Payton
Today was the day. After almost three years I was going to marry my best friend. It was early September and hockey season was right around the corner. But just for today that was in the back of everyones mind. Today we are celebrating something stronger than hockey or sports or championships, we were celebrating love. We were celebrating the one thing that outlasts every other thing we can experience on this earth and beyond it.
My parents were a little upset we weren't getting married in a church, but as soon as I said we were going to Hawaii they shut right up.
I wake up the morning of the wedding by myself and a little upset. That was the first time since Jon moved in that we slept apart and I kind of hated it. But I made it though the night none the less and spent the morning getting ready.
Since it was kind of a nature themed Jonathan insisted on all of us not wearing any shoes. I, Of course, agreed because I hate wearing shoes. But I've been calling Jon Nature Boy for a good month now and he hates it, but he secretly loves it.
I slip into my wedding dress and just put on mascara and a lip balm. If the wedding was natural I wanted to be natural too. My sister curls my hair and puts some flowers in it. Not any flowers from here because we promised not to mess with the nature, but it still looked good with the dress. After all that was done I was ready to get married.
"You look so beautiful" my sister claims.
"Thanks... I can't believe I'm in Hawaii getting married" I admit.
"This does look like a fairy tale" she admits.
We wait for it to start and I take a bunch of pictures much to everyone's despise. Jacob and Caroline come over to where I was and they looked adorable.
Caroline had flowers in her hair too and had on a little white dress. She spins around a hundred times and watches it flow around her. She was such a ray of sunshine and was practically glowing right now.
Jacob looked amazing in his ring bearer suit. Jon insisted on him wearing tan because it brings out his eyes and Jacob wanted to look like Jon, can you blame him? He looked like a little gentleman and I was so happy he was a part of my life
We mess around in the grass for a little and of course Jacob finds a hockey stick. I take pictures of them as they mess around and realize how truly blessed I am.
"Alright kiddos, it's show time" my brothers wife says grabbing the kids. She kisses my cheek before taking off. My dad appears by my side and he smiles big. A tear forms in his eyes and I shake my head.
"No no, don't you dare" I warn.
"Look at my baby girl all grown up" he sniffles.
"Daaad" I whine.
"Come here" he insists and I walk into his open arms. He rubs my back calming me down. "I am so proud of the person you've become. I know I gave Jon my blessings but I'm not ready to let you go yet" he claims.
"I'm right here" I assure him.
His sticks his arm out and I latch mine around his. Although we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, he loves me more than life itself and I feel the same way. We make our way to the wedding and I see everyone I love siting there. I appear at the end of the isle and everyone stands. Flower pedals sit on the floor from Caroline's basket and it felt so soft on my bare feet.
I look down the isle and see Jon smiling bright. He looked so handsome in his tan suit and his long hair all over the place. I told him if we weren't allowed to wear shoes we had to get our toes done and he actually did get them done with me. He got clear polish but I forced him to get a little flower on his big toe and I can see it from here.
As I get closer I see he was crying, I haven't seen him cry since the accident. He wipes away a tear earning a nudge from Patrick who stood right behind him. Finally I reach him and my dad kisses my cheek before handing me off. I take my spot across from Jonathan as he takes my hands in his.
The priest starts with a few words before we say a few of our own.
"Life is about the journey, not the destination. And although this is the destination of being a unmarried woman ends today, it also marks the start of a new journey as a married woman.
Up until I met you my journey was a little blurry. On the outside I couldn't have been better. I got a new job with the best team in Illinois in a office I dreamed of working in. But I wasn't me, I didn't know who I was, just who I wanted to be.
Then you came around, and like a pair of glasses you made everything so clear. I saw in you what I wished people saw in me. In a way we were one in the same. You were misunderstood and were hoping someone would just listen to you for once and I was looking for the same thing. We found comfort in each other and my journey finally started to make some sense.
Now it wasn't always easy, but it was always worth while. I have a picture from every day to show it. And while a lot of them is me in my feast shirt covered in the butter from the pop corn or maybe just our hands laced together as we explore the city, they're all beautiful to me. But I think from over the 1,000 pictures we have my favorite is the one of us on the ice the night you gave me that promise ring. And although we're in a new place with new pictures, that canvas still hangs tall. It reminds me that everyone's journey is different, and some are harder than others. With each destination, such as this one, it's nice to look back and see how far you've come.
I've been pretty low before, so low I didn't think I couldn't think it was possible to be any lower. But with you I'm flying in the sky, and when I look down to earth the world seems like a better place. And it is when I'm with you. I cannot wait to start this new journey together as man and wife, and as mother and father" I smile.
"Wait what" my mom asks.
"Shush, they're happy together" my dad defends and she steps down.
"I don't know if I can say anything to top that. Honestly I forgot what I had prepared the moment I laid eyes on you today, but that's a common feeling around here.
I guess what I wanted to say was thank you. Thank you for taking a chance on me, I know you were scared to love again, scared to get hurt. Thank you for being the best shoulder to lean on, you have always been so strong and so positive and it's a big reason as to why I can do what I can do. Thank you for always being the voice of reason, when I was on the fence about adopting the kids you helped me see the benefits and you were right. I wanted to help them and they helped me just as much. Thank you for always being a ray of sunshine even in my darkest days. I always have something to look forward to and it's always you. Thank you for reminding me who I am, the good and the bad, and helping me get better.
Most of all... thank you for always following your heart. It has led you to some amazing places and it lead you back to me when I lost you.
I know I shouldn't think about those dark days, but they haunted my dreams for a while. I never thought that you would ever forget about me or that I would be so scared that you did. But the best times of my life suddenly meant nothing to you and I was terrified. I can't begin to explain how guilty and upset I felt when you woke up and didn't remember me. For months I lived along side of you, but I also had the honor of falling in love all over again. You laughed at my jokes like it was the first time because to you it was. But you were still the same girl I fell in love with and I think it's so cool how real and true you really are.
And now I stand here before you ready to fall in love again as man and wife" he smiles.
They finish up the ceremony and we put the rings on each other. Jon removes my bail before dipping me backwards and planting a kiss on my lips.
Finally I had found my gentleman.