I See It...

...the end, that is. The end is in sight.

We finished classes on Monday....NYS Regents and finals this week and next...and then....done.

I am so looking forward to....just....breathing....

I was talking to my mom on the phone, filling her in on my summer plans, and as we talked, I realized the past 12 months have been a whirlwind. Almost entirely, nonstop.

About this time last year, I had to finish up school a week early because I was going on a trip to Morocco. So, I had to get my classroom cleaned out and my grades in a week early. That was crazy.

Then, I was in Morocco for almost two weeks.



About two weeks after I got back from Morocco, James proposed.




Enter: wedding planning mania.

When we decided on a March wedding, the wind speed starting picking up.



September, I'm back teaching - and planning a wedding:

Getting the dress...


finding a church (ours was being used for the Easter Passion Play)...

finding a reception site....


picking the dresses, flowers, and color schemes...


picking the invitations...



By November, enter: house hunting.



I am teaching, planning a wedding, and looking for a house.

By December, I am teaching, planning a wedding, getting the house inspected, finalizing the mortgage, going to contract...


I don't even think we took a break for the holidays. Maybe Christmas Day.



By January, I am teaching, prepping for the NYS English Regents (a brutal 6- hour-4-essay test), planning the wedding, closing on our house...


....and just about going crazy.

By February, on top of all that, we are moving James into the house...



packing up my apartment,

planning our honeymoon...

and now wedding planning stress is in full swing...

picking the tuxes...

going over the guest list and tables...

finding the right favors...


Throw in a few hair trials, make-up trials and bridal showers....

Honestly, there are no words.

Another month or so of this...constant motion right up until the night before - making and setting up the centerpieces....





And finally, it arrives:

March 26, 2010...it has all been leading up to this. It was all worth it.

April...we had our honeymoon, which was super-relaxing...but a degree of stress, only in the sense of the newness of and getting used to each other.






When we got back, I had to move all the rest of my stuff out of the apartment and into the house, unpacking, buying furniture, settling in, adjusting to a new routine and a new role as a wife...





And go back to work and catch up on everything I put off while I was....well,....see above.

By May, I am super-stressed at work - the normal end of the year crunch, on top of all my back-work I didn't do while planning the wedding, figuring out what job(s) I'll be working for the summer, applying and training for those jobs....

Not to mention that in order for two students to graduate, I have to find an additional 21 hours in my life to privately tutor them.

...which brings me to today - June 17.

I see it.

The end is in sight.

Classes are done.

I can do my grading in school instead of bringing it home every night.

I can take a few minutes to blog while my students are re-taking the regents.

My summer schedule is mostly worked out (3 different jobs, mind you, but when I leave at the end of the day, I leave) and I am actually seeing vacant blocks of time in the near future that aren't booked with something that has to get done.

This whirlwind of a 12-month time period is just about drawing to a close, and honestly, I couldn't.be.happier.

There have been these huge, monumental life changes in the past 365 days that I haven't even really had a chance to fully contemplate, dream about - or even really fully enjoy.

But, that is what is on my agenda for the next 75 days....

The Days Leading Up

Hi everyone! I keep saying, 'Today, I will put up a post for my blog"' - but I can tell you, time management has been the biggest issue I'm having since being married! I just feel like I have no time to do what I have been used to doing! I'm still trying to catch up after putting off everything due to the wedding planning/wedding/honeymoon.

Anyhow, I will try to be a little more consistent, even if it is just a small post.

So,it is good to be back! I'm feeling more 'human' again, which is actually refreshing.

The post date on this might say, April 20, which was the day I wrote it, hoping to get back and edit it. But today is actually April 28. So that tells you a little of where I am at, lol.

I was so busy during the wedding itself, I sort of lost touch with tracking my 'journey.' I'll do my best to back-track, and hopefully, include only the good stuff. It won't just be 'wedding' stuff - I'll try to stay current. This blog will need an update anyway, as we have completed our 'journey to the altar.' The new one begins. So, here we go...

The wedding was on Friday, March 26 - a month ago yesterday, actually. The week before was crazy. We had the rehearsal on the Saturday before, March 20. Then we had the Bridesmaids Brunch (which was originally supposed to be the rehearsal brunch), then the Bachelorette. You can read about that here.

The next day my sister (also a bridesmaid) had her new baby daughter christened, because my grandparents from Florida could be in town for both events. Unfortunately, I didn't make the church, only the dinner after. I was still trying to get the candelabras for my centerpieces from my friend Kari. Instead of making me go on a trip to NYC to pick them up, she was gracious enough to take an hour train ride each way out to me. She was great, and it was so worth it. I spent the in-between time lingerie shopping (funny how that gets lost in all the wedding planning fuss!).

