An Extra Happy Day!

Nine years ago today, Army and I were married. My wedding, reception, and marriage have been everything I could ask for and more. Since we got married at Christmastime, everything was decorated beautifully. It was an amazing sight to see. Let me take you on a little trip down memory lane.


*Edited: Ignore the links in this paragraph. They don't work...I'm leaving them until I am able to replace them with pictures though.
After our rehearsal at the church, his parents gave us a fabulous dinner here in one of the banquet rooms. It was a delicious dinner, and we really had a lot of fun. Our dessert was their famous mile high pie, and Army and I have had a slice the night before our anniversary all but one year since we've been married. It is so big and so yummy! We absolutely have to split it, and I still have leftovers from my half that Army dutifully eats.

The next afternoon, we were married here. Although it can come across as a bit ornate, the pictures from weddings here are breathtaking. The church is along St. Charles Avenue, and when we exited the church, a streetcar was going by. All the tourists were hanging out the windows taking pictures of us. It was surreal!

We left by limo (this is big for me, and one day I'll explain why, for now I'll just leave you with the knowledge that I was nearly killed--accident, not murder-- in one a few years before my wedding). We enjoyed our reception here (click 'home' to see some additional pics of the outside, which is absolutely dreamy!). I was so busy having fun at our reception that I forgot to eat. No worries, they sent a tray up to our room that night, and Army had made reservations at a delicious restaurant. My sister and multiple cousins had their receptions here too. I was first and got a great room with a private balcony on St. Charles Avenue. None of the others who stayed there could stay in our room. The poor reception coordinator had to figure out different rooms for everyone because nobody could stomach staying anywhere that a relative had spent their first married night. Hehe! I think I got the best room, but I'm pretty certain all the others feel they got the best.

Army surprised me with reservations for dinner here after our reception ended. YUM! I've been there many times for various functions, and I have never been disappointed. It's that good! Unfortunately, it's well known for heavy cream sauces and such, which I did indulge in after I no longer needed to fit in my wedding dress. Lucky me, it induced my first gallbladder attack. Yeah, Army could have kicked himself for those reservations later that night! ;) I was fine though.

The next morning, we headed to the airport for our honeymoon. The weather for my wedding was in the 70s, and our honeymoon was rather warm too. When we left to return home, we were shocked at the packed airport. Most of the US was hit by a hard ice storm, so we had to literally step over people at the airport to make our flight. When we arrived back in New Orleans, it was freezing! Thankfully, my father is superman and thought ahead. He greeted us with nice warm coats!

I can honestly say, despite the difficult emotional situations we've faced (fertility issues, miscarriages, serious illness, my father's brain injury, etc) that we've had a wonderful nine years. I can't wait until I'm able to say the same about fifty years! :)