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To a new chapter...
Friday, 2 October 2009 12:41Here I stand, a little more than 28 hours away before a marriage ceremony begins. My marriage ceremony. An affirmation of what I realized five years ago. Tomorrow afternoon, I will level up, if you will, going from fiance to husband. When April and I first started dating, I was 18, and hadn't a clue, hadn't even entertained the thought of getting married. When I first started dating, the road was bumpy; I was in love with two wonderful women at the time, but could only have one. It was one of the hardest choices I've ever had to make in my life so far, but once all of that was behind me, and once I began to live with the woman who will be my wife tomorrow afternoon, it's been nothing short of awesome. It's been a great journey thus far, and really, the only thing that will change is April's last name; primarily because she doesn't wish to share the same initials as a particular alien from an 80's sitcom who enjoys eating cats and has a nose that looks like a ribbed condom.
In recent weeks, the wedding's become the talk of our respective workplaces, so naturally, we're getting all sorts of advice and stuff from co-workers; everything ranging from how great married life is, to DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. I fully expect someone to sneak the song "Love and Marriage," which was the theme to the show Married...With Children. The wedding itself will be small, comprising immediate family only, with a couple of exceptions. It's a non-traditional sort of setup, and April and her mother have succeeded in getting me into a suit...last time I wore one was 12 years ago, when my mom married my stepdad. Unless, of course, you count the tux I wore to my senior prom in high school. Yes, there will be pics...it's a once-in-a-lifetime event to see April in a dress and me in a suit.
As the hour gets closer, I'm starting to find myself feeling the earliest twinges of nervousness, and also excitedness. To me, this kind of feels like the sort of nervousness I felt when I was about to go on stage during a high school musical; except this time, there's a legality to this.
Part of the ceremony, at least, what I originally had in mind, was a reading of a poem by Tolkien, entitled The Ent and the Ent-Wife. However, because the person I wanted to read it declined, not wanting to be put on the spot, I decided to write up a short blurb in its place; to be read by the minister. When I wrote it and sent it to April, she called me at work, crying...it had moved her to happy tears. So, I will pass it along to you.
It began with a notebook. Out of curiosity, the notebook was opened. In its pages, it told a story—a story of a boy and a girl. The boy was happy and a bit crazy. The girl was shy, quiet, and kept very much to herself, and originally felt a little uncomfortable with the crazy boy with his hair sticking out of his work hat. However, the two had something in common—they enjoyed writing. A friendship began to form, but the lives of these two kept them from seeing each other more frequently. Some time later, their paths crossed once more. On a cool May evening, the boy was just coming out of a concert he sang in, when he saw the girl standing by a lamppost, on the outskirts of another, very different concert taking place on the lawn close by. The two struck up conversation, and before they had realized it, two hours had flown by, and when the two retired to their dorms, the conversation continued for a couple hours more. They talked about everything and nothing that night, and the boy began to feel a desire to know her better.
A day or so later, the girl and her friend saw the boy in the dining hall, and the girl, under some prodding from her friend, asked the boy to accompany her and her friend into town. It was during that day that the two realized an affection for each other, and they decided to begin this journey together. Since that day, the two traveled together to worlds of pure imagination; to the Paris Opera House, to Middle-earth and Narnia, to the Shire of Sterling and back again. Since then, many notebooks have been written, bound with the themes of love and joy. Today, the story continues, but with a new notebook; it begins with the affirmation of their love to one another, and together, they will continue to take roads less traveled by…and they will continue the adventure till the end of their joyous days.
To April's former roommate, Heather...this is ALL your fault. Look what you've done. Thank you so much. :)
In recent weeks, the wedding's become the talk of our respective workplaces, so naturally, we're getting all sorts of advice and stuff from co-workers; everything ranging from how great married life is, to DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. I fully expect someone to sneak the song "Love and Marriage," which was the theme to the show Married...With Children. The wedding itself will be small, comprising immediate family only, with a couple of exceptions. It's a non-traditional sort of setup, and April and her mother have succeeded in getting me into a suit...last time I wore one was 12 years ago, when my mom married my stepdad. Unless, of course, you count the tux I wore to my senior prom in high school. Yes, there will be pics...it's a once-in-a-lifetime event to see April in a dress and me in a suit.
As the hour gets closer, I'm starting to find myself feeling the earliest twinges of nervousness, and also excitedness. To me, this kind of feels like the sort of nervousness I felt when I was about to go on stage during a high school musical; except this time, there's a legality to this.
Part of the ceremony, at least, what I originally had in mind, was a reading of a poem by Tolkien, entitled The Ent and the Ent-Wife. However, because the person I wanted to read it declined, not wanting to be put on the spot, I decided to write up a short blurb in its place; to be read by the minister. When I wrote it and sent it to April, she called me at work, crying...it had moved her to happy tears. So, I will pass it along to you.
It began with a notebook. Out of curiosity, the notebook was opened. In its pages, it told a story—a story of a boy and a girl. The boy was happy and a bit crazy. The girl was shy, quiet, and kept very much to herself, and originally felt a little uncomfortable with the crazy boy with his hair sticking out of his work hat. However, the two had something in common—they enjoyed writing. A friendship began to form, but the lives of these two kept them from seeing each other more frequently. Some time later, their paths crossed once more. On a cool May evening, the boy was just coming out of a concert he sang in, when he saw the girl standing by a lamppost, on the outskirts of another, very different concert taking place on the lawn close by. The two struck up conversation, and before they had realized it, two hours had flown by, and when the two retired to their dorms, the conversation continued for a couple hours more. They talked about everything and nothing that night, and the boy began to feel a desire to know her better.
A day or so later, the girl and her friend saw the boy in the dining hall, and the girl, under some prodding from her friend, asked the boy to accompany her and her friend into town. It was during that day that the two realized an affection for each other, and they decided to begin this journey together. Since that day, the two traveled together to worlds of pure imagination; to the Paris Opera House, to Middle-earth and Narnia, to the Shire of Sterling and back again. Since then, many notebooks have been written, bound with the themes of love and joy. Today, the story continues, but with a new notebook; it begins with the affirmation of their love to one another, and together, they will continue to take roads less traveled by…and they will continue the adventure till the end of their joyous days.
To April's former roommate, Heather...this is ALL your fault. Look what you've done. Thank you so much. :)
