tiny tacky turtles

i have a confession: i love tacky sourvenir stores.

alvin's island and wings. chain or local. i love them all.

yes, i know they are filled with endless shelves of treasure crap. i just can't help myself.  from the horrible spring break t-shirts to coffee mugs shaped like boobies, and all the shell art in between.

rarely do i buy something. but if i do, it's for a reason.

case in point: turtles.

you know the ones: no bigger than half your thumb. usually a form of shell art. sometimes wearing a hat.  or glasses.  or both.

i had to buy that first one.

here's why.

the first trip david and i took together was down to gulf shores for a wedding of one of my sorority sisters.  this was only a few weeks after we had been seeing each other, but i was already smitten. (no secret there) and it was on the beach across the street from the awesomely bad hotel that we decided to dtr. yep, heavy discussion for sunbathing. 

seeing as how this conversation eventually led me to my soul mate, i've adopted a sort of fondness for lower alabama beaches.

on the way out of town, i made him visit alvin's island.

a few months later, i returned on business and decided to buy a gag sourvenir for david.

you guessed it: i had finally found a reason to buy one of those ugly funny turtles.

he laughed.

then, wouldn't you know it, the gift shop at our honeymoon resort had a wooden bobble head turtle. and once again, i had to have it.

2 weeks ago, in the busy, hot airport in jamaica, david remarked that "we haven't found a turtle yet!" the search was on. and, as luck would have it, even the jamaicans have a soft spot for tacky turtles.

so now, yes, the turtles are tacky, but they are no longer pointless.

they're memories.

amazing grace

what is it about death that makes us appreciate life so much?

is it that we are reminded of our own mortality? probably.

there's just something about attending a funeral during the thanksgiving season that makes it harder and easier at the same time. 

heaven gained a sweet lady yesterday when jesus called mrs. evelyn sutherland home.  though i never had the pleasure of meeting her before she became ill, i know she was a wonderful woman--i see it in my husband's eyes when he tells stories about her.

death is a funny thing. it's hard for the living, but a blessing for those who now find themselves in the presence of God and the loved ones that passed before them.  i like to think that my own grandmothers were at the pearly gates to greet mrs. evelyn.  my jojo will take her dancing on the golden streets of heaven and let her eat ice cream in bed (if they ever rest in heaven.). my gram will crochet her a warm blanket and cut her the perfect piece of watermelon.

though it was a hard day, i was thankful to be a part of it.  i was glad that i was there to hold david's hand, to hug his mom, to pat his brother's back.

i loved hearing people talk about mrs. evelyn's smile.  david's smile has the same effect on me: it's contagious.  it soothes my mind.  i've said it before: he makes my heart sing.

i imagine he has a lot of sutherland in him.

today, i was reminded of the of blessings i have received this year. my husband is the first--being a part of his loving family, to have in-laws that love and accept my own parents so effortlessly, is a close second.

the list you won't understand

so, you won't understand most of this post--it's mainly for our memories alone.

here are some highlights from the reception and honeymoon...

1. "now kimberly, i want to be in bed before midnight." riiiiiiiiiight....
2. "um, i want to drink something tonight. how do i do that?"
3. tats
4. hubby redoing flower arrangements (i hate martin flowers)
5. david did a hoedown dance, and the footloose dance
6. kegstands
7. piano man
8. after party!
9. harper drove us home. 'nuff said
10. apparently, i slept at the foot of the bed. in my wedding dress.
11. hubby dumped water on my still drunk self to wake me up for the plane ride
12. watched "bed intruder" while waiting for first flight. a great idea at 5:45 am when you're still slightly tipsy.
13. david got intimate with the plane bathroom
14. the driver on the way to the resort played really bad eighties music in his van. and sang along. cue "we are the world"
15. eurotrash girl
16. the russian mafia
17. "how do you feel?" "VERY SEXY!"
18. 2, yes 2, porn channels in the room (for free!!)
19. "bingo! bingo! mamasita in cancun!"
20. "alabama!"
21. "i'd rather ____ that wheelchair than your _____"
22. can't decide on an appetizer? order 2 entrees!
23. battle wounds
24. "wow! this magnification mirror makes my junk look HUGE!"
25. accidentally see the jersey housewives girl on free porn channel. gross.
26. the butt show
27. the ice ice baby couple
28. smalls
29. the cool shower
30. plunge pool ;)
31. all you can eat ice cream machine
32. michael jackson show
33. mexican william shatner
34. "i want something fruity. sure, bring me that."
35. monkey drinks!
36. grateful we didn't do the kayak excursion
37."man"icure
38. "holy $#%! that is cold!"
39. $25 sunscreen
40. "you conspired against me with the cashier."
41. cuban cigars
42. smooth operator (snap, snap, snap, snap--to no apparent beat whatsoever)
43. room service breakfast
44. "mrs. farr" (giggle, giggle, blush)
45. oreos, m&m's, snickers, lays in the room!
46. coke "light"
47. "drink more tequila. you speak-a better espanol."
48. random hermit crab
49. swing bed!
50.  "what's manlier than scotch and lambchops?  two scotches and lambchops!"
51.  mini-beer shot coming out kimberly's nose
52.  still intoxicated kimberly eating sausage for the first time in years
53.  fernando the iguana
54.  the spiciest ceviche ever
55.  so we have a little problem...no, it might be fixed...wait, just kidding...9hrs later we take off for miami
56.  two people from alabama eating at a bubba gump's in cancun
57.  being the only english speaking people in the US CITIZENS!! customs line in miami
58.  coming home to kimberly's panties still in the shower from the week before
59.  to this day, kimberly still can't find her wedding shoes

so, i've been putting off this blog post simply because i am afraid that i cannot find the words to adequately express my immense amount of joy.  well, that and the fact that i knew just attempting this would bring me to tears. {sniff}

on august 20, 2010 i realized what it means to marry your best friend.  the one person who understands you better than anyone else.  the person who you want by your side no matter what is happening.

