You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you

The news was calling it the hottest day of the year. It was expected to be 105 degrees and feel like 115-120 degrees with the humidity. Many prayers were said, extra water bottles were bought, the ceremony site was moved to under the shade and then everything was handed over to the Lord. No matter what at the end of the day Chris and I were saying I do!

As one of our guests said,"you must have an in with the man upstairs because the temperature gauge in our car just kept dropping as we were driving here." A true Virginia summer rainstorm rolled threw just as I was taking pre-wedding pictures with my fabulous bridesmaids. After a quick dash in the rain I popped into the kitchen behind a shocked member of the catering staff to avoid a unlucky run-in with the groom. All the kitchen staff stopped what they were doing and starred at me and Roxanne (she was holding my dress thank goodness!) standing amidst the sinks and stoves. Once I explained the situation they all rushed to help me through the room without getting dirty while saying congratulations.

I exited through the kitchen into the country club's restaurant where surprised customers yelled well wishes. In the room next to the restaurant my handsome groom was waiting with his groomsmen to take their pictures. Thanks to our quick thinking photographer and the Chris covering his eyes and facing the wall I was able to make it to the safety of the bridal room where I promptly put my feet up, hiked up the several layers of my wedding dress and drank lots of water to cool down.

Not only did the rain give me that cute little antidote it also cooled the area down about 20 degrees. The ceremony was slightly delayed but everyone was much more comfortable.



Soon everyone was seated the processional started. As Roxanne started through the gate into the courtyard pulling a wagon with the ring bearer and flower girls, my Dad and I were waiting to walk down the aisle. She's a real Pippa, what can I say! That is when the butterflies hit. I had made it through our entire engagement without being nervous at all until that moment. I was so excited and yet so nervous. A quick kiss and an "I love you" and we were off. Two steps through the gate and into the courtyard and the butterflies disappeared and were replaced with a warm happy feeling. I saw Chris for only a second or two before he disappeared behind all of our family and friends as they stood for Dad and I to walk by. Once we entered the aisle the only thing I remember seeing is Chris' face. I remember every detail of his smile and his eyes starring back at me. My old roomie, Emily, told me she knew when I entered the courtyard because Chris' face just lit up and just as everyone stood he said, "I can't see her anymore!"



I don't remember much about what my Dad said as he married us, but I do remember looking at Chris and hearing him say "You're beautiful." and "I love you." Walking back up the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Corcoran was the best moment of my life. I was finally married to my best friend and it was now time to celebrate!!!

Stay tuned for more details about the reception!!

I suck..SORRY!

Ok I've sucked at updating my blog like I should. I understand this is extremely annoying to people who want to know the crazy wedding planning adventures Chris and I have been tackling recently. SORRY!!

Between school, church and wedding planning I have barely had time to breath. School gets out on Thursday which means until then my life will be filled with report cards and permanent files (yes they do exist!)

I PROMISE I WILL UPDATE MY BLOG A LOT AFTER THAT!!!

I never get tired of looking at these!

Links to our photographers page with some photos for you...

http://photographydujour.blogspot.com/2011/03/cc-engagements-virginia-wedding.html

http://photographydujour.blogspot.com/2011/04/engagements-cclove-northern-virginia.html

Q and A

I love being engaged! I love getting to walk around with a huge smile on my face for no apparent reason. I love that when my students annoy me or ask what the directions were for the 5th time I can go to my "happy place" and stare at my ring. Its spark in the artificial light of public schools really does make everything better. I love that I get to be a control freak and everyone simply caves to my wishes so they can avoid a "bridezilla" moment. Haha. I love that I can have fake bridezilla moments just because I can and then bust up laughing when people don't know how to react. I love that in 83 days I will marry my prince charming!

I have also learned a few things. I have NO IDEA how people get engaged and married within 3 months. Maybe its because I have a full time job that I take home with me every night but there is no stinkin' way I could plan a wedding that fast! I simply need my sleep. I have also learned that I will change my mind several times but once I like something I LIKE IT and it won't change. Oh I have also learned that I really am a control freak!

I've also learned that there are a few basic questions that you get asked every time you run into someone you haven't seen in a while. I am going to answer them now because I know all my friends across the country are probably wondering them too.

