Happy Anniversary, My Sunshine!

4 years ago today Manuel and I got married. What an absolutely fantastic day that was. Here are some random thoughts on that day...

* We were so lucky - nothing except the caterers putting the punch out too late went wrong.
* Manuel looked very handsome in his tuxedo.
* I was surprised with a bouquet of red roses from my soon-to-be-husband, delivered to my hotel room as I was putting on my earrings.
* I stepped on my wedding dress as I was walking up the few stairs leading to the aisle. I was stuck and couldn't go anywhere until I let go of either my mom or my dad (I can't remember which, as they both walked me down the aisle) to lift my dress out from under my shoes.
* When we kissed, the harpist played a magical music sound.
* Everyone laughed at the part in the vows where Manuel promised to be my partner in mischief. In fact, they laughed so loudly that he didn't hear the rest of the vow and mumbled a response instead.
* When I took pictures with my family before the wedding, Manuel's grandparents walked in and I freaked out because I thought he was going to come inside and see me.
* My last breakfast as a single woman was a bowl of Frosted Flakes.
* We got a $100 bill from someone during the money dance!
* My step-dad was so drunk that when he made his toast, he told us that "it doesn't get any better than this," when really he meant to say, "it only gets better." When we danced our father/daughter dance later, he said to me, "I think I messed up the toast. What I meant to say was that it doesn't get any better than this." He said the same thing again!
* When Cassie, my sister-in-law, took the microphone from the DJ to make her toast, he shocked her and she said, "SHIT!" right into the microphone.
* The DJ put Manuel on the spot and told him to do a sexy walk over to me to take my garter off. The DJ told me that if I didn't like his sexy walk, I could clap my hands, sending him back to make him do it again. His sexy walk was fine, but even if it wasn't, I wouldn't have clapped because I know it would have pissed Manuel off and that's not the way to start a marriage.
* We went to the hotel bar after the reception was over, and a lady in the bar bought us a bottle of champagne and told us that she hoped our marriage worked out better than any of hers had.
* When we went up to the hotel room when the day was finally done, Manuel helped me take my hair down, and I was nearly in tears because the bobby pins were stuck in my hair so well that it hurt to take them out.

Such fond memories of the happiest day of my life. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. Not everyone is lucky enough to be married to their best friend.

In honor of our anniversary, here are the lyrics to our song, the first song we danced to as husband and wife.

Nothing Else Matters by Metallica

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No nothing else matters

Thank you, Manuel, for everything you do for me. I love you with every ounce of my being.