364 Days Ago

364 days ago I married my best friend at one of our favorite places to travel.  The weather wasn't perfect, but it fit our story and we could not have asked for a more perfect day!  We had eighty-five family members and friends make the 6+ hour trip (some traveled from as far as the west coast!) to share in our special day.  The staff - most importantly, the planner - was better than we ever thought possible.  And the food.. oh the food.  Some of North Carolina's best seafood, if I do say so myself.  If we had it to do all over again, we wouldn't change a thing.  Ok, well maybe we would calm the winds down a bit.. 35mph is a bit high.  Our guests heard nothing from the ceremony!  Any maybe change high tide from our wedding time so our guests wouldn't get wet legs and feet from a few "over-achieving" waves.  But overall, it was the best day ever!

For those of you who don't know how we met, here is a quick version!  I moved to Hanover for a job right after I graduated college.  I knew no one.  I became friends with some co-workers once school started and began to slowly meet other people through them.  One of those people just happened to be Matt.. who teaches at the middle school in our district.  (I am at the high school.)  Our first meeting did not go well.  Matt claims he said hi and I didn't respond.  I remember no such conversation and therefore think he is just making up stuff!  Anyway, for the first three or four years that I lived in Hanover we DESPISED each other.  We were not friends.  We did not talk when our friends hung out together.  We did not associate period.  In fact, our clergy joked with us during our ceremony last year that the weather represented the first few years of our knowing each other!

Then sometime in year four, we had three snowstorms that dumped at least two feet of snow each time.  During one of these storms I went to the bar with a friend.  Hey, snow days are days to celebrate!  Matt happened to be at the same bar with another friend.  The adult beverages were flowing that night and we ended up playing darts.  Classy, I know.  After that meeting, we began to talk a little here and there.  Then graduation day came.  A lot of my co-workers go out to celebrate the end of the school year after our graduation ceremony.  Let's just say the same beverages were flowing that night.  I apparently had an up close and personal conversation with Matt.  I plead the fifth.  Our kids and grandkids will be so proud of this story.

After that, Matt left for Italy for a few weeks.  We talked a little bit over Facebook, but nothing major.  School started up again and we began emailing each other daily.. and talking some at night.  In November (yes, almost a whole year later) we finally went out on our first date.  Two days later, I left for a girls cruise!  Our timing is perfect!  When I got back we continued to date.  On July 30th of that year (2011) we got engaged at Sandbridge Beach in VA.  (That is a funny story in itself - right, Alison?)  Almost 11 months later, we got married in Kill Devil Hills, (OBX) NC.  And if you have been following this blog, you know how the last year has gone!  Goods and bads, ups and downs.. but all more than worth it.  I would not have wanted to share these goods/bads, ups and downs with anyone but him.  Here's to one year and many more to come!

A few of my favorite pictures from our wedding last year.  Ok, more than a few.  Sorry!

Notice the red flag in the background.. no swimming!

The bangin' tilapia

Everyone was covered in Spiderman stickers by the end of the night