Following our late night of Florence festivities, B and I got up and out around 7am on the road for Atlanta. Mom was heading over for the Atlanta engagement party too, but she would leave after teaching Sunday School (2 year olds. Seriously, a Saint, that lady!).The morning got off to a rough start. The start of strep or a seriously bad sore throat had hit me full force the night before and that morning it about leveled me. B found me crying over the kitchen sink and was so great. When I asked what time it was, knowing we needed to leave by 7, he just called out, "It doesn't matter." Dad got me some good drugs (thank God for Daddy) while B got the car packed and us on the road. He drove while I wallowed in the seat next to him. A quick stop in Birmingham to grab my mail and we were on the road.
In Atlanta, we unpacked and had our own Christmas with his parents, who gave us great gifts that were really for the both of us. B got the TV he'd been eyeing and I got the classic Kitchen Aid standing mixer I'd been eyeing for years. I know the Moms were both in on pulling this one off and I was so happy. They've been so great at getting our "home" started with great little useful and yet wonderful items. I can't wait to crank up the radio and bake 8 dozen cookies, which is what my mixer says is capacity. We'll see about that!
B shooed me off to the shower then let me nap for an hour or so while his family did some prep (lots of Saints in my life these days!) and then we all got ready. B's Mom and Dad throw quite a party--they set up a bar and had a caterer come in with the best finely-carved beef tenderloin I've ever had. Crab dip, stuffed potato bites, delicate chocolate desserts... yum. (Un)fortunately, I didn't see a bite of it starting when the party did at 7 until we winded down around 12:30. Luckily, B noticed I was spinning and made us a big plate of snacks that he hid away in the kitchen. My good friend A pulled me aside and said, "Let this be a lesson... if you can't eat at a party, how do you think you'll eat at your wedding? Make time!" Brilliant.
The party was a hit. It was so fun having Mom there, along with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. Normally I'm a little shy about being the center of attention but it was fantastic. Everyone knew who I was so they just kept coming up and saying, "Are you the bride?" Why yes, I am! Nice to meet you. I met old neighbors, family friends, former coaches of B's, and so many dear people to his family. I kept looking around to see if Mom was doing ok and, whenever I could find her, she'd say, "Oh I'm having a great time, just trying to meet everyone!" B's mom said that at one point, a friend of hers came up and said, "Have you met J?" Love it!
The night was perfect. During both parties, the temperature was just right to leave the doors open and let the breeze run through. Whenever I was out of wine, a glass would magically appear (thanks to my uncle and B's Dad!). The only complaint was that I didn't get to see B as much as I would've liked, but it sure was wonderful to look at him across the room holding court with a group of moms or old baseball buddies. It prompted several of those, "Wow, I get to marry him." moments.
Most striking, at least to me, was the overwhelming feeling at both parties that all these people took time out of their lives to come celebrate a moment in ours. I'm sure I'll feel that times 100 at the wedding, but for those two nights, it sure felt wonderful to feel nothing but love and happiness in a room packed with our families' closest friends. How blessed are we?
B's friends headed out that night, but by the time I got something to eat and we finished visiting with his Grandparents and brothers, we were both at pass-out mode, or at least pajama mode, so we passed, and slept very well that night. It felt like we'd been celebrating for weeks already, and here we were still a few days shy of New Year's Eve.
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