HOW DID C AND I MEET?

He is best friends with one of my best friends' husbands. I've known who he was since high school but I really don't ever remember talking to him other than your polite "Hi. How are you?" Our two friends have been dating since 8th grade so we crossed paths a lot. He was simply too shy and I apparently was always dating someone. About a year and a half ago 2 of our friends got married. We finally started talking at the wedding. I really didn't think anything of it because I was going to be flying back to Utah the next day. About a month later our two best friends got married and I was really excited to see him again. We laughed and talked and danced at their wedding but once again I was living in VA and he was in RI so I really didn't think it was going any where. At first we kept in touch through Facebook then he got my number and we started talking on the phone for hours. Soon we discovered the miracle that is Skype. We had our first date while we were both home for Christmas. Dinner and a movie...classic! We hung out the rest of break as much as we could but then I went back to Utah. He kept calling and calling. I made the poor guy work his butt off!

One day he called and gave me two dates to choose from. He was coming to visit!! I lived in Utah for 6 years and none of my friends came to visit except for him. We had a blast! He toured BYU and Temple Square. We drove to Vegas and did some hiking in St. George. He met my sisters and experienced Provo's finest entertainment. Somewhere in between Christmas and that visit I guess we officially started dating but because we don't really know when that happened we went with the anniversary date of our first date, Dec. 26th. We continued to date (which became a lot easier when I moved home to VA) for the next year.

HOW DID HE PROPOSE?

C is a very romantic guy! I'm a very lucky girl...he spoils me! We had been talking about marriage for a little while and I was super excited for C to meet my whole family over the Christmas holiday. We spent a wonderful Christmas Eve with his family where we opened presents and ate yummy Polish food. We spent Christmas Day with my family. Following tradition we drove to Annapolis to spend it with my grandparents and extended family. They were all very nice to C and he fit right in! The next day was the day he had wanted to propose but he had some family in town so it just didn't work out.

So on the 27th he drove to my parents' house. He caught them just in time because they were getting ready to leave for the day. According to C my dad was just smiling the whole time they talked. C asked for permission and my parents said yes. That evening C picked me up and recreated our first date. On our way out to the car he pointed to a nearby tree and said "What's that?" It was a ball of mistletoe. Everything after that went by really fast and is a big blur. I remember him getting down on one knee and saying "Will you marry me?" I guess he said some other things too but I really don't remember what they were I was too shocked. I said YES! probably a hundred times and just kept kissing and hugging him. I don't even remember seeing the ring I just remember looking at him. Finally, he asked if he could the ring on. It was perfect!! He said my facial expressions were priceless. When he got down on his knee my jaw hit the floor and then I couldn't stop smiling and laughing the whole night. He said he's never seen me smile that big.

DID HE PICK THE RING OUT?

Yes all by himself! I didn't help at all and he did a fantastic job!

WHEN/WHERE IS THE WEDDING?

July 22 in Round Hill, VA. 83 days to go!!

LOST AND FOUND

Here is a "testimonal" I wrote for a website that helped us out recently....


It wasn’t just any ring that went flying off my finger while throwing snowballs at our husky. It was THE ring. The ring he chose all by himself. The ring he loved enough to give to me when he got down on one knee. And now it was hidden somewhere in 2 feet of snow!

We were newly engaged and still floating on cloud 9. Everything was perfect leading up to that afternoon of playing in the snow. The sunshine was glistening as we took turn tossing clumps of snow into the air. Our dog was jumping up chomping on them. I picked a big clump and tossed it with both hands. As I let go of the snow I knew instantly that my ring, which hadn’t been sized yet, was gone. Feeling it slide off the whole length of my finger was the worst feeling in the world.

We looked for hours. Tracing and retracing every inch of the dog park we were in. When our eyes failed us we shoveled 16 trash bags full of snow and melted them in the bathtub hoping to find my ring in the water. Bag after bag melted and bag after bag there was no ring. As my tears dried we slowly began to realize that short of a miracle, the ring was gone forever.

