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Category Archives: Raves & Praise

2008 USMC Birthday Ball

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Incredibly, this was probably the best birthday ball we’ve been to—and I say incredibly because neither of us originally wanted to go!

Tom was actually in charge of planning his ball (in Jacksonville) before his PCS orders—and, truth be told, we were actually a bit relieved at not having to go. Honestly, it’s a wonderful tradition and something neat to attend, but usually (in our experience) just not worth the money: tickets are usually upwards of $40-$50pp, drinks are extra, and if it’s outside your city, you have the added expense of a hotel (or you have to drive home at midnight).

So we got to Michigan and didn’t think much about it. Hell, we didn’t think ANYTHING about it. That is until Tom started his new job, and was told attendance was mandatory. And tickets were $40pp. Wonderful—$80 we didn’t really plan on spending. But then he found out that included the overnight hotel stay! Wow, okay, that was cool. And luckily I had dresses that still fit (see earlier post) so I didn’t have that expense. And it was an open bar—so we didn’t have that expense, either. So we thought maybe this ball wouldn’t be too bad.

Well, as it turns out, because it’s a Recruiting Station, apparently they aren’t under the same rules and regulations as normal Marine Corps balls, in the respect that they can have sponsors and/or donations…which is why the tickets were so inexpensive, why the hotel night was included, why there was an open bar, why there were door prizes, and why there were 4-page full-color programs. 88| They had two major sponsors, plus about 30 minor sponsors. Very cool!

But before I get to the ceremony, I have to tell you about the hotel room. First, it was the Crown Plaza which sounds really ritzy, but it was an airport hotel so we weren’t expecting that much. But the pictures on the website were nice, and it was impressive when we pulled up. So we get to our room and go in and wow, nice big room—nice closet, bathroom, king bed, and sitting area:

And then we noticed an open door at the back of the room and we had NO idea what it could be:

Well, turns out, we were attached to a huge conference room/suite! 88|

We obviously had no need for it, hadn’t asked for it, and had no idea why we got that room. There was another connecting room, but that side was locked. We only wished we had a need for that room, because it was awesome! We just kept saying Wow, really? Wow. All this included in our $80 ticket price! Wheeeee! Of course we never used that room for anything.

And then, here is the best of our pre-ball in-room self-portraits:

We did get professional pics taken, but I looked yucky (not that I even look pregnant, which would be okay—I just look fat). I will post that one when we get the online version in a few days.

There were some differences in the event, compared to previous balls we attended, which we found interesting. Aside from the obvious free hotel stay and open bar, the smaller marine population (attended from all of southeastern Michigan and northwestern Ohio, for a total of maybe 100 marines) played a noticable part: Typically at a ball on a marine base, you have a LARGE contingent of marines/ranks/ages in attendance. Your “host” is usually a General, the special guest is usually another General, and the oldest and youngest marines (part of the cake ceremony) are usually like 92 and 18. This year, the host was a Major (one rank above Tom!), the special guest was enlisted (he was the recruiter of the year for the district), and the oldest marine couldn’t have been more than 46 (they didn’t tell the age, but said she enlisted in 1991 and I think you have to be in by age 30) and the youngest marine was probably 20 or so.

I also found the cake ceremony a bit…head-shaking. It’s customary for the cake to be rolled out by four marines. At the other balls we’ve been to, they roll out these monstrous (albeit fake) cakes with one real layer to actually cut a piece from. Well, they aren’t surprise-stripper-jumping-from-inside-the-cake huge, but they are probably a good 3′ long by 2′ wide by 1′ tall. Somewhat impressive to see rolled in on a cart by four marines. So last night, I see the marines walking the rolling cart in, and…where’s the cake? I couldn’t see it. OH! It’s a tiny half sheet cake! Heh. It worked perfectly fine, it was just NOT what I had been expecting!

The actual ceremony and speakers went quickly, the food was pretty good, and then it was time for dancing. I wasn’t feeling great (by this time it was like 9pm—just about my bedtime!) and of course I wasn’t feeling very social—I knew no one, while Tom had to flit about and meet all the marines he will be dealing with. (He basically works at the recruiting station headquarters, so he deals with all the recruiters from the entire district, so it was in his best interest to meet and talk with all of them.) I stayed by his side for some of it, then finally just told him to go do his business while I sat at the table. He also made sure to use full use of the open bar. 🙂

I did manage to dance a few songs so I wasn’t a total stick in the mud. In a small-world scenario, I also spent a little time talking to an old Grayling chum… 🙂 One of the guys that works closely with Tom graduated from GHS in 1987 and we knew each other. Granted, I probably knew him more than he knew me (he was a senior and I was in 8th grade) but of course he remembered my dad and knew he had a daughter. (We knew about the coincidence before the ball, but this was really the first time we had to chat.) It was just funny thinking that 20 years ago he was the hot senior football player/phys ed assistant for my gym class…and who would have guessed we’d someday be at a Marine Corps Ball together? Here is Tom with Scott:

At midnight when the shindig ended, it was all I could do to force Tom up to bed (he still wanted to “make contact” with all the marines). But I wasn’t about to take the chance of actually having to drag his drunk ass up to the room and get him into bed. 😉

You would never believe me.

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I did something tonight I never thought I’d do in a million years… Yes, shame on me, I bought a Stouffer’s frozen lasagna for dinner. 88| 😀

Why? Well, apparently that’s what happens when a hungry pregnant woman innocently stops for milk on the way home, and wanders past a freezer end case and sees the lasagna on sale. :yes:

I know that Stouffer’s macaroni and cheese is deeeeelicious, so hoped the lasagna would be the same. And you know what? It wasn’t too bad. Of course, it’s nowhere near homemade, but since we are (obviously) moving soon, I am not up to making a batch of spaghetti sauce and there is none in the freezer. And honestly, it was worth the $5.

But the best part of the dinner? Tom had bought some focaccia and made garlic bread out of it…then I went out and snipped some fresh basil, tossed in some fresh tomatoes (from our plants!), then added some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, and salt and pepper for the BEST bruschetta topping. Mmmmm was that divine. I could have eaten the whole loaf myself (except we only had enough tomatoes for a few pieces).

My very first 7-Layer Tex Mex Dip

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If you can believe it, I’ve never made a 7-layer taco/tex mex dip, and I wanted to make it for a get-together this weekend. I had most of what I thought I would need but there are slight variations (I googled for some recipes), so asked some friends for their input and ended up with this:

The first three layers of refried beans, guacamole, and green onions (yes, I was a rebel and hid the onions!):

Then a layer of black beans (probably should have drained them more or rinsed them, but you live and learn):

Then the sour cream with taco seasoning (which I made last night so the flavors would have more time to blend):

Then tomatoes:

Then cheese:

No black olives because I hate black olives, and have always said that if/when I ever make the dip, I can elect to NOT put them on!

