Our Seventeenth Wedding Anniversary!

The gown is all sequins and lace and pearls... and none of that showed up in any photo...

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Today is my 17th Wedding Anniversary!!!

Officially named... "The Sweetest Day" on the calendar...

17 years ago today, I was pacing nervously in my Mama's living room, waiting for my favorite Aunt Maddalena to finish tucking in the stray threads that were sticking out UNDER my gown, because she couldn't have me walking down the aisle knowing I had strays threads...

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I was having my nails, hair and makeup done... by ME... because I trusted no one else to do it...

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I was getting sweet, cryptic phone calls from Bill, whispering sweet nothings into the phone...

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I was unhappy with my flowers when they were delivered... but caught myself from throwing a tantrum and repeated over and over again... "It's about the marriage... not the wedding..."

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I remember waiting in the lovely basement of our huge Gothic Wedding church in Riverside,

being doted on by my 9 bridemaids, and waiting for the words... "We're ready for you" from my wedding planner.

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I remember getting confused as to which side I was supposed to walk down the aisle on... and crying to my Papa about how handsome he looked...

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I remember seeing Bill up there... and decked out in his tux, smiling at me... waiting patiently as I just stared at the gorgeous church and took a moment to savor the day... in two minutes I was no longer going to be a single woman... and that scared me...

My bouquet began to shake... then rattle... until finally the church planner had to take them from me and calm my hands...my Papa made a joke that we could just high tail it out of there...

He was sooo joking... trying to lighten me up... He loved Bill, and couldn't wait to hand me off to him forever... LOL!

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I remember crying during my vows...

Kissing Bill too long...

and being announced Mr. and Mrs...

I remember needing to have a little chat with Bill about that...

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I remember our huge, fantastic, totally Italian reception... without all the overdone stuff... just simple and elegant at the Hilton Ontario ballroom.

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I remember our first dance... our meal... and how hard it was to keep all the divorced parents away from each other...

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I remember it being all over... and not wanting to ever take my gorgeous wedding gown off...

I looked at it today with my boys...

I couldn't believe how small my waist was... and I thought I was fat... then... HA!!!!

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I remember the TRUCKLOADS and truckloads of wedding gifts and envelopes that awaited us at my Mama's house the next morning... and all the people that came to watch us open all of them.

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I remember being done with opening the gifts and being giddy about being able to go home to our new home, my first day of living with Bill, and packing for our fabulous week long stay in Sandals Jamaica that evening...

Bill hired a limo to come get us from "our" house and had champagne and flowers waiting on my seat...

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I remember christening the limo on the way to the airport!!! LOL!!!

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Seventeen years later... he is still my one and only husband.

Sometimes I still can't believe it.

It's all kind of a blur sometimes... with the kids and life getting in the way...

But I love Anniversaries so I can reminisce and relive the day... the beautiful October day...

that "I"... became "we".

Seventeen years, three gorgeous children, 2 houses, 6 cars, lots of ups, lots of downs, some arguements, some scream fests, lots of fun, some tedium, lots of work, lots of laughter, lots of love and forgiveness later... he is still my favorite man...

Happy Anniversary Bill...

I love you more today... than I did yesterday...

Thank you so much for the Manilow tickets...

and for everything else in my life...

You are the best...