12 Year Anniversary

It finally happened.

The day.

The day I've been waiting for.

Hoping for.

Praying for.

No, I'm not pregnant.

April 17, 2009. 12 years after our wedding, and I finally fit into my wedding dress!!!!
I was looking at some pictures I had scrapbooked when we first married and noticed I was about the same size as I am now. So I tried the dress on again (for about the 10th time since I found it this fall) and Kris zipped it up without any trouble! Who Hoo! I am probably more excited about this than any other milestone to date!

Oh, the wedding dress. Oh the memories it holds!

I remember how I found it.

If you don't have 2 hrs to read this, feel free to scroll down and look at the pictures!

First, I thought I'd wear my mom's wedding dress. I LOVED the bottom half, even with the stains, and was excited that it fit me. But the neckline was very close to strangling me, so I then was given permission to alter the top. When that didn't work, my mom let me make a new top and we tried to dye it to match. When that didn't work I actually bought the pattern to make a dress myself. Once I realized how cheap the top looked that I made, and how expensive the fabric would be and that was way over my skill level, Abbie and I went to Columbia to shop! I had a limited budget: Free was best, but less than $200 for the dress, so we looked at all the clearance dresses as well as some way out of my price range. I thought I wanted simple and classic. I was fine with a used dress too, but couldn't find one I liked. Of all the dresses I tried, none was "the" dress. So we headed back to Sumter and happened to see a sign for a Bridal store neither Abbie or I had ever noticed, that was going out of business. We stopped. We picked many dresses to try on: from simple to over the top gaudy and the very first one was "the" dress. It was not simple, but the neckline was perfect and I loved it (except for the bow on the butt which Abbie quickly removed). And it was on clearance. And it fit perfectly. And it was mine for $164! We also found my mom's gorgeous dress for my wedding, and a lovely white suit for her for Abbie's wedding. All on clearance as well!
I found my wedding jewelry in Columbia with Ruth at Dillards, borrowed one of Ruth's friend's veils, and wore a garter with blue, and wore old jelly shoes for something old!

I remember trying "the" dress on multiple times a week at first, then once a week until the wedding. I do also recall that I let out the sides a little before the wedding as well. Pre wedding stress weight gain? Is that when it all started? Hmm.

I remember the dress on the wedding day. I remember it rained that morning and Jim taped plastic over my stuck window. I remember a lovely bridal brunch. I remember getting my hair done, and going to the church to get ready. While Abbie and Em ran out to get flowers for the cake I got ready. It stopped raining. I had all of the women and girls I loved around me. I laughed. I couldn't believe I was marrying the sweetest man in the world. Everything else melted away. I remember choking up when I made it to the door to walk down the aisle because I heard Cannon in D as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. I remember looking into Kris's eyes for a long winded ceremony and thinking it was the longest I had ever looked at him without losing eye contact. I remember how nervous he was: not to get married, but that he would mess up his vows in front of everyone. I remember how good the boys sounded singing. I remember Uncle Will reading a love poem for me. But what I remember most about the whole day was kissing Kris outside the church right after the ceremony! I am so excited to have this dress fit me again! It will only ever be too big, never too small again.

I included some other pictures of my favorite dresses right now, and a precious one of Faith, cause she is so precious. And I can. Because I'm her aunt.