It was very hard making this and NOT digging in right away…

DC Peeps Patio Party

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https://www.hudson2001.com/scrapbook/2008/0524dc/

This weekend Tom and I drove to Washington DC for a Tivo Peeps Patio Party! We hadn’t been to any meets in DC and thought this long weekend was the perfect time! It was actually a combination patio party and viewing of the new Indiana Jones movie (and the party was actually called Raiders of the Lost Patio). B)

I left work early Friday so we could hopefully arrive before midnight, and luckily we didn’t hit any traffic (there was a slight worry as we approached the exit for 495 around DC and saw a sign warning us of blocked exits due to an accident—but by the time we got there, it was slow, but not stopped) so YAY! We pulled in about 10:45! Phew!

We visited with our hostess for a bit and then crashed in the basement. In the morning, we helped set up for the party (it was her patio!) and then it was off to Tysons Corner to see the movie! We were hungry, so grabbed a Five Brothers hamburger (was highly recommended to us, and now we highly recommend it to you) and waited for all the other people to arrive! The movie was okay—I would not have chosen to go on my own, but things are always more fun with peeps! Then it was back to the house to start the party!

Girls at the party!
L-R: Me, Alice, Leslie, Claudia, Lori

Tom and I had met about half of the people before, so were enjoying catching up with them—and were thrilled to also meet quite a few new people as they showed up throughout the night! It was a perfect night—the weather was awesome (perfect for jeans and a tee-shirt), the food was DEEEEElicious (I wanted to marry the queso dip), the drinks were cold and neverending (those that tried it LOVED my “grape sac vodka”—a drink I made with the Grape Bon Bon I bought awhile back that they dared me to mix with vodka!), and a great time was had by all! Everyone started to disperse between 11 and midnight, and we were in bed by 1am.

The next morning we were up by 9, and showered/breakfasted/visited and on the road by 11. We stopped at Ikea on the way home just to look and bought a few small things—but the main reason for stopping was to try their infamous Swedish Meatballs for lunch (they were okay, not worth going back again, but glad we tried them once). Then it was the long boring ride home. At least Tom loves driving his car!!

Grape Bon Bon

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Grape Bon Bon

So a friend on a message board was recently talking about a beverage they loved that they couldn’t find locally, and had to order from across the country (or possibly even out of the country)—and of course pay a premium to ship it.

It got me to thinking about a beverage I missed… Back in 2001-2002 when we lived in Stafford, Virginia, there was a little Asian grocery that had the most wonderful green grape beverage that came in 6oz cans (like half a soda can). It wasn’t carbonated, so I would guess it was juice, and it had actual bits of green grapes in it (that part I distinctly remember because they would get stuck in the drink hole).

I couldn’t remember the brand name, the drink name, or anything else—I just remembered that it was green grapes (although I think there was also a strawberry version).

I googled my heart out and the closest I found was something from a Taiwanese blog which was labeled “white grape juice with fruit jelly” which was close, but no cigar.

So I posted to the SOAK (Source Of All Knowledge) on a message board—the SOAK is known to be able to find anything you are ever trying to find. (The SOAK is actually just the collective knowledge and brain power of tens of thousands of members.)

And within 21 minutes, someone had found it!! 88|

GRAPE BON BON BY HAITAI

Of course, it costs more than twice as much as the product itself to ship it (12 cans are $6.99 and it cost $13-something to ship)—but it about equals the price I paid in the store, so it’s all good. I am ordering some post haste!

WOOHOO!

UGH! Two twisted ankles at 2am!

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2:44am

So long story short, I am dogsitting.

Well, she whines as soon as you put her in the crate for the night, and kept whining. And whining. And whining. Not so badly that I couldn’t fall asleep, however. I just attribute it to the fact she knows her buddy Maggie is here and consequently doesn’t want to be in her crate because she would rather be playing.

Fast forward to just a bit ago, when I wake up because she is being even LOUDER than ever. I don’t look at the clock, but go out on the landing to yell at her to be quiet (she is downstairs but directly below the balcony). As I am yelling at her, she sounds even louder, and like she is moving. I turn around, and there she is—coming up the stairs! Damn dog got out of her crate! I obviously didn’t latch it correctly, and she freakin clawed/forced her way out.

So, I was pissed at myself for not doing it right, and pissed at her for not just sleeping (like my dog does—you could not even latch the door and she wouldn’t try to get out—she knows it’s sleep time). But she’s just a dog so what can you do. So I head down the stairs to take her outside and then put her back in the crate.

And then one of my biggest fears happen—in the dark, in my frustration, I miss the last step and go crashing to the floor. Luckily my head missed the marble fireplace (but my leg must have hit it because there is a nasty scrape and bruise forming). I laid there for a few moments, in utter terror and pain, waiting for the shock to wear off so I can tell if anything was broken.

I was crying from the pain—and it felt like both ankles were twisted, although thankfully not broken. The dog is hovering above me, nosing at me, thinking I am playing. I just want to scream and cry. I manage to crawl on my knees to the kitchen to let the dog out, then hobble back to her crate and make sure she is really locked in.

Then I hobble back up the stairs—in major pain with every step—and take some Aleve, then hobble to bed. It is at this point that I look at the clock and see…it’s only 2am. I was hoping it was later, like 6am, so I could just stay up. Of course at this point, my cat decided to yak up a hairball so I had to hobble around cleaning that up.

I emailed my coworker (from my phone) to let her know I might not be in in the morning if I can’t walk. So then I just laid there, both ankles just throbbing and screaming in pain. I have some movement but it hurts.

I have never technically twisted an ankle before, so I don’t know if it’s a true twist or just a sprain or what. Should I go to the doctor in the morning? Or just keep popping pills? Is it going to hurt me to walk on it?

/off to google

2:49am

I see RICE is recommended. Ugh. I am not sure it’s worth it to go BACK downstairs to get ice. So I may just move to compression with ace bandages since those are in the bathroom. But I don’t even want to get up to get those. I may just go with elevation until morning.

7:04am

Okay, nothing looks swollen at all, but I can barely even stand, let alone walk. Friends are taking me to the doc, as I don’t trust myself to drive. Called my coworker and boss and left messages. I hope the doc can wrap them or give me crutches… I have no idea how I am going to go up and down the stairs a million times this weekend for the dogs.

3:10pm

Well, I am home and waiting for the Vicodin to kick in.

At 8am I showed up to my regular clinic, at which point they told me I had to go to the ER (base, of course) since they didn’t have x-ray facilities. Luckily my friend was able to take me. Let me just say I am not thrilled with the treatment there.

I hobble in, can barely walk or stand, tell the ER person what happened, and she tells me to take a form and “go over there by the window to fill it out.” 88| I should have asked for the wheelchair right then, but I was in too much shock that she didn’t offer. So I hobbled over, filled out the form, hobbled back, and she told me to go have a seat in the waiting room—literally 20 yards down the hallway. At this point my friend was coming back in from having parked the car in BFE, saw my distress, and asked for a wheelchair since I couldn’t walk. A wheelchair appeared immediately. I just wonder why they didn’t think of that themselves when I came in and said “I fell down the stairs and can’t walk.” 🙄

I didn’t have to wait that long before I was taken to radiology, but I had to go back in THREE times to redo x-rays that they messed up. First the tray was in backwards. Then they reused a tray that hadn’t been cleared so I had a wrist on my ankle. Ugh. I know mistakes happen (I mean, after all, that’s how I fell down the stairs) but that was kind of like strike #2.