I had work the next 2 days - both jobs - so, at that point, I was squeezing everything in. Mom and Nana were on detail for finishing the favors, I still had to put together the centerpieces and pack. James' dad was great to arrange a guy dinner for James, his dad and my dad.

So, by Wednesday, I was going crazy. I still had to pack up the rest of my apartment, which was stressing me out. My parents decided to put the house on the market on May 1, so I felt the pressure to get it as vacant as possible.

Thursday and Friday were blurs...Last minute shopping, apartment-packing, honeymoon-packing, picking up the dress, tanning...

I remember that James and I didn't talk too much during that time 24-48 time period. I think we were letting the anticipation build up to the big moment. We did see each other for a brief moment on Thursday at Home Depot to pick out a counter-top that a friend was installing for us while we were on our honeymoon (he did some renovations on our kitchen as a wedding gift! So generous!) - and to pick up his paycheck so I could pay the caterers. I remember that it was a little damp, chilly...but I remember kissing him goodbye in the parking lot saying, "I'll see ya at the altar!"

And on Thursday night, my dad and I headed to the reception hall to set up the centerpieces (which, I think, came out great! I loved them!). And I am so thankful for my dad...it would have taken me HOURS if it wasn't for him! I could have left them for the staff to do, but me being the perfectionist that I am... well, enough said.

I don't even remember what time I went to bed that night...I don't think it was too bad, but I do remember thinking, "This is the last time I will fall asleep in this house, in this bed, all by myself. It is really happening..."

More to come....

Impressions of a Wedding Day

A newlywed of just 21 days old…it is so hard to believe that the event that consumed me for months is behind me. And I have to say – it feels great!

In fairness, let me voice that my wedding day was amazing. A few minor glitches, but the incredible joy is what stands out to me. When I walked into the church and started down the aisle, James and I were all smiles. Big ones. And the way the church was set up, our guest felt very close, just like they were surrounding us. So, I didn’t feel nervous at all. I felt like my face hurt from smiling so hard. And it was genuine. For that moment, I really felt like James and I were close to exploding. We smiled when we saw each other, when we lit our candles, when we exchanged rings, when we said our vows.

I always thought my wedding ceremony would be a weepy, emotional moment – but it wasn’t. It was just happy.

And the service was beautiful. Our pastor did such a phenomenal job…it was heartfelt, sincere, warm and personal. And that was the whole atmosphere in the church…warm, soft, peaceful – and happy.

When our pastor pronounced us Mr. and Mrs. James L, I could see some faces in the audience, and I could tell everyone was so excited but wasn’t sure what to do. Then all the sudden, everyone just stood up and started cheering and clapping. It was such an amazing moment. The love and excitement in the room was tangible.

I don’t know if people were so happy because we were a little older and waited so long? Because each of us had had some tough years prior to getting to this point? Because they really could tell that God brought us together in a special way? And had a special purpose for us? [I had a number of people tell me, ‘Katie, you guys did it the right way.’ I’m not sure of their interpretation of that…but I found that interesting, because while we tried to be intentional, it felt a little fumbly when we were going through it.]

And for all of James’ nerves prior, he did outstanding. He is such a freakin’ natural! At the reception, he was going around to all of my friends, chit-chatting, introducing himself…he did amazing! I was so proud to be his wife.

The reception was great too. We did more of a cocktail reception – not really a dance party. But our guests told me they all had such a good time catching up with people they hadn’t seen in a while, not struggling to talk over music. I had a lot of people tell me it was such a different wedding and reception than any other they had been to – and it was the best.

I’m not sure what made it so for them, but I am glad. I had a lot of different circles of friends from my past, so it was like a reunion for a lot of people. I just saw lots of laughing, smiles…and every table I went to, I wished that I had been assigned to sit at that table and hang out with them.

Needless to say, we were wiped by the end. But we went to the hotel, got there around 1 a.m. We drank champagne, got ‘acquainted’ with each other for the first time (yes, let’s just say that if I was an Old Testament Jewish girl,I would not have been stoned!), and stayed up to watch the sunrise. We opened our cards and we were overwhelmed by the notes and the gifts. We were in tears after each one we opened. The generosity of our family and friends stunned us. And they are working people just like us. We felt so humbled and unworthy.

So, all that to say –all the planning was worth it – but I am glad all the planning is OVER! It feels AWESOME to not have to call vendors, make appointments, print programs, assemble centerpieces…it is nice to just ‘live’ again. And this time, with my man.

Yahoo!!! 

Nitty gritty details and pictures to come!

Two Become One

We did it!!! Here is a little snapshot of a moment during the ceremony! More to come...we are honeymooning in the Smokey Mountains...but stay tuned!