“You have a good husband & good people — you don’t need to have anyone else. Your wedding proved that. You have it good, Jen.”
— my Mom.
June 2010
70 posts
At Last
Etta James
Our first dance on our wedding day. <3
“We’re going Vanity Fair on this one!”
— my wedding photographer.
The next few days are going to be hectic. I feel it. Because, well…
it’s that week.
The one I’ve been waiting for. Making plans for. Losing sleep over. Writing in my Moleskine/Blackberry/other notebook daily for. Yes, it’s our wedding weekend. (Notice how I said our? Well, it is. Mark & I’s. No one else’s.) Weekend, you say? Why, yes. Portland meets Winnipeg on Wednesday night. The cousins & bridal party on Thursday. Rehearsals on Friday. Then, of course, our very wedding on Saturday.
And then soon after that, within a blink of an eye, the waiting will be wanting to have it all back, all the preparations will end and I’ll be wanting to do something, the worrying and stress will go away and even the smallest details won’t matter anymore.
One thing I want to feel out of everything I’m going through? Out of all of this? LOVE. Simple, beautiful and something so touching; but a feeling people often take for granted. I want to just soak in every moment I have with the people that have played such an important role to get to the point where I am right now at this very moment. The ones who showed love, support, an ear to listen throughout Mark & I’s relationship — those are the people attending my wedding.
I’m so happy to be surrounded by good, real people, who aren’t afraid to be themselves and let me know how they feel and to actually lend out a hand — even before thinking about themselves. It’s so hard to find good people like that — so when you are face to face with one, make sure you hold onto them for dear life, because those are the ones worth keeping around.
Until the day after our wedding day! xo.
“Life happens the way it does — that’s why you do what you love, do what you want, and do what’s most important to you.”
—by me, yours truly. :)
“It’s not worth your time.”
— my girl & bridesmaid, Les, on hearing certain news. (Love her!)
Listen
Going to the chapel, and we’re going to get married…
“… the invitation is seriously gorgeous! Very obviously created by a couple with keen, artful eyes.”
— Gloria, my mentor & former Bosslady.
“I can’t wait to see your dress!”
— my good friend & bridesmaid, Felicity. <3
“I like that Aleh-handro song by that Gaga.”
— my Mom.
Seven in the morning and reporting from Minneapolis, MN, my last stop in the US before finally stepping foot back in the city of my birthplace. It’s been a few hours since I’ve left Portland to Los Angeles (an airport I refuse to have a stop over in again — it’s huge and there are too many hoops to go through to get to a connecting flight) and now here I am. Note to self: no more red-eye flights. Not only are my eyes killing me, but my body hates my guts right now for putting it through this — all worth it to see family, friends and Winnipeg again, right?
Perhaps.
It’s hard to imagine that only six months ago I was saying goodbye to my hometown. Within those months, I moved into a new country & home, celebrated my 26th birthday, made a forever of commitment and so much more. For me, this took a lot of courage and strength to make it through this far, and I honestly don’t know where I would be without the people who have been supporting me this far.
It’s because of those people that Mark and I have been so lucky and blessed to have our wedding in Winnipeg. Less than two weeks remain until we say our vows in front of God and our family and friends — hence, my return back into Winnipeg. I’m excited though, and I can’t wait.
“‘Give me the address to your President, this is absolutely discrimatory!’”
—Crazy woman on my PDX-LAX flight who complained about having a headrest.
OSU Graduation Day.
To my love: I’m so proud of you. After many nights of studying, exams to cram for, projects to finish, you’ve finally done it. You’ve worked so hard — you deserve this. I’m so happy for you, no one deserves this as much as you do. I love you and Congratulations. xo
“Destiny is for losers. It’s just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.”
—Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl
“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”
—Mary Manin Morrissey
THANK GOD.
It finally came — the card I’ve been waiting for. After loads of paperwork & money, days of worrying & waiting and two (intense) interviews, I am now an owner to a Green Card. I’m officially a US Permanent Resident!
Shut It Down
Drake feat.The Dream
One of my favorite songs on Drake’s ‘Thank me Later’ album.
Play
“The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty, and truth.”
— Albert Einstein
Stamp, stamp away.
Also: here’s hoping I get the card I’ve been waiting FOREVER for in the mail tomorrow; and if not, I’ll still be going to LAX this Monday (whoop whoop) with a red-eye to Minneapolis come Tuesday.
Winnipeg, I can’t wait to be back.
“Fight for the things you love. Love the things worth fighting for.”
— Unknown
The thing is that love…. love is what is still there after everything, that big, overwhelming love, that’s like the glare of snow on a sunny day, when your riding through that snow and all you see is whiteness, blinding you, obliterating everything, and you still go through it, go into that blinding glare, even though you dont know where your feet will end up or if you’ll fall off the road and into the river or run into a mountain. You still go.
Love does that to you.
It obliterates you.
— Carrie Jones: “Love, and Other Uses for Duct Tape”
