Welcome to Wedding Anniversary #3. Now I have officially shared two whole anniversaries without the man I married-a certainly depressing thought, especially as I began to realize that I am quickly approaching a time where I will have been apart from my husband longer than we were even married. Reality.
I went from an extreme high last night (from hopefully some VERY exciting news I’ll post later today if my boss gives the ‘ok’) to an extreme low this morning. Another anniversary where my first thought when I awoke was ‘Happy Anniversary Baby’ as I looked out at the freshly fallen snow. It also snowed on our wedding day-and I was so happy about that. In fact, we didn’t know that the rehearsal would even happen because of severe cold and snow conditions. It was coldest week on record when we got married-quite fitting for me marrying a Manitoban.
Anniversaries are lonely without that partner to celebrate-you don’t even WANT to celebrate them, but you can’t not, and you have to remember the good times. For Kevin and I there were many good times, and today, 3 years ago, was one of those incredibly good days. I don’t think I’d ever say my wedding day was the best day I have ever experienced in my life-but I know one of the best days, and I also know that any other best day I have had, has been shared with him. Today, I will share this day with you, my coworkers, and then a bit with the memory of Kevin at his grave. After the tears…I’ll go to dinner in North East, MD for a special dinner with 2 of my bridesmaids. Girls who have been with me through everything imagineable and unimaginable. I have great friends, and I never want to forget that amidst all of this. They are part of what has carried me through this journey. Thank you.
Happy Anniversary Kev..I’ll toast you from below tonight but hold your heart above forever.
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Kevin, His Mother Linda, and Brother Ken
Linda putting her family pearl’s on me-they’re so beautiful
My mom, Lindsay, Putting in my earings
My Father Don, Mother Lindsay and I before the ceremony
Getting Ready: Me, Mom Lindsay, Friend Ashley, Sister Joni and Friend Kristen-BEAUTIFUL gals
Kev nervously waiting with his Brother Ken, My Brother Kurt, and his Friend Marty
Making my way up the aisle to my beautiful Husband, with my Father
Saying our vows with Pastor Jay
After a year battle with immigration, you can see the look of relief that we’re FINALLY married
The Full Wedding Party-Our amazing friends and family
The New Boitson Family
The New Harnish Family (missing our wonderful Bethany in this picture)
Kissing in the gazebo in the downtown Lancaster square
Happy in the Backseat
Enjoying the moment walking downtown
Yeah!
FINALLY MARRIED!
Our beautiful rings
Making our way into the reception
..Forever…A beautiful memory
Looking in..
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2 Years Ago-February 3, 2008
1st Anniversary-Dinner at Home in College Avenue
After seeing your tweets this morning, I thought it would be nifty to have Royers deliver some flowers to you, with a card indicating that they came from Kevin. (Not that I knew his name at the time.)
After doing some searching, I found your engagement announcement and his obit, but not an address. I see you’re on College, but not a number. Probably a bad idea, anyway; you’d get spooked, and wonder what was going on.
You didn’t get much time with Kevin. That sucks. I know from experience. My late first wife and I had 13 months before she got seriously ill with SLE, and then spent the next decade and a half suffering before she died. I’ve remarried, more than a decade now, but there’s never a day that goes by that I don’t think of my first wife, and it still hurts.
So please accept this cyberhug. And pretend that you got a surprise bouquet from Kevin. He’d have wanted you to celebrate the anniversary, even if he couldn’t be here with you.