Mathias

Hmm, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything here. Time for a meme! Here’s this week’s Ten on Tuesday (I normally post this one on Adalea’s blog but this week’s theme fits here).

Also, feel free to take a look around while you’re here. And don’t forget the other My Fickle Mind Blogs.

For this week, I’ve edited their theme a bit ’cause I don’t know nothing about history.

So, for your reading pleasure, I give you:

10 Favorite Moments in My Country’s Personal History

1. 1978: I was born! I was the third and last child (and the second girl) in my family. I was born in Quincy, California at 1:53am on September 1st (mark your calenders, only a little more then two months left til my 30th birthday!).
2. 1995: I met my soul-mate. On February 19th, I discovered love at first sight and on February 20th, we started dating.
3. 1996: I graduated high school in Arizona. I was an adult. Now I could move into a rented house with my boyfriend and his friend and my brother. Now I controlled my own life - the good and bad of it. I will always remember my time at that house fondly. Living with roommates helped make me who I am now.
4. 1999: I married my soul-mate. Happiest day of my life - July 4th (the same day hubby’s grandparents married over 50 years ago - took it as a good omen).
5. 1998, 2002, 2005 & 2007: Years my five nephews were born (two of them in 2002 - one to my sister, one to my brother). All my nephews are wonderful, sweet boys and I love them very much.
6. 1998 & 2000: The weddings of my brother and sister (respectively). I’m very happy that they’ve both married people they love with everything they have. And I was honored to be a part of both of their weddings.
7. 2000: We moved to Portland, Oregon from the tiny ass town of Cottonwood, Arizona in search of better opportunities. Discovered I’m a city girl at heart.
8. 2001: Started Adalea’s Designs. Moving to Oregon allowed hubby to find work as a web developer instead of a waiter (as he had been for over seven years in Arizona) and allowed me to turn my hobby of making beaded jewelry into a real business. It’s still growing but it makes me happy being able to do something I love.
   
9. 2006: Bought a New VW Beetle - my dream car. I’ve wanted one since I was kid, even before the new one’s existed.
10. 2008: We became homeowners! Due to odd circumstances, hubby and I were able to buy the “condo” we had been living in for almost two years. We hadn’t planned on buying a house for a few years yet, but we’re glad we were able to buy this one. It’s only been a little over a month since we signed the final paperwork and I swear it hasn’t completely sunk in that we actually own the place!

Hubby reminded me of The Cup this evening. The memory is kind of fuzzy on the details, but I think it’s funny. It just goes to show the weirdness that is my life.

Years and years ago, (I’m going to guess late 1990’s), hubby and I were visiting my sister and her hubby (boyfriend at the time) at their house in Arizona. My hubby had a soda from Taco Bell in one of those plastic cups with NASCAR racers on it. Sis and her hubby did not like the people on the cup (either they didn’t like the racers or one of them reminded them of someone they didn’t like - I can’t remember). When we left, sis made sure to tell us to take the cup with us. So, my hubby thought it would be funny to leave the empty cup in the back of their truck. I assumed they’d just throw it away, I was wrong.

Over the next several months, The Cup (empty and still with the straw and lid) went back and forth our two houses in some very creative ways in a game of Pass The Cup:

• Sis and her hubby gave it to my hubby for his birthday - wrapped and everything
• We had a friend who lived in Flagstaff mail it to them unmarked
• Sis hid it in my laundry basket when I was over at her house using her machines

I can’t remember if there was any other ways it went back an forth between us…maybe sis remembers.

It ended up coming with us to Oregon and I think we had the intention of sending it back to them, it just never happened. The Cup is long gone now but I’m thinking there may eventually be a Bride of The Cup. Of course that would be followed by Son of The Cup.

I found out recently that deep in my family tree there was a serial killer who ran and changed his name to avoid being caught. Should I be worried that I’m not surprised?

On July 4th, 1999, I married my soul mate, Jamie.

We met on February 19th, 1995 after being introduced by mutual friend.

