and now the rest of our life begins.

I would have been happy to get married at our local Town Hall, but Capt wanted to have more of a celebation.

And that's how it all started.

I'm not one to like a lot of attention directed towards me. In fact, I try to be aware of my shyness everyday and push myself out of my comfort zone to overcome it.

I'm glad I made a choice to trust Capt....and I will for the rest of my life.

My father-in-law was our wedding planner. First we picked out a beautiful dress. Here I am wearing it during our reception.

That's our diningroom, which is tiny, except a miracle happened on our wedding day and it got bigger.

I was such a diva about wearing the dress for the ceremony, which took place in our front yard...one of my favorite places.

One of my neighbors, an elderly woman who had recently attended her grandaughter's wedding, overheard me tell another neighbor that I just wasn't sure if I wanted to get married in the beautiful periwinkle dress. I wanted to look like a bride by wearing something in the white-ish family. Well, she practically accosted me and threw me into her bathroom and ordered me to try on the dress she had just worn to her grandaughter's wedding. It was white and fit okay, but needed to be altered and cleaned. She insisted that I take it and a pair of shoes too. Although I returned the shoes to her later that week.

My wonderful female co-workers (Dawn, I work part-time in the Town Hall) asked me to bring in both dresses to see which one looked the best. After I gave them a fashion show from the ladies room, they all unaminously said "definately both".

So I dropped off the dress at the seamstress and a week later to the cleaners.

And I decided to be a diva for my wedding and change dresses mid-way through.

And true to myself, at the last possible moment before it would have been too late to pick up the dress, my step-daughter reminded me that I should pick it up. God bless that child.

Pookie, as I refer to her here, was such an amazing help. She assisted me in all aspects of the wedding. And she's only 11! I almost forgot to pick up the flowers for our hair and centerpieces if it wasn't for her reminding me and keeping on top of all the plans.

Here's the dress:

My daughters Jen and Pookie went with me at 6am to get our hair done. Of course I forgot the flowers so Jen's fiance drove them to us. Here we are sitting on the backyard deck with my son Tom.

Although, I'm not sure if that is Jen or Pookie, it is hard to tell them apart these days.

My husband's Aunt and Uncle flew in from Miami , ate something then set up the rented tables, linens, china, silverware and centerpieces in our livingroom, along my FIL. The next morning, all three of them were here bright and early to finish and get ready for the food. They also graciously took about 100 photos of the wedding with their cameras.

The people delivering the cake/cupcake wedding cake got lost a few times, but made it in time. It wasn't exactly what I ordered, but it looked great. I wanted 72 small cupcakes, the baker decided to make 72 gigantic cupcakes.

The ceremony was quick and simple, just like we wanted, officiated by my husband's commanding officer.

My FIL wrote us a poem, he read it before our vows:

‘Give all to love; obey thy heart'

Advice be given; but never taken without thought

for how can we suggest to you a new way of life as husband and wife;

having created a bond that’s not new for both of you

but so better yet,

as time has ripened each in ways we cannot understand,

so you have found each other and now do ready yourselves and us

to see this union consecrated here midst family and friends

in a flower garden that will come to symbolize the love you now have for each other;

new blossoms and old; all reaching high for the sun today

as your new life shines a ray that overtakes us all with joy,

so in the simple words of a poet famous for his rhyme,

hark his sage advice:

‘Give all to love; obey thy heart’

and look forward to a future aware that our love for you is always there!

Then my friend Jerry read some scripture about Jesus turning the water into wine...saving the best for last. It was so perfect.

My husband surprised me by writing his own vows. I got all choked up.

Then we all went inside for the food.

As we were eating, Pookie and her best friend surpised everyone (except me, I knew about it) by singing our wedding song.

Capt and I danced our first dance to it.

We had sno-cones for the kids. They ate them and had snow ball fights with them.

We also rented a bouncy castle to keep them busy.

Everyone had a great time.

I wouldn't change a thing.

I married the man of my dreams and have the most loving, kind and fun to hang around step children.

And now, the rest of our life begins.

Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers.