...All Things LOVE...

April writing... *a little lengthly but VERY worth the read*

April 5, 2003

It was Saturday morning...I woke up quite calm, rested and very excited about the days events. I got up...washed my face, brushed my hair and ate a donut. Just another typical saturday morning you may ask? Nope, quite the opposite. It was on this wonderful day that I would marry my best friend!

Me, my sisters and Manda met up to get our hair done. That was alot of fun, I was in the goofiest mood, a bit giddy for lack of a better word.

It was a fun low-key time of getting ready. My sisters and I, as much as we fought...I knew they were there to support thier big sister on her BIG day!

After getting our hair done, we headed to the church. I wanted to get there early so I wouldn't be rushed getting ready...haha, who knew what was coming...

Myself, Bekah, Sarah and Manda arrived at the church and slowly all my girls trickled in...Tammy and Hannah (Matron of Honor and Flower Girl) and Terri (bridesmaid). We all began getting ready. Mom and Aunt Sylvia were there with my Grandpa. We got our makeup and last minute hair fixes all done and began getting dressed...more people showed up and the excitement began to build. I couldn't believe how calm I was. I mean, I am a naturally chill person and I don't normally get stressed, but still, it was my WEDDING DAY and I was more calm than some of my girls.

My photographer showed up and began snapping pictures of us getting ready. Mom and Aunt Sylvia began preparing my dress...wait...what's this? "Oh no it's all wrinkled!!!" My mom and Aunt were shocked to find that apparentally the last time I had tried on my dress (to show my dad) we must have left it bussled, so when they took it down it was completely wrinkled. Now, if you know me...I just died laughing and I really didn't care one bit. But they weren't about to let me walk down the isle on my BIG day with a wrinkled wedding dress. So a good friend of ours, Lisa, was able to find a dry cleaners that would steam it for us really quickly and cheaply.

Now, bear in mind...it is about 12:45 pm by this point and my wedding started at 2:00 pm...and there goes the wedding dress out the door. My moms face said it all..."Oh man, what happens if the dress gets messed up or doesn't make it back in time." I was quite the opposite, I just began helping the girls finish getting ready and didn't seem to car a bit that my DRESS wasn't even there! haha! I just knew that I was about to get married and that was all that seemed important. I could have gotten married in my jeans and button-down shirt for all I cared.

We continued getting ready and there was a knock at the door. It was JoJo, Cory's brother delivering a gift to me from my husband. It was a little black box and a letter. The letter was a sweet representation of the feelings and emotions of my husband for that day and in the box was a beautiful necklace with a 'comedy/tragedy' mask as the charm. (I am very into acting and all things related to the stage) I graciously accepted my gift and returned the favor to be delivered by Tammy (JoJo's wife, my soon to be sister-in-law and Matron of Honor) She took my letter and gift to Cory. (It was a charm in the shape of a police badge with his number on it. Something he had wanted for a while.)

We were getting closer to the big moment...and still no dress....1:10 pm, 1:25 pm...FINALLY at 1:40 pm my dress arrived to the church all pressed and perfect, just for me! My mom helped me get dressed as my photographer snapped photos of the precious moment. Hannah helped me put my garter on, and that was just the silliest and cutest part of the day! 1:45 pm...DAD finally comes into the room. He is holding it together pretty well...all things considered. We posed for a few pictures and then it was time to get prepared for the Processional. This part I was excited about...

**Rewind about 5 months, picture April in her car after just having purchased the musical CD including the song for my processional. I quickly throw my keys in the seat, unwrapping the CD (with those stinking stickers on two of the four sides of the CD!!! boo) I open it up and quickly put the cd into the cd player. One by one I go through all the songs on the CD till I hit the right one...you know which one I am talking about...the Bridal processional...that one that stirs the same emotions for every girl...getting married. AHHHH. I literally played that song all the way home from Arundel Mills Mall (about 15 minutes) over and over and over. And I cried tears of excitement and joy!!! At that point I still had 5 months to go.**

But on this day, I had 5 minutes to go. So much time had flown by...all the planning and preparation. The agony over the tiniest of details all for this one perfect day.