Then it was back out to the waiting room, where the wait sucked, but it really wasn’t THAT bad—maybe an hour? I got wheeled into the actual ER and layed on the bed. Unfortunately, we were in there for almost two hours just waiting. At about 1:30 my friend went out and asked when we might be seen, just curious (because we saw docs walking around and lots of people not doing anything) and they said they only had one doc on until 2pm. (It would have been really nice had someone told us this when we first came in, or any time while we were waiting.) Interestingly, a doc was there five minutes later. He was nice enough, but he asked me if I had had x-rays taken yet. Um, I take it he didn’t even look at my chart. So he said he had to go check the x-rays and get back with us. Good lord you would think he would have already looked at the x-rays before even coming to see me.

So after another 30 minutes or so he came back and said he didn’t see any breaks so it was probably just ligaments or muscles. He didn’t seem like he was going to say anything else, so I asked him if I was going to get drugs. I asked him if I was going to get my ankles wrapped (he said “when you wrap your ankles” and I was like “Aren’t you going to wrap them for me?”). I asked if I was going to get crutches. It was like he wasn’t clued in AT ALL. I thought he would have came back and said “It doesn’t appear to be broken. We will wrap your ankles, give you Vicodin, and give you crutches.” But I guess I was expecting too much.

Here is my pathetic self leaving the hospital.

Jen on crutches

So, I went in at 8:30 and got out at 2, which is par for the course from what I’ve heard. It wasn’t that bad I guess, just frustrating that no one kept us updated on anything, when there were literally 10 nurses/support staff/etc. wandering around the whole time, talking about what they were doing for lunch, etc.

I thank god for my (our) friend Ursula, who sat with me the whole time. I am thankful she works with her husband in real estate and was able to be away from the office all day. She brought me home, gathered everything I said I would need, and even turned on lights throughout the house so if I fell asleep, there would be lights on when I got up. I am also thankful for my neighbors (Rob and Cindy) who are coming down tonight to let the dogs out. Hopefully I can do it myself later in the weekend but I want to try to stay immobile as much as possible for the first 24 hours.

As far as sleeping on the couch downstairs… it is possible. I would have the laptop (no TV, but could watch movies on the laptop) and a toilet. But my dog would still be upstairs (where her crate normally is). The dog I’m sitting for—her crate is downstairs. So no matter where I am, one dog is on the other floor. So I am in the living room upstairs with the phone, drugs, laptop, TV, pillows, blanket, water, and snacks…until the neighbor comes over at 7:30 to check on me and the dogs.

Unfortunately, Tom has no idea what’s going on. I emailed him at 2am (right after it happened) and then he called when I was on my way to the ER. But while we were at the hospital our phones had to be off so he called like five times and I obviously didn’t answer so he doesn’t know if I have two broken ankles or what. Poor guy, even called my friend’s husband in case he knew anything—which he didn’t either because her phone was off, too.

This just really really sucks. Our cruise is a hair over a month, and I just have this feeling I will not be up to par by then. I mean, I totally hope otherwise, but… with TWO sprained ankles, it’s not like I can walk on one and baby the other. When I walk, I have to walk on BOTH, so I don’t think either one is going to heal as quickly. I am not sure about work, either—I am supposed to keep my feet elevated, but that is impossible at work—and when I asked the doc, he said “just do your best.” What the hell does that mean? Ugh.

So, the Vicodin still hasn’t kicked in and it’s been over an hour.

5:07pm

Well my bosses called to see if I needed anything, so I asked them to bring me Chinese. In the meantime, my neighbor called and said he was bringing down pot roast, so I would be set for a few meals! Rob (our doctor neighbor!) stopped in my kitchen and brought the salt and pepper and silverware. I love him. He also assured me the next dose of Vicodin would help more (it builds up in your system), plus I could also take additional meds on top of it. And that the pain should subside a lot tomorrow. Here’s hoping. And I asked him about the ER doc I had (since he works at the same hospital) and he said yeah, that guy is okay, competent, but not great. Oh, it was also good timing as the dogs were whining to go out. Shortly after he left, my bosses arrived.

9:50pm

Rob has been great. He came down twice, brought me dinner (which will be lunch tomorrow), and brought me other drugs (he’s the doc). I just hate having to ask for help, which I know is ridiculous because I would drop everything to help these neighbors if/when they called. So I know they would do the same for me (which they are doing) but I still hate asking. Like just a bit earlier, I knew I wanted to go to bed, and he hadn’t been back yet for the dogs’ last walk, so I had to call. He was down within two minutes. Then after he left his wife called to tell me her schedule for tomorrow so I would know when I could call. I love them. I love all our friends. They rock.

I am just waiting for Tom to call so I can fill him in. At this point, as far as he knows, I could have two broken ankles…

Sunday, February 3—1:23pm

I am doing even better today—quite a difference from Friday when I swore it would be weeks before I was walking again. I have cut out the Vicodin and am just using Motrin at this point, and I am barely using the crutches. So, it looks like I will be going to work tomorrow, although from past experience, I know that by the end of the day, my ankles will be SORE, since now I am used to having them elevated all day.

Wednesday, February 6—9:25pm

The ankles are getting better. I gave up the crutches Monday night, and just kept taking the Motrin and icing my ankles (and keeping them elevated) at night. Today I gave up the ankle wraps and actually bought a pre-formed ankle wrap from the medical supply place (I have to go back tomorrow to get a second one – they were out of stock). I wasn’t sure how much difference one of these wraps would make, but at the end of the day, the ankle with the wrap hurts less.

So I am walking okay, albeit still slowly—and taking great precaution on the stairs. And I am bruising nicely.

Weather Update

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Sunny, gorgeous, and 68. Now, THIS is January. :>>

Compared to the 25 (15 with wind chill) we had last week, this is pure, unadulterated heaven. All the windows in the house are open, the animals have all staked out their spot of sunshine, and I forgot just how great a nap is in the fresh air!

New Year’s Weekend in Raleigh

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https://www.hudson2001.com/scrapbook/2007/rrnye2/

I spent New Years in Raleigh again this year, with the same people we spent it with last year. Of course it really stunk not having Tom there—and everyone REALLY missed him—but I did manage to have a good time! Tom was also able to call at his normal times, so he got to talk to probably 10 different people over the course of the weekend!

One of the first highlights of the trip was finally making it to a Trader Joe’s—if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a very cool grocery store. Andrew was kind enough to tag along and give me his recommendations. I was limited to non-perishable items, so I only spent $50, and when I told Tom, he said “ONLY $50?!” I didn’t have time for a return trip, but I do know that when we make the pilgrimage when he returns, we are taking two coolers. So far, I give thumbs up to the Dark Chocolate Edamame, Buttermilk Garlic Mashed Potato Chips, and some sort of spicy/jalapeno Flatbread that went wonderfully with the horseradish cheese dip. Those things didn’t make it out of Raleigh. The Dark Chocolate Pistachio Toffee gets a major thumbs up and the Asiago Peppercorn bread was okay plain–but much better toasted with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of fresh romano. The sweet potato chips were MEH (I keep thinking I will love them, but they are just okay). On tap (read: not sure if it it will survive until hubby gets home) are Sweet Potato Bisque, Rich Onion Soup, Mint Hot Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Covered Mints, Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, Piccata Simmering Sauce, and Wasabi & Tamari Almonds. Sorry to blab so much about food, but you KNOW how I am about great grocery stores!!

