3 Years Ago Today

The room was bare except for a king mattress, a few bags on the floor, and a wedding dress that hung in the closet. The house seemed strange with nothing in it. I had loved this house. I had wanted to raise my children here. But life has a tendency to chart out detours and alternate paths and mine was leading me away from my little quaint house in Orem. The thought made me a little somber. But it was a passing thought that was soon overwhelmed with excitment. I was getting married tomorrow. After my divorce, I had met someone that could love me despite my faults and transgressions. Someone who I knew would love me more than anyone, or anything.

 I was sitting there talking to my dear friend Kristi Harvey. It was late. I was tired and so was Kristi. Before I settled down to sleep I decided to check my email. I smiled. There was an email from Curtis. I opened it and read a beautiful and sincere letter conveying his thoughts and feeling of why he had chosen to marry me. I felt so lucky to have such a wonderful man willing to spend an eternity with little ol' me. I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face. Tomorrow, I was sure would be perfect.

I woke up the next morning. It was the first day of spring. The air outside was chilly but there was not a cloud in the sky. I was in no particular rush to get anywhere fast. So I took my time as I went about my daily morning routine. Kristi pointed out that I was going to be late for my hair appointment if I did not speed things up and rushed me out of the door. I was calm, relaxed and very much at peace. Once my hair was curled, we headed to the store to get some ice cream and paper ware. As I walked in I saw Phill, my X husband, who was walking out with a few bags of groceries. It was slightly awkward but we greeted each other, said our good wills and parted on amiable grounds. That would be the last private conversation I would have with my X. I sincerely hoped that he would find happiness one day. I was still grieving over my divorce with him which had only occurred 4 months prior to that day. But I knew my decision to marry Curtis was the right one. Why? Because it felt more right than anything I had ever done previously in my life. I knew that Curtis was a good honest man. And I knew that he loved me and would do anything for me. And I knew I loved him equally.

It was an hour before the wedding. My mother called me and asked me where I was. I told her not to worry that I would show up for my own wedding on time. She still seemed concerned due to my lack of anxiousness. But I was not stressed at all. I was very much at ease. I was so calm it was eerie. Kristi seemed more aware of the time than I was and hurried me along.

I arrived at my wedding 10 minutes before the guests. I looked around the immense house with the amazing views of Mt. Timpanogos. I saw the potted daffodils that I had chosen out a few days ago. They were beautiful and they smelled amazing. I listened to the soft beautiful music that my georgous sister Dez was creating my strumming her harp. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him. I saw my soon to be husband. He was looking at me with a big grin on his face glad that I had made it before the wedding started. He kissed me and told me I was beautiful. I blushed.

As our small group of about 40 people arrived, I calmly waited for them to sit down. Then in front of a vaulted wall sized window that framed Mt Timpanogos Curtis and I were married by Bishop Lesser. I could not help but smile... but I was being bashful and had a hard time looking up.

Curtis gently asked me to look at him. Which I did. I could see in his eyes how much he loved me, and how happy he was that he was marrying me. I felt so fortunate to have him for both me and my children. I knew from that moment on that he would love me, and take care of me. I knew from that moment he would put his family first in everything that he did. I could tell all of this by looking into his rich, deep, intense, brown eyes.

After we both said Yes, the rest of the occasion was fairly brief. We took a few pictures, cut the cake, visited a little and were out of the house within an hour of the ceremonies start.

Curtis lifted me and my dress and set me gently down onto his Yellow VTX motorcycle and we waved goodbye to everyone. As we rode away I threw a small bouquet of yellow daffodils and we made the short but sweet and very chilly ride to our first house that we would spend our life together in. As we rode we drew a lot of attention and approving nods from fellow motorcyclist.

We arrived frozen at our little house in Eagle Mountain. Curtis lifted me off the bike and carried me into the house. My little house in Orem was no longer my home. The life I knew in that house was no longer my life. This was my new house and my life with Curtis was my new world. And I was happy.