My girls formed thier line and began walking in...one by one, as myself and my father hid in the doorway of the bridal room awaiting our turn. They closed the door and Dad and I stepped out into what seemed like an extended version of our churchs front lobby. We walked to our spot for what seemed like 5 minutes and once we got there, he leaned over and said..."Are you sure your ready for this?" I remember saying, "Definatly" and he replied with "Well, then let's go." He nodded to our wedding coordinator and the music started and the doors opened to a house full of family, friends, church members and some peoople I didn't even recognize at that moment. I tried to see Cory, but really couldn't until we got about halfway down the isle. Once I could see him, any butterflies that I may have had, just subsided and went away. Huh, speaking of butterflies...this is where it gets interesting.

When Dad and I got to the front of the church, our Pastor went through a brief paragraph of memories of myself and my family...provided by me. Then right before my Dad was to give me away...I heard these all to familiar notes being played overhead...I thought to myself..."Oh man, no they are NOT playing Butterfly Kisses!!! There is no way I can look up at my dad now without losing it. I have held it together so well up to this point!!" I glanced up at my soon to be husband first and saw this slightly sly-smile on his face knowing full well that he was thinking that his plan was coming around quite nicely. I slowly then glanced up at my dad once, twice, three times before I could finally lock my watering eyes with his watering eyes. We just looked at each other for a few moments and we cried together. The song played on and at one point and said, "You made me a father." Coinciding with the lyrics to the song, "She's looking like her mama a little more everyday. One part woman, the other part girl." That killed me...we were just balling, standing there together enjoying this special moment. When the part came that says, "She'll change her name today. She'll make a promise and I'll give her away." he leans over to me again and says, "This is the part where I am supposed to give you away, but I want to wait a couple extra seconds..." and he did, before slowly walking me closer to Cory and then giving me away to my future husband. The song ended and I finally was able to gather myself before continuing on with the cermony.

The rest really seems like a blur, I remember Cory and I chatting the whole time. Just laughing and talking, catching up with each other as if we hadn't seen each other for a week. We were totally excited and just completely into each other through the entire thing. I barely remember saying my vows. Then end came as quickly as the beginning and there we stood as Mr. & Mrs. Cory Eslick!!!! I felt like we RAN out of the sanctuary, partly out of excitement and partly because my feet were killing me!! As soon as we got into the lobby I had Cory take off my shoes before I lost the feeling in my little toes!!

The rest of the day was as perfect as the cermony! We had a blast at the reception just dancing and enjoying ourselves...this day that had been a year + of planning finally happened and I finally married my BEST friend in the whole wide world!!!

April 5, 2008

Fast Forward....5 years...still married, still going strong. I thank God every day for my wonderful husband. Of course we don't always get along and sometimes he frustrates the life out of me...but we can still laugh about it and have a good time and enjoy just talking to each other as if we were the young couple on stage at their wedding all over again. I enjoy every day seeing his face and knowing that God has blessed me with such a WONDERFUL man of God, a LOYAL friend and a LIFELONG companion. We have learned so much from friends, from our own struggles and celebrations. We have come so far and we have lived a wonderful life together so far.

Cory,

I still DO promise to be there for you no matter what.

I still DO promise to take care of you when you are sick and to enjoy life with you when you are well.

I still DO promise to love you when we are rich (or at least debt free right?!) and when we are poor and everywhere in between.

I still DO promise to always be the answer to your prayers...your helpmate...your lover and your best friend.

I still DO and I will continue to for the next 5 years, and 10 years after that and 20 years after that and more and more and more until death does part us.

I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and to one day be the mother of your children and to grow old with you and yet, still be a kid with you. I love you with all of my heart...

I LOVE YOU MOSTEST INFINITY WITH A HERSHEY KISS ON TOP!!