to think that after 14 years the LORD brought a childhood crush back into my life.

and he was the one.  i just knew it.  i felt it in my soul.  and everything he did and said confirmed it.

seeing him for the first time that day, we both got a bit teary, but there wasn't any crying.  more than anything, i was just so very excited.  taking pictures was miserable for the most part, but i felt so beautiful when david looked at me that i hardly even cared. (for this, i can only speak for myself)

we mingled before the ceremony, and promptly at six, our family sat down and waited.

as "how beautiful" played softly in the chapel, david's grandmother and our mothers were seated, david's dad took his place beside him, and my sister played the role of maid of honor.

during the last stanza, daddy walked me down the aisle, telling me how happy he was before we appeared in the chapel foyer.  this time, there was no asking if i was sure this was what i wanted to do.  we both knew how right it was.

the ceremony was short, but so very special.  our childhood minister spoke softly about our story.  our fathers read the verses we had selected, with mine reading Romans 5:1-, the one that has carried me through the past 3 years.

as we recited our vows and exchanged rings, my heart was so full that i was completely unaware of anyone else in the room.  it was just us.  even thinking of it now makes my throat catch.

love is unpredictable.  it sometimes makes no sense at first, only to turn into the simplest of concepts.

david is my one true love.  my partner for life.  hearing him pledge to be with me forever was the most romantic experience i could have ever imagined. 

i know that in another ten years, i will reflect upon this day and think, "wow. and i thought we loved each other so much back then."

in my opinion, this makes me the world's luckiest girl.

coincidence? i think not.

i am a huge book nerd. i keep one in my purse and one in my cd player at all times. if i don't have one in my car, i get anxious. and bored.

one of the things i love most about being with david is that we can both spend an entire afternoon just reading, side by side, and be completely content.

when i went through my divorce, i read (or, rather, listened to) eat. pray. love. it was fitting, really. i had recently just "relearned" how to eat, pray, and love (myself).  i enjoyed the book immensely. it was one of those that made me sad when it ended.

yesterday, i picked up committed.  it just hit me how fitting my timing with elizabeth gilbert has been. here i am, about to remarry next month, reading about her own journey once again.

i've reflected a lot these past few days about my own views of marriage. i feel blessed to have the opportunity to love again  finally find and understand love.

after my divorce, i went through so many emotions when thinking of marriage. it was one of those things i longed for as a simple human desire, but absolutely scared me to death at the same time. the horrible experience of divorce is enough to make anyone terrified of the mere possibility of it happening again.

i dated someone before david. thinking about the possibility of marriage with him, though i knew i could be happy, made me break out into a sweat. something was missing.

it's different with david.

as i've said before, he makes me feel like a better person. he understands me, accepts me (messiness and all).

when i think of love, marriage, and david, i completely understand and, even more astounding, believe again in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

meow

technically, no, i'm not a cougar. (hey, hollywood defines it as a five year age difference).

today is my soon-t0-be-hubby's birthday. he's now 28. i'll turn that dreaded number that begins with three and ends with zero in less than four months.

yep, i'm the older woman.

almost thirty and no kids yet. this was not my plan. oh well. maybe i can play the "no, honey, you do it...you're so much less aged than me" card one day. at the very least, maybe i can be pregnant when we move and not have to help out. yeah, that'd be nice.

so, yes, i am older than david. it's never bothered me though.

true, i had a crush on him when he was 12. true, dating him at times has been similar to what that must have been like. . . i'll spare you the scenarios and comments.

it's great though. we have so much fun together. i am so incredibly high strung at times that i need a dose of immaturity to set me back down in reality.

at other times, he is so wise and strong--his perspective has calmed down my self-induced near hyperventilation more times that i can count.

yes, i adore my "young stud." he's just what i need, and more than i could have ever hoped for.

happy birthday, my love. ME-OW!

i'm a golden retriever

pre-marital seminar = great idea

i have to admit: when david texted me to find out if i was interested in attending a pre-marital counseling seminar, i cried.

why? it once again affirmed that david is everything i need. knowing my past, he's very sensitive to the fact that i want to be married for fifty years, but am terrified at the possibility of someone walking out on me again.

i can think a million things david would rather do than attend a counseling seminar. and yet, he did. for me. for us.

david understands me to my very core. he can look at me and know what emotion i'm feeling, even if i am trying to hide it.

i've never been one to talk about my fears and short-comings. and yet, with him, i can. i know without a doubt that he will not judge me. that he will accept me. that he will do everything possible to help me with whatever i am going through, and never bring up my past failures in a negative light.

my love languages are gifts and physical touch. david brings me coffee in bed. he snuggles up beside me.

he makes my heart smile. every day.