You may call me Mrs. Martinez!! =)

I am getting used to my new name, but I sign the old so naturally.

We went to Niagara Falls, Canada side for our honeymoon and had a great time! We hung out in our 10th story hotel room facing the Falls, watched movies, went for a helicopter ride, went to a museum, got coffee nearly every day (Tim Horton’s, I confess!), had dinner in the revolving Skylon Tower which was perched 775 ft. up and overlooked the Falls, etc. We had a great time! There are some differences to being married, but I also just feel blessed to hang out with my best friend all the time! =)

The wedding was beautiful and so much fun! As I suspected, there was WAY too much to do in the few hours we had!

Some memorable moments:
+ Shannon taking me to David’s Bridal for a blusher veil and to Brea’s Best for lunch. Her expertise and great taste was very helpful!!
+ Learning that Will made time to hang out with Josh, my brother-in-law, while Josh was feeling alone on his first visit to So. Cal! He’s so wonderful!
+ Traci helping scrambled me pack after the bridal shower for the wedding and the honeymoon. “First, let’s pray! ... Okay, let’s start with the wedding…”
+ Traci and Kerry providing married life and sex advice respectfully.
+ Sharon trying to zip up my dress the night before!
+ Trying to sleep the night before!
+ Asking Sharon to read Bible verses to me if/when she saw that I was freaking out. I handed them to her on a piece of paper and she stuffed her bra with it so she could get to it quickly! Hilarious!
+ Observing the bridesmaids get ready and hearing my cousin, who did my hair, ask me “How are you? You seem very calm…”
+ My starry eyed, 7-year old niece saying, “Wow!! What a bride!” and asking if she could use my wedding dress when she got married!
+ When we sang to my new niece, Chloe, for her fourth birthday (the same day as our wedding) in the country club locker room. She is still thanking me for this!
+ Jim, our pastor, coming to the locker room to calm me down and give me the run down beforehand.
+ Deb, Sharon, Traci and Olga helping me get into (and later, out of) my dress and jewelry. Also, Olga in the hotel room applying my makeup next to the window and stopping me along the way to freshen it up.
+ Seeing Will for the first time and the tears in his eyes as I walked toward him during the processional.
+ When my uncle was giving me away, he gripped Will’s hand in such a way to communicate “Take care of her, you hear!” He did this during the rehearsal too, although then he gripped three times as long (and harder!) and kept saying, “Get it!?!” So cute!
+ Hearing Jim, Will’s best friend, give a shout out to the single ladies during his toast – he’s afraid of being single his whole life! And hearing Kristin, one of my best friends, summarize our 11 year friendship as being each other’s “walking diaries” and the gasp of horror when everyone learned how we became friends! .
+ Dancing with Will to “We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters and praising the Lord for the precious moments with my new husband!!
+ Dancing to my father’s version of “Butterfly Kisses” with my uncle! My uncle telling me, “Look at him! He’s so proud of you!”
+ Taking pictures in the park with my new family and my friends! And Chloe rolling down the grassy hill in her white dress and the photographer saying, “The flower girl is having a melt down. She’ll need a few moments!”
+ Gracie grabbing me and bustling me up half way through the reception just when I needed it!
+ My uncle carrying my train and walking with me arm in arm toward the country club after pictures.
+ Riding to the country club in a limo and from in a town car. Going to I traveled with my mom and tried to hear her thoughts while trying to express my own succinctly. Going from the wedding with Will, trying to rest from the day’s busyness and asking myself, “Is it really done? We’re really married?!”
+ Will helping me pull out 124 bobby pins + 4 hair additions out of my hair. And realizing that it’s him and me now… =)
+ Will calling me his “wife” for the first time while explaining to the Niagara casino bouncer that I am really old enough to get inside (we were hungry and it was the only place open to eat).

I’m hearing stories now of how things “really” were at the wedding. Some are hilarious, others are troubling. =) 12 years after her wedding, my sister in law found out that her nephew stole a golf cart and launched it into the lake! I guess I’m not the only one to hear hilarious/horror stories after the fact. =)

So, now we’re concentrating on cleaning out his house – moving my mother-in-law out, me in and cleaning as we go! There are also a huge stack of wedding gifts in the center of his living room we have to get to! We’re making a lot of progress, but I’m also back at work now… Also, we found out over the weekend that our new place will be ready at the tail end of December. From one whirlwind to the next!!