A second highlight was our “high end dinner” Saturday night at Nana’s—a five course chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings. I knew I wouldn’t be thrilled with the wine, but I wanted to try it. Needless to say I would do the chef’s tasting again in a heartbeat, but would skip the wine completely. The interesting thing was that just reading the menu wasn’t that appealing to me—foie gras, escargot, root vegetables, grouper, cabbage, etc… But OH MY GOD was everything DELICIOUS! Aside from the venison dish, I actually think my favorite was the cold foie gras appetizer! Who would have ever guessed? (If you want to skip right to those photos, click here.)

We had a great dinner at Brasa, a Brazilian Steakhouse that serves you meat on a stick (so very YUMMILICIOUS with just as yummilicious waiters), another fun putt putt outing at Frankie’s (I had two holes in one and still only won by the skin of my teeth!), and a fun girls-only expedition to some, ahem, adult stores for some belated Christmas presents and some Welcome Home gifts. :>

The actual New Years Eve party wasn’t quite as crazy this year, as we only had about 30 people as compared to the 60 last year, but we still had a ball! I managed to stay sober this year, so was able to drive us all home when the party finally broke up about 1am.

Of course, checkout and the goodbye breakfast came too soon—no one ever wants to have to leave! And we’re already all talking about NEXT New Year’s Eve!

Finally, genetics on my side. Or luck.

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So today I went to the dentist for the first time in—are you ready?—over six years! Yes, the last time I went to the dentist was when we lived in Lansing, before we got married!

Why has it been so long? Well, first it’s six months and then you know it’s time but you have to find a new dentist, and then I didn’t want to deal with new insurance, then you completely forget, and then we were moving again, and then I thought about it a few times, but if you’re not on a schedule you don’t think about it, and before you know it, it’s been YEARS.

So about a week or so ago I thought I was having a toothache, so picked a dentist and made an appointment. (Turns out it was a sinus headache, but at least I had the appointment.) It was just supposed to be x-rays to see if anything else needed to be done, with a follow up teeth cleaning in a few months (because they were completely booked) but they were actually able to fit me into a cancellation right when I was done with my x-rays and oral cancer screening.

So long story short, my teeth are great! No cavities, no gum issues, nothing! They were honestly shocked that I hadn’t been to a dentist in 6+ years (and that I don’t floss regularly). That said, I did have two teeth that needed to be sealed because they had tiny fissures that could eventually turn into cavities, but that was it!

So, I am not sure who I have to thank for my good teeth health (the past need for braces notwithstanding), but I am appreciative! And if it’s completely a stroke of luck, I will accept that as well!

Two delicious salads!

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I forgot to post this picture earlier! After my bountiful trip to the produce market last weekend, I made not one but TWO tomato/cucumber salads because I couldn’t decide which type to make!! On the left is the tastes-like-home favorite made with sour cream and vinegar—and on the right is an olive oil/balsamic vinegar/feta concoction. Mmmmm, both were yummilicious! Yes, that was my entire dinner!!!

Yea! Cholesterol!

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I’ve always wondered what my cholesterol was—although honestly, I’ve also been a little scared to find out. Well, due to some recent bloodwork I had, I found out… and it couldn’t be better!! All of my levels (general cholesterol, HDL, LDL) are all way below optimal levels. Wow!

Total Cholesterol: 133
Less than 200 = Desirable

HDL: 46
Less than 150 = Normal

LDL: 70.6
Less than 100 = Optimal

My new friends are awesome.

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So, I know I never talked about our New Year’s Eve that we spent in Raleigh with the group of friends I had met online (but had never met in person). Now so much time has passed that it seems silly to go back and write about it, so suffice it to say the weekend was probably in our top five weekends of all time! (Tom even agrees with me—he had that much fun! I think he was 100% surprised at how good a time he had.) We got along smashingly with everyone, had an absolute BLAST, and made some great new friends that we can’t wait to see more of.

That said, it was a great thing to do right before Tom left, as they all got to meet him and are now really excited about sending him (and his entire unit) packages. So far, we have about 35 volunteers (of which we have actually only met about 20) and they are COMPLETELY excited about it. There’s even an Excel spreadsheet involved in the planning!

In addition to that, they are all EXTREMELY supportive. I have had numerous offers to call anytime, night or day, home or work, etc. Of course, I am not big on calling people, but I know the offer is there and it means a lot. (I know my friends and family have offered that as well, but to have people I met for one weekend offer that? It really touches my heart.) I may even take some of them up on it sooner or later, you never know…

So, imagine my surprise when Thursday evening—the day Tom left—I got a phone call from one of them. He knew I said I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone, but he called anyway because he wanted to cheer me up. He kept me on the phone for over an hour, telling me great stories (about his life in general and stories about people I’d met) and keeping me laughing. Tonight, another one called…just to say hey and to let me know she was serious—I could call her (or her hubby) at any time, day or night, just to say hey or vent or whatever.

So, now, in addition to the great friends I have here locally, I also have great friends across the country. 😀

Better Rice-A-Roni

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So last night we were making dinner and I was going to make plain rice. I already had the 1 cup of rice in the pan when I thought “You know, I should really use one of the 10 Rice-A-Roni boxes we just bought…” so thought I would just wing it and combine the two, and just added a bit more butter to saute the rice/vermicelli bits in, and then just added an extra cup of water. And you know what? It was perfect!!! Regular Rice-A-Roni is always too salty and there never seems to be enough. But, with the addition of the extra rice and water, it was really yummy! Perfectly seasoned, plus you got a lot more!! I love it when spur of the moment things like that actually turn out!

RRNYE!

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I don’t even know where to start…so I will say that this past weekend had to be one of the best weekends of my life. Seriously. We both had so much fun it was crazy. (This morning wasn’t too fun…but at this point, I’m still recuperating…but it was well worth it.)

So, what happened this past weekend that was so great? RRNYE, that’s what!! And what exactly was RRNYE? A huge group of people I’ve “met” online that were all meeting in Raleigh for a big NYE bash (Rockin’ Raleigh New Year’s Eve)! People came from all across the country and we just had a complete blast!

To start, I was completely nervous about meeting everyone, and welcomed the chance to pick up someone at the airport, so I would have at least met one person in a calm setting! I recognized her immediately, and the meeting went well.

That said, walking into the bowling alley (the first meeting spot) was an entirely overwhelming (wait, OVERWHELMING) experience. Us three walked in, and immediately all heads turned toward us, then all I saw was a mass of people moving towards us in one big rush. There were introductions and hugs and I was trying to place names to faces and trying to remember to introduce Tom, as well.

