. Certainly not bad... but different.
I'm laying here in my bed at my parents house-- last night to sleep alone-- wondering if I will sleep at all tonight-- knowing everything will be different by tomorrow. I am not at all afraid of the future, and I am not mourning the change and inevitable loss of the way my life is now and has always been. I am feeling sentimental, and slightly wistful-- and savoring these last hours as Miss Valerie Lynn Sass.
Because tomorrow everything changes.

Everythings going right!

In a week of craziness when it's easy to get stressed and focus on only the things that are going wrong, I have made a decision to focus on the things going right in order to more easily work through the things 'going wrong'. I thought I would start it off with a list of things going well at this point:

1. Weather: the weather channel is focasting 87 degrees with 0% chance of precipitation on my wedding day. Gary Lezak (Z's fav. weather man) concurs.
2. Safe Travel: So far, all traveling that has occured for the sake of my wedding has been without a hitch and all guests have arrived safely. Woot.
3. Bridezilla: I have yet to have a complete meltdown.
4. Music: My musicians are incredible and incredibly accommodating, even when I am fickle and change my mind.
5. Guests: What was originally a frustrating circumstance actually allowed us more room at our reception to invite some guests that had been 'missed'. I felt silly asking people at the last minute if they would like to come, but E* reminded me that sometimes 'Relationships come before Etiquette.' And we got an enthusiastic response from the recently invited. YEAH! :)
6. Alterations: I can't brag enough about my mom. She really is an incredibly talented woman. She did all the alterations, hemming, and bustling of my gown, made a flower girl dress from scratch, and is doing hemming and alterations on 4 bridesmaid dresses. I was worried that this would be too stressful for her... but she is a trooper. No, she is a ROCKSTAR. She's getting it all done, and everything looks FABULOUS.
7. Family: I had an incredibly fun non-wedding-related day with my fam on sunday. We all ran a 5K and had dinner together. It was great. I heart them.
8. House: Our house is slowly transitioning into... Our house. Z has painted the master bedroom 'California Avocado', a pretty mossy-green shade that matches our new comforter. We will be re-arranging some furniture in there and on our wedding day while we are off being photographed and married... a friend has offered to CLEAN OUR WHOLE HOUSE as a gift. Hallelujah and Amen! Best wedding gift ever. :)
9. People: People (friends, family, or even absolute strangers) are way super extra sugary sweet to you when you say these magic words "I'm getting married on Saturday!" You better believe I am milking that for all it's worth.
10. Z: No matter what else happens this week, I get the Grand Prize at the end of the week when I marry my Zachary. Weddings are fun, and I am super excited about the event on saturday, but I have to be honest, Saturday is nothing compared to my excitement over getting to share the rest of my life with Z. I am very blessed and thankful beyond words to get to marry such a kind, funny, strong, loving man on Saturday. The wedding will be great-- the marriage will be (and this is a very 'valerie' term) LIFE CHANGING.

I'm over it.

Drama-y-ness with the dress and random wedding guests. I don't want to deal with the next week, just get me to my wedding day, please!

Things I don't like

1) Olives
2) Other people touching my face or my ears
3) When my hands smell like food
4) The words 'moist' (or the german equivalent 'feucht') or 'purge'
5) Cracking/popping knuckles or joints
6) Over-cooked vegetables
7) People leaning over my desk at work
8) Pumping gas for my car (or also, I guess, paying for that gas.)

I have lots of thoughts to get out, and things to say, and stuff to vent, and people to mock... but no time to do it... DANG. Maybe things slow down soon... but in the meantime...
9 days to wedding and...
11 days to honeymoon! WHOOOOOOOO! Bring on vacation!

The Street Where You Live

I have often walked down this street before,
but the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before.
All at once am I several stories high,
knowing I'm on the street where you live.

Are there lilac trees in the heart of town?
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
Does enchantment pour out of every door?
No, it's just on the street where you live.

And oh, the towering feeling-- just to know somehow you are near.
The over-powering feeling that any minute you might suddenly appear!

People stop and stare, they don't bother me,
for there's no place else on earth that I would rather be.
Let the world go by,
I won't care if I can be here on the street where you live.