That miracle was discovering theringfinders.com on Google. They were great! There was no one in our area listed on the website but they found us a guy who lives down the street. Larry came the next day with all his gear and in 45 minutes had the ring back in my fiance’s hands. Larry’s strategy was simple and effective. He started with where I was standing and slowly expanded his search past where we had been looking until he hit the jackpot. We are so grateful to Larry and theringfinders.com for helping us! Instead of a tragic memory they gave us our ring, a great story to tell at the reception, and something my fiance can tease me about for the rest of our lives.

Now for a few details that didn't make it into the testimonal.
1. This horrific event happened over MLK weekend in January while I was visiting Chris in Rhode Island.
2. I have the best fiance ever. I was the one freaking out like a maniac and he was just focused on calming me down. He just kept saying, "It's just a ring. I love you. We are still going to get married. It is just a ring." He even talked to his parents and asked if he should go out and buy me another one the next day when stores opened up. Yup! I found myself a keeper! He is the best! I love him!
3. No, I didn't have gloves on we were only going to be out there for a couple minutes while Jak (our husky) stretched his legs and peed. Lesson learned: ALWAYS wear gloves when there is snow on the ground, even if you are just thinking about going outside!
4. Snow glistens in the sun just like my big sparkly diamond which is a good metaphor for writing stories but bad when you are trying to find a lost diamond ring in the snow.
5. I cried the whole plane ride back to VA. The poor woman who sat next to me probably thought I was nuts. There I was crying, flipping through a bridal magazine with no ring on my finger. When she finally asked if I was okay I told her what had happened and then we cried together.
6. I didn't say anything to my students about the rind when I went to school Monday morning but they had noticed it by about 10 AM. The girls all started crying and the boys mouths just dropped and were like "That's not good." "That's why I'm never getting married...too expensive." "Are you going to be sad the rest of the year?"
7. I teach a very diverse classroom. Half my class has roots in the Middle East or Asia. One of my students even offered to pray to her Gods for me. "They will find it." she said. :o) Between myself being Mormon, Chris being Catholic and my students I think we covered all major religions in prayer. I now have a very good story for the next time I have to give a talk/lesson in church about prayer. I find it very interesting that no matter what religion you are, when something goes wrong we all have this innate instinct to turn to a higher power in prayer.
8. Chris told me he had found the ring after school got out Monday. I literally screamed and jumped up and down in the hallway while walking to my car. What can I say? I was excited!
9. Since Chris and I survived this (with two thumbs up might I add) potential disaster I know we can survive anything. :o)

Wordless Wednesday

MEET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

If you haven't heard the miracles of all miracles has happened...I'M ENGAGED!! Yes, that's right I have found my Mr. Right. I have drugged, hypnotized, and blackmailed him into proposing and I SAID YES!

Some things you should know about the man who tolerates my love of Harry Potter, country music, and apple juice obsession.
1. He has but one fault...(I figure we should just get this out in the open first) he is a Philadelphia Eagles Fan.
2. His favorite color is orange.
3. He loves to watch The Office, Modern Family, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Wipeout.
4. He loves doing puzzles!!!
5. He drives a Camaro.
6. He is an Air Traffic Controller and he loves his job!
7. He owns a Siberian Huskie, Jak, who we both spoil rotten.
8. He loves warm weather, sunshine, and water.
9. He likes visiting aquariums.
10. He is a LoCo native.
11. He has an awesome family who has welcomed me with open arms.
12. He loves to play board games with me.
13. He likes cuddling. :o)
14. He is very handy with fixing things.
15. The only hand he will hold now is my left hand because he likes to feel my engagement ring.
16. He ALWAYS opens the door to his car for me.
17. He is a complete gentleman who understands that I am always right.
18. He is a video gamer.
19. He has middle child syndrome.
20. He likes traveling, a hobby we are excited to do together.
21. Favorite holiday: Christmas
22. Favorite food: chicken Parmesan
23. Favorite #:13
24. Loves watching movies, laughing and anything chocolate
25. Has great taste in buying me purses and jewerly.
26. Graduated from Embry-Riddle University.
27. Is an even bigger technology nerd than I am.
28. Survived a 6 hour shopping trip where we registered in 3 different stores!!
29. Loves legos.
30. AND LOVES ME!!