At dinner that night (we broke off into groups and went to different places—we were dining on Italian), I was still feeling a bit overwhelmed, but it got easier. It took probably an hour or so before I finally started talking and being more myself. By the time the group lunch and trip to the fun park rolled around (mini golf, go karts, etc.) the next afternoon, we were having a great time and felt way more at ease! I even took a spin on the go-karts, which I haven’t done in probably 15 years!

By the big party, with more than a few drinks in me :)) it felt like I’d known everyone forever and we were having a blast! Everyone made me feel very welcome and I think Tom was surprised at how much fun he had with everyone. The food was great, I had a fun time being a bartender (with another girl who actually was a bartender in a past life), and we had a great White Elephant gift exchange, in which I ended up with a Christmas ornament (perfect!).

The funniest thing, I think, is how many people expressed their hesitance/reservations in meeting me. I’m not quite sure what they expected, but needless to say they were a bit unsure about me. But, apparently, from everything everyone told me (and what I heard from others), I fit right in and they needn’t have worried about me! Anyway, hearing that people’s worries were unfounded and that people actually liked me…well, that made me feel good, because of course I was sorta scared about the whole thing anyway.

The only bad thing was that we didn’t get to say goodbye to people! We sort of rushed out of the party because I wasn’t feeling well (too much to drink!) and honestly it was sort of a blur…and I was thinking we’d get to see them in the morning…but, alas, I was definitely NOT in any shape to go to the planned brunch, and Tom wasn’t much better.

Now, we can’t wait to go to more meets—we loved everyone and can’t wait to spend more time with them!

What a cool surprise!

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So I got the mail tonight and there was a small box from my mom. I knew just from the size and shape that it was a “check box” but I knew she wouldn’t be sending me checks! :)) So, imagine my complete and total surprise to open it and find…….pumpkin seeds!! 😀 I had mentioned when they were here visiting that I loved pumpkin seeds but never made them—but that I loved hers! She remembered…and sent me some!

FRANKS, MOM!!! 😉

Free Hugs Campaign

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

Yuu have to see this to believe it—I get the chills every time I watch it. He was also on a recent Oprah…

Juan Mann’s free hug campaign started two years ago when Juan went back to his hometown in Australia to find that his friends and family had moved away. “I was the only person I knew in my own hometown,” he says. “So I wanted to get out there and do something that spread a little bit of cheer and cheered me up, and this was the first thing that really came to mind.”

The first time he stood in public with his “Free Hugs” sign, Juan says it took an agonizing 15 minutes to receive his first hug. “This one lady came up and gave me a hug and it was really, really worth it,” Juan says. From that first hug a campaign was born! Thanks to a video on the website YouTube, Juan’s movement is spreading worldwide—he is even organizing a global hug day!

More information on the Free Hugs Campaign available on Wikipedia.

Make sure to click directly on the arrow to watch the video without leaving this page.

Amazingly Fantabulous Weather

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I’m not sure whether the almost-hurricane blew nice, cool air into town or whether we were just due for a cold front (per se) but man, is it ever nice. It’s in the 70s and we have all the windows open—I can’t wait to sleep all night with the cool air blowing in! I have to say (as I say every time we have this freak weather) that if the weather was like this all the time down here, we would NEVER leave.

Wheeee! Golf!

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I did something yesterday I’ve never IN MY LIFE done before…I went golfing! My boss invited me and Tom to play in a local golf scramble with her and John…and we had a blast! I have always wanted to learn to play, but the one time Tom tried teaching me (way back in Lansing before we were married), there was so much arguing and yelling just trying to hit a bucket of balls that we decided it wasn’t in our best interest if we wanted to remain a couple. (He’s a righty and, although I’m right-handed, I’m a lefty when it comes to batting and putting, so it was quite difficult to try and teach me anything.)

golf cart

So the main challenge of yesterday, aside from NEVER HAVING PLAYED BEFORE, was that I didn’t have any left-handed clubs—and the country club didn’t have any—so I was relegated to either playing right-handed (which was not comfortable at all and got quite a few laughs) or using my very own left-handed putter in lieu of a driver, a wood, an iron, or a pitching wedge! John had a nice driver that ended up working pretty well, even using it backwards. John is an avid golfer and Tom can hold his own as well, so we mostly used their shots! That said, regardless of me not having the correct clubs, I didn’t do TOO badly and got some nice, straight shots—and amazingly enough, we even used some of them for scoring!

golf shot

Aside from having fun “playing” golf, one of the really fun things was driving the cart—I had a blast! Some of the course was a little hilly, so every time we went flying down the trail, I’d let out a little “Wheeeeee!” and we had a laugh. The only bad thing about the day was that it was quite hot and humid—if it wasn’t for the nice breeze, it would have been hell. So, when I was waiting for Tom to hit or whatnot, I’d drive around and around in the cart—it was the best way to get a nice breeze and cool down!

Anyway, throughout the day I kept thinking “I wonder how I could do with real clubs…??” and I really thought I would be interested in learning to play—or at least renting some left-handed clubs to see how it felt. So at the end of the day, we decided to look into finding me some clubs. We stopped at Sam’s to see if they had anything—nope. We didn’t feel like braving Walmart but hit Target and they had nothing for left-handers. We checked out eBay when we got home and seriously almost bought some—they had really great prices on new sets…but I told Tom we shouldn’t rush into anything. There’s a golf clinic coming up on base (that someone at the scramble told me about) so I figured I would do that…and if I still wanted to try golfing, then we’d look at getting some clubs. On the other hand, if the 4-hour clinic changed my mind, we wouldn’t be out $150 for clubs. Then I had an A-HA moment and thought “My dad is left-handed and I know we’ve talked about his clubs before. I wonder if he still has them and if he would ship them to me?” I called but there was no answer.

In the morning, we remembered a local golf shop—and were excited because they deal in new and used clubs. We asked about left-handed, and he said he didn’t have any women’s, but he had a men’s set—and since I was fairly tall, those would probably work fine. I got excited, but was leary because we had decided we didn’t want to spend money on clubs yet. Then he told us the price ($50) and the fact that as long as we kept the receipt, we could always return them and get credited for an upgraded set so I would basically be using the clubs for free (providing I liked it and wanted a better set)!! That was the clincher, so now I have my very own golf clubs and bag! He said we had perfect timing, as that set just came in yesterday—from someone who had done the same thing I did and was finally upgrading! I figure even if I end up not liking it or not playing very much, we only spent $50! (Well, $60—I got some colored golf balls!)

So we’re planning on going to the driving range either tonight or tomorrow and then I have the clinic at the end of the month. I’m really looking forward to this and I really hope I like it. I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated!

Gorgeous Weather!

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Today’s weather has been just perfect as you can see…not too warm (80) and not too humid (53%). It’s been overcast and breezy which, when combined with the low humidity, makes for a great day (still not really warm enough for me to want to hit the beach, though—-maybe when it hits 90+). Unfortunately, Tom volunteered for duty today (to take the place of someone who needed to visit a parent in the hospital) so he’s not getting to enjoy it. I, however, took a nice nap on the porch swing so I could fully enjoy the nice cool breezes! It’s started to sprinkle/light rain on and off over the past half hour, so now it SMELLS great, too!

Fun Friday Night

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It started in the afternoon, with a team shopping trip to “the staplers” as we like to call it! I was extremely excited, because our list included a new laser printer and new scanner for me (upgrading from an inkjet all-in-one)!! Of course, I also enjoyed talking with all my buds there—I really miss them! Then, since we had all driven there separately (long story), Sue decided to call it a day and thought we should all head for Chili’s! So, we did! A few margaritas later, I actually had to leave for dinner with friends—my usual sushi buddies wanted to do something different, so they had picked Mexican. As luck would have it, it was at a restaurant right down the street! So I left one gathering to join another! In Jacksonville’s version of It’s A Small World, my friends brought one of their friends—actually, a classmate from a college class—and turns out, she knew Sue, my boss! She was the daughter of one of Sue’s old co-workers! We had a good time, then I headed back over to Chili’s where the gang was still hanging out having fun! We had a few more drinks and whatnot, and I’m just now getting home at 10pm! I made some comment along the way of “I won’t be able to do this as much when my husband comes home because I’ll want to go home to be with him…” and Sue said “No! He can just come join us!” Cool! I love my new boss!

Mail Order Scripts Rock!

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So I finally called TriCare today about the insane cost of the pills. Long story short, it’s really the pharmacist’s fault for inputting 91 pills instead of 90 (because TriCare authorizes those as a 90-day supply). However, I can get the same thing via mail order pharmacy for $9. Yes, by going via mail order, you automatically get three months for the price of one! OOH RAH! The only small drawback is that now I have to go back to the docs and get a new prescription—hopefully I can just explain the situation and have the doc write a new scrip. But this is definitely better than paying $36!!

We saw it and love it!

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We headed out Friday afternoon in rainy weather and ran into a few traffic jams on the way (seen in the first picture)—plus a detour OFF the highway due to a HazMat cleanup. Since we were so excited, we drove straight to our house (taking a back way we discovered, which saved some time). It was dark by the time we got there, but the electricity is connected, so we had lights. We loved it. Everything was perfect! Or so Tom thought until he saw the carpet.

He was determined it was the wrong color—it looked too light. I was sure it was right, but we decided to check it out anyway. Then I checked out the countertops—which I had been VERY worried about…and they were good! They weren’t as dark green/teal as I had been afraid of and they didn’t look bad at all. Truth be told…if I had it to do over, I would probably go with another color that more closely matched the floor. Also, I would go with beige or almond appliances, to also more closely match the floor. We only spent about 20 minutes there, because we knew we’d be back the next day for a more thorough inspection. We were also hungry and tired!

Saturday morning we went to Furniture Fair to upgrade our range. Our contractor agreed to switch ranges and credit us what he paid—we just had to find what we wanted and pay the difference. The range that was included was nice—but it was electric. And I decided that if I had to continue to live with an electric range for the next three years, it was going to be a flat-top (I HATE THE COILS!). But, since we had time, we first made a detour through the living room furniture to see if I could find some high back chairs that I liked. Not that we were necessarily going to buy any, but I just had to see if I could find chairs similar to those our friends have—they are the MOST comfortable high back chairs I have ever sat in and I would buy them if I could find them (except they were 20 years old). So, in the process of sitting in chairs, we ran into a minor snafu…as I got up out of a chair, my jeans were snagged by the chair in front of me—there was a wire sticking out! We called a manager over to show him, and they are replacing my jeans (well, sending me a check). So, although we were upset at ruining a pair of jeans, it was very cool that they’re taking care of it. So back to range upgrading.

Front Load WasherWe headed over to the appliances—but before we got to the ranges, we saw that they had a washer and dryer on clearance for $850. And it was a front-load washer like we wanted. So we looked at it, hmmmed and hawed (I wanted to run to a computer to check it out online), and thought we really wanted it. But we weren’t there to buy a washer and dryer—we were only there to upgrade the range! So we moved on to the ranges, saying we’d think about the set. There were only a few ranges in our price range (meaning cheap) so it didn’t take long. We debated over two ($50 difference) for about five minutes and ended up choosing the exact same range we had but in the flat-top. Then it was back to look at the washer/dryer set while the salesman did our paperwork. We looked more and talked more and decided what the hell—we needed a washer and dryer so why not get it now when it was on sale??? So, that was more paperwork. But then we noticed that they were running a “12 month/No Payments/No Interest” sale for purchases over $1000, so we had to add something else (the upgrade didn’t count). They had garbage disposals…so we added one and there we were! Now we have a year to pay for it all.

Then it was off to lunch (Texas Steakhouse, which I’m THRILLED with because they have my fried chicken salad that I miss from a restaurant in Lansing) and then to Sherwin Williams to check on the carpet. They looked it up and told us Pewter was installed and then showed us the samples—and it was indeed Pewter. Phew! Then it was off to our house. The first thing I did was to go outside to take a picture of the whole house. After the first shot, I saw a girl across the street, and we both yelled hello and then just walked to each other and started talking. She introduced herself and her husband (Brittany and Joel) and one of the first things I told them was that when we were deciding which house to buy, it was either ours or theirs and I really liked theirs for the inside washer and dryer and the master bedroom/bathroom (jacuzzi tub)…and her response was that they really liked ours because the washer and dryer were in the garage and they wanted our screen porch! Then Tom came looking for me and came over and we all chatted for awhile. We mentioned our mutual friends Heidi and Neil, who live down the street a few houses (Tom and Neil are classmates) and they said they knew their neighbors (also military) and they were already dog-sitting for them!

Then it was back to our house to do the unofficial walk-through. We told our realtor that we just wanted to see the house with everything done—but really, we wanted to do a walk-through on our own without the contractor there. We thought we’d be able to take more time and do a more thorough search for problems without him watching us and hovering over us. And there were problems. The only major thing was the shutters and front door—they are supposed to be hunter green but they are brown. We’ve already told him this and he was going to change it, but it obviously slipped his mind. The other things are minor, but there are lots…dings/scrathes/gouges in lots of the walls, mismatched fixtures (both silver and gold in the bathroom), misplaced fixtures (a light not centered over the mirror where it should be), drawers that didn’t sit right, carpet not installed nicely, painting errors, etc. I have about five handwritten pages to type up and fax to the contractor. I’m assuming (hoping?!) they had already planned to fix most of the obvious things (the huge dents in the wall). And, of course, we took loads of pictures.

IT’S OFFICIAL!!

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3:40pm

Our mortgage guy called me at work to tell me the paperwork is done and the loan has been approved!! So, we’re FINALLY official!! Of course, I was totally geeked about it and couldn’t even think about working the rest of my shift, so my manager let me go home (it also didn’t hurt that we were overstaffed at the moment). The hardest part was not being able to share it with Tom right away—he’s out in the field for two days (most of you will probably have found out before he did!).

4:30pm

I got another call from our realtor to set up the actual closing time and to try and set up the walk-through with the contractor. That’s the only thing left, aside from the actual closing paperwork (which is still set for May 30). I called Tom and left him a message to call me ASAP because I was home early from work and had news for him! We’re still planning on going down in two weeks to see everything completed (and take pictures, before it all gets too hectic) and to have the inspection done. We really debated about having a home inspection (and when I say really debated, I mean REALLY debated) but decided “better safe than sorry.” So, we’ve got to get that scheduled. Hopefully it will work out so that we can do the walk-through with the inspector. If not, our realtor said he could do it.