We started dating on the 20th. It was love at first sight for us both. I was 16, Jamie was 18.

Jamie started living with my family and me just three months after we started dating. When I graduated high school in 1996, we moved into a house together with a close friend and my brother and eventually, my brother’s girlfriend (who he later married).

I don’t remember the exact date we got engaged, but it was around our second anniversary. Jamie gave me a gorgeous engagement ring with multiple blue sapphires (my birthstone). No one was surprised at our engagement.

We were engaged for a couple years before we started planning our wedding.

We chose to marry on July 4th because it was Jamie’s grandparents wedding anniversary - they would be celebrating 55 years together the day we got married - I thought it would be a good omen.

Most of the day, the details at least, are still a blur in my mind. But I remember some things.

My mother rushed Jamie out of the house the day of our wedding because he wasn’t supposed to see me. In his rush, he forgot to grab his dress shoes. He only had his sandals, but that was fine with me because that’s what I wanted him to wear.

My hair was put in curlers about a full day before the wedding - my hair is almost impossible to curl, but that’s the look I wanted. I wore the only handkerchief I owned - it was bright orange with green dots - over my curlers.

For the first time since my Jr. Prom, I wore make up - on the insistence of my mother.

My bridesmaids met at our house and we went over in groups to the location - in a limo rented by my mother in law as a wedding gift.

Two of my bridesmaids, GF & VF, who are twin sisters, arrived earlier then the rest of the girls. They sat with me and just their presence kept me calm. I remember watching Goonies with them.

I sat in the limo before the ceremony waiting for it to start. My mom didn’t want Jamie to see me until the ceremony. Several family and friends came and visited me in the limo which kept me distracted and calm.

My sister, MS, was supposed to do one of readings during the ceremony but forgot it at home. She had to rush over there and get it.

I think the ceremony started about 20 minutes late but the limo drive assured me no wedding started on time. The same limo driver gave Jamie and me a dollar bill after he dropped us off at home. He ripped it in half and gave us each one half saying that as long as we each had it, we’d stay together.

We had a simple Baha’i ceremony at a local park - Riverfront Park - in Cottonwood, AZ because I wanted an outside ceremony.

There was no officiant because none was needed.

I wore a dress made by my mother and a wreath of flowers in my hair - no veil. Jamie wore a tuxedo with tails - and his sandals.

We had a large wedding party: 14 bridesmaids and 11 groomsmen. I wanted all our friends and family to be a part. With more girls then guys, some groomsmen walked with two bridesmaids. There was no suits or gowns, cause it would of been to complicated to coordinate. They just wore something nice but casual.

I had no Maid of Honor cause I couldn’t chose. Then, the night of the wedding rehearsal, my sister, MS, took over because I was having a nervous breakdown. Not all of the wedding party showed up and no one was listening. MS made sure it all turned out all right. While my sis-in-law, AM, sat on my lap and sung “you are my sunshine” to me to calm me down.

MS also arranged for a rehearsal dinner at Denny’s. She took so much stress off of me that I made her Maid of Honor.

We had a few readings by friends and family:

An Apache Blessing:

Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness for you,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good, and long upon the earth.

On Marriage By, Kahlil Gibran:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

We wrote our own vows, which we read with tears in our eyes:

Mine to Jamie:

Jamie, you’ve been my best friend, my teacher, my protector and today you become my husband. Through the fours years we’ve been together, you have always supported my dreams and encouraged me to try new things. You’ve always been able to bring a smile to my face. You’ve always made me feel important. You’ve always made me feel beautiful. You are the only person I’ve ever been able to see myself spending the rest of my life with. I promise to be your best friend and your loving wife. I will stand by your side through thick and through thin. I will wipe away your tears when you’re sad. I will hold your hand when you’re frightened. I will laugh with you when you’re happy. But most of all, I will love you unconditionally and completely. Till death do we part.

Jamie’s to me:

I stand here today in front of the most wonderful woman I have ever known. I stand here and wonder what I ever did to deserve you. God must have taken pity on me and sent me an angel. A woman with such a capacity of love and strength and beauty.