5:30pm

After a flurry of calls from the realtor, we have finally set up the walk-through with the contractor. Since it’s nearly impossible for us to be there on a weekday (the only time they do walk-throughs), we’re going to do it right before the closing…so it’s going to be a busy day!

6:15pm

Tom called (on schedule, since he thought I worked until 6) and I told him the news. He didn’t quite believe me at first, but after I assured him the loan was a done deal, I admit I head a WAHOO from his end! Of course, he was totally geeked, too. HOMEOWNERS! OFFICIALLY! YIPPEE!

Lt. & Mrs. Thomas & Jennifer Hudson

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You can find all of the wedding pictures at Shutterfly — why duplicate the effort here?

The short story…

THOMAS AND JENNIFER TIED THE KNOT on an absolutely gorgeous Saturday morning in the Northern Michigan town where they met. The ceremony went off without a hitch (okay, maybe one—but you’ll have to read further to see what it was) and everyone loved the couple’s personalized vows. Then the couple and their guests enjoyed a three-hour gourmet lunch reception aboard the local Grand Traverse Dinner Train. The couple left the reception on a horse-drawn carriage.

The long story…

SMITH/HUDSON WEDDING CEREMONY
August 18, 2001
Grand Traverse Children’s Gardens
Traverse City, Michigan
10:30am

Pre-Ceremony

The girls arrived at the library at 10:15…in plenty of time for the wedding (10:30!), but much later than anticipated. (We originally planned to get dressed at the library, but it just didn’t happen.) I had also totally forgotten that we had lots of wedding stuff in the van that had really needed to be at the site earlier (the CD player and prelude music, the guest-signing picture frame/matte, and the programs) so that stressed me out even more, although I do have to give my attendants (and brother!) credit for getting things taken care of. A stream of people came in to see me, and while it was nice, my mind was elsewhere—I was still very nervous and hoping that everything went okay. I was elated to see that after all my worrying and back-and-forth with the florist, my flowers were absolutely gorgeous (sidenote: they were MUCH heavier than I anticipated). Then before I knew it, it was time! (I also learned that the guys had arrived at the library much earlier, and were actually starting to get worried because we weren’t there yet!)

Ceremony

I had to wait with my dad around the corner while the mothers were seated, because Tom was doing it and he couldn’t take the chance of seeing me. My dad started to say something that sounded sentimental and I bluntly told him to be quiet. Then he started again and I “shhh”ed him again. This went on for a good minute. I kept telling him he couldn’t say anything that would make me cry since that would ruin my makeup and give me red eyes!! He ended up getting out one sentence which wasn’t TOO bad! Then we got our cue, so as we walked toward the garden, I looked over and saw Tom standing there in his uniform. WOW!!!!! He looked absolutely amazing! So we stopped at the back of the garden and waited for the trumpeter to start. It was VERY surreal looking around and seeing everyone who was there, all looking at me—and Tom waiting for me! Then the trumpeter started and we walked up the aisle.

I alternated between looking at all the guests, looking up at Tom, and looking at the ground (for dips and bumps) to make sure I didn’t trip and fall. The aisle wasn’t very long, so that part was over quickly. Tom came down to us, my dad handed me off to Tom and shook his hand, then I gave him a kiss and Tom and I walked up to our places. Julie welcomed everyone and started the ceremony. This was the weirdest part, because we were both just standing there looking at everyone. I wanted to at least hold hands (wondering if brides and grooms normally did that—I couldn’t remember!) but I had my bouquet and he was being Mr. Strict Military Man (as he was technically supposed to be) with his arms at his sides, his hands in little fists. This part seemed to go on FOREVER. However, it was neat to have time to be able to see everyone who was there!

WEDDING PROGRAM

Clicking any of the four wedding program thumbnails below will popup a full-size version.

PRELUDE

Various Classical Selections

PROCESSIONAL

Variations on a Theme by Paganini (Rachmaninoff)

Seating of the mothers (Grandma, Marsha, Linda, Jean) by Tom

That’s How You Know It’s Love (Deana Carter)

Groom’s Attendants (Kate, Don, Morgan)

Best Man (Rob)

Groom (Tom)

Bride’s Attendants (Marie, Kathryn, Beth)

Maid of Honor (Angi)

Flower Girl (Jessica)

Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)

Bride & Father (Jen and Mike)

THE PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE

Who presents this bride for marriage? Her parents. (Dad hands Jen off to Tom. Tom shakes Dad’s hand. Jen kisses Dad on cheek. Jen and Tom walk together to front and face the guests.)

WELCOMING OF THE GUESTS

Good morning. I’m Reverend Julie Chai and I have the honor of officiating this marriage ceremony which Jennifer, Tom, and I have co-created. On behalf of Tom and Jennifer, I would like to welcome all of you to this ceremony celebrating the love they have for each other. We would also like to welcome those who have passed on and are celebrating with us in spirit today—especially Tom’s father, Robert.

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the parents of the couple. Would the parents please stand? On your left is Tom’s mother, Marsha, and Jennifer’s mother Jean and stepfather David. On your right, her father Michael and stepmother Linda.

QUESTIONS TO THE PARENTS

As the parents of Thomas and Jennifer, do you affirm your continuing support and love to them as they grow in their marriage? Yes.

Do you celebrate with them in their decision to choose each other? Yes.

Do you offer them the best of your care and counsel in times of struggle, and will you celebrate with them in times of joy? Yes.

THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY

As the much loved friends and family of the couple, you are very important to them and your role in their marriage is a very important one as well. Today you will be witnesses to the vows they will be making uniting them as a couple. As witnesses, they ask that during times of stress, you offer them a quiet listening ear, advice when requested, and encouragement to uphold their vows, honoring the love they have found in each other. It is our hope that as we celebrate the love of Jennifer and Tom here today, that you will also cherish and hold more dear your own loving relationships. And as they take their vows, that you, too, will find renewed commitment in the relationships you have made in the sacredness of your own lives.

ABOUT THE COUPLE

I asked Tom and Jennifer why they want to get married and what is drawing them to each other. Tom noted that he was first attracted to Jennifer’s eyes and smile. He said, “I love her personality and sense of humor. We are so much alike that it’s comforting. She’s easy to be around.” To this Jennifer quickly added, “It feels like we’ve been together forever.” Tom agreed, noting that they often know what each other is thinking and he said, “Jennifer is my best friend and I couldn’t think of being with anyone else.”

Jennifer remembered the first time they met, saying, “When we saw each other across the smoky bar and met [big laugh from the guests!], we knew that night we would get married.” She said that she loves the fact that Tom loves her unconditionally, no matter what. And she appreciates how easygoing Tom is and how he gets along with everyone in her family. Finally, she noted, “Tom does his best to make me happy, including the cute little animal noises I love.” [Everyone laughed. Then, still laughing, Julie asked if anyone had ever heard these noises—because she kept hearing about them but had never actually heard them. Everyone laughed again.]