Sarah, the first time I met you I saw something in your eyes, something soft and familiar. And the first time that we kissed you ignited an unquenchable fire in my heart, that to this day has never faltered. And it was with three words “I Love You” that you filled the hole that I’ve had in my heart and soul and filled me up with a love that I have never known before.

We exchanged a simple Baha’i vow and identical black hills gold rings.

We shared a kiss after our entire wedding party instructed Jamie that “you may now kiss the bride”.

We served giant Subway Sandwiches and a Safeway bought wedding cake.

I worked at a hotel at the time and Jamie’s family who had come out of town were staying there. My co-worker told me that when she asked one of Jamie’s uncles how the wedding was he said, “they had these huge Subway sandwiches!”.

I’m very happy with my hubby of almost nine years. I’m a lucky woman.

As of this week, I’ll be posting Friday’s Feasts only on Adalea’s blog. Just wanted to leave a note here in case anyone was wondering. This week’s post is here.

This week’s Friday’s Feast is only posted on Adalea’s blog because this week, the questions don’t work with a variety of answers. Go here: Friday’s Feast #174 to read it.

A few days ago, I posted this week’s Friday’s Feast where one of the questions was “If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?”. My answer was my old friend Val or her sister Genny. So, guess who left me a voice mail today? Val.

She’s getting ready for a pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel in a couple weeks and in the midst of moving, she found photos from my wedding and decided to call! I love how life works sometimes…

We’re going to talk more tomorrow cause when I called back, she was driving and her phone kept cutting off. It’ll be nice to catch up with her, it’s been too long.

Here’s this week’s Friday’s Feast (yes, I know it’s actually Saturday, but 1) I’m in nocturnal mode right now and 2) the page wouldn’t load until now.):

Appetizer
Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.
Get my photos sorted & pictures up on the walls.

Soup
With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?
Wow, it’s been so long since I watched any cartoons that weren’t the Simpson’s, Family Guy or Futurama. I really don’t want to relate with any of those characters.

Salad
What time of day (or night) were you born?
1:53am

Main Course
Tell us something special about your hometown.
Hmm, depends on what you mean by hometown. If you mean where I was born - I don’t remember much of Quincy, CA ’cause we moved when I was like 2 (I think). If you mean the town I went to school in - that was actually two places: Sonoma, CA & Cottonwood, AZ and I never really felt at home in either place. I really feel like Oregon, where I live now is my home. So, something special about Oregon: It’s the only place I’ve ever seen people in Klingon costumes without a comic or sci fi convention going on.

Dessert
If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?
My friend Val or her sister Genny, both whom I knew from high school in Cottonwood, AZ. I haven’t heard from them in years and would love to know what’s going on in their lives.

Other Feasts
Adalea
Fag Hag
Fantasia D. Vine
Queen Beader
Queen of Darkness

Here’s this week’s Friday’s Feast:

Appetizer
What was the last game you purchased?
Lego Star Wars and a Spyro game (bought at the same time) for my Nintendo DS

Soup
Name something in which you don’t believe.
That life is just a series of unrelated situations

Salad
If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?
Viggo Mortensen - I love how eccentric he is.

Main Course
What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?
That sometimes, the things I remember aren’t how they really happened.

Dessert
Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.
Somewhere I can cuddle with my hubby with no distractions.

Other Feasts
Adalea
Fag Hag
Fantasia D. Vine
Queen Beader
Queen of Darkness

When I was little, I’d crawl under the kitchen table during dinner. I’d pretend no one knew I was there and reach my hand up and try to grab things off the table. I did this a lot, I think I was craving attention. The family humored me, laughing and playing along by moving stuff out of the way. Mom started calling me Mabel who lived under the table. Eventually, she wrote a poem about it and my brother drew a picture to go with it. The whole thing was framed and hung up on our wall for awhile. Years and years later, my mother typed up the poem and gave it to me.

Mabel’s Story (