WORDS OF SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

And now Jennifer’s Aunt Marge will offer some thoughts on love:

Love is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your spouse as about your own. It makes burdens lighter because you divide them and joys more intense because you share them. Love is a promise that is always kept, a fortune that can never be spent, and love is a seed that can flourish even in the most unlikely places.

And now Jennifer’s brother-in-law, Jim Coe, will read an excerpt from The Art of Marriage:

A good marriage must be created. Remember that it is the little things that are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands…remembering to say I love you at least once a day…never going to bed angry…and at no time taking the other for granted. In a good marriage you have a mutual sense of values and common objectives. And you stand together facing the world. In a good marriage you do things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. You speak words of gratitude and demonstrate it in thoughtful ways. In a good marriage, the husband is not expected to wear a halo, or the wife the wings of an angel. You do not look for perfection in the other, but cultivate flexibility, patience, understanding, and a sense of humor. You forgive and forget. A good marriage is not only about marrying the right partner, but being the right partner.

SYMBOL OF UNITY

As a symbol of their unity, Jennifer and Tom have chosen a bell. During times of conflict and pain they will ring this bell. In ringing the bell, they will be reminded of the love that unites them and surrounds them here today. The ringing of the bell by the couple.

THE HANDS OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM

[Note: At this point, we finally get to turn towards each other.]

Jennifer, hold Tom’s hands, palm up.

Jennifer, these are the hands of your best friend—young, strong, and vibrant as he promises to love you all the days of his life.

These hands will work alongside yours as you build your future together, laugh and cry, and share your innermost secrets and dreams.

Though large and strong, these are the hands that will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.

These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.

And these hands will love and cherish you throughout the years in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy.

Jennifer, bless these hands you hold before you this day.

Thomas, hold Jennifer’s hands, palm up.

Tom, these are the hands of your best friend—smooth, young, and carefree as she promises to love you all the days of her life.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These hands will hold you with joy and excitement and hope each time she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.

These hands will console and comfort you.

And these hands will love and cherish you throughout the years in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy.

Tom, bless these hands you hold before you this day.

Please join in the unison prayer for the blessing of the vows by repeating after me:

Jennifer and Tom, we your friends and family celebrate your love and with our love bless the vows you are about to make. Receive the patience, courage, wisdom, and humor you need to grow together, and fulfilling your vows now and forever.

THE VOWS OF THE COUPLE AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS

Jennifer’s vows:

Thomas, I love you.

  • I promise to affirm my love for you by giving you a quick wink and a smile to let you know everything is okay.
  • I promise to hold you and comfort you to make you feel safe.
  • I promise to try to appreciate the good in everything.
  • I promise I will give you time to work things out when you feel overwhelmed.
  • I promise to do my best to accept the time it takes you to analyze and make a purchase.
  • I promise to accept your quirkiness and unique sense of humor.
  • I’ll do my best to understand your need to have the TV on all the time.
  • I promise to do my best to understand and accept your future military responsibilities and not make you feel guilty about having to put studying first.
  • I’ll do my best to try not to watch QVC as much.
  • I promise to never put another sugarprincess sticker on my car, just in case you ever have to drive it.
  • I look forward to making our relationship even stronger and spending the rest of my life with you.
  • Thomas, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows—and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.

Thomas’ Vows:

Jennifer, I love you.

  • I promise to be faithful, trustworthy, and honest with you.
  • I promise to listen to you and only fix the things you ask me to.
  • I’ll do my best to communicate more, even when the topic might be uncomfortable for me.
  • I’ll do my best to compromise, even with my TV habits, such as endless channel flipping.
  • I’ll do my best to support your decisions, even if I might not agree with them.
  • I promise not to become addicted to any more computer games.
  • And I look forward to making our relationship even stronger and spending the rest of my life with you.
  • Jennifer, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows—and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.

THE PRONOUNCEMENT

Please join me in pronouncing the couple husband and wife:

Tom and Jennifer, we now pronounce you husband and wife.

THE KISS

THE APACHE WEDDING PRAYER

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now you will feel no loneliness, for each of you will be companionship for the other.

Now you are two persons, but there is only one life between you.

Go now to your dwelling place, to enter into the days of your life together.

UNISON PRAYER FOR THE BLESSING OF THE COUPLE

Please join in the Unison Blessing of the Couple by repeating after me:

Jennifer and Tom, may your lives be blessed with health, love, and happiness, and may your home be filled with laughter now and forever.

BLESSING OF THE COMMUNITY

As you have blessed, so may you also be blessed. And may your lives also be filled with health, love, and happiness—and may your homes be filled with laughter now and forever.

INTRODUCTION OF THE COUPLE

Friends, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce to you Lieutenant and Mrs. Thomas and Jennifer Hudson.

RECESSIONAL

These Are Days (10,000 Maniacs)

 

Post-Ceremony

After the recessional, we came back and greeted the guests at their rows and everyone said they loved the ceremony—and some people even asked for copies of it and suggested I post it online. It took awhile to get the pictures started (especially getting the extended families together for each family picture), but once they did, they went pretty well. By this time, too, it was quite warm (although not terribly hot and humid) so I was really warm with all the layers of the dress. I really needed a fresh application of powder to take away the shine I had developed, but I had forgotten to prepare a little makeup bag, and at that point, I had NO idea where my makeup bag was. So, I was more than a little anxious about what I would look like in pictures (as it turned out, some are great and some are way too shiny!).

Bridal Party

Reception

We made it to the train with a few minutes to spare before the 1pm departure. I made sure to tell Chandra (the photographer) to get on the train first, so she could get a picture of Tom’s reaction when he saw the personalized cake topper. So we got on the train and the server announced us and everyone clapped and it was really neat—and I almost missed Tom’s reaction to the topper because in the few minutes since I had talked to the photographer, I had forgotten about it! I actually looked down and saw the photographer and wondered what she was doing down there…and then remembered just as she was snapping the picture! He was SO surprised! He just looked at me, laughed and smiled, and said, “You stinker—you told me you weren’t doing this!” I asked if he liked it and he said he did! Then we just sat down, relaxed for a bit (and gave my feet a chance to rest—I had kicked off my shoes as soon as we sat down), and drank a lot of water! Once the train got moving, we got up and started visiting with all of the tables. Everyone LOVED everything—especially the CDs. (I was worried about having lots of extras—since I made one for everyone—and the only leftovers were for the people who didn’t show.)

Carriage

The carriage ride was very cool. We got a few honks as we rode along the main road (on our way to the side streets) and Tom even got a few salutes! Most of our ride was along the side streets, past all of these old Victorian houses. It was a nice, relaxing way to end the hectic day. One bizarre thing happened, though. As we’re clip-clopping down this one street, I see this woman step out onto her porch holding a baby—and it was my hairdresser who had done all our hair that morning (and who had been doing my hair for the past six months)!! She was like, “Jen!!!!” and I was like, “Hey Heidi!!!!” I had no idea where she lived, and we just happened to go by her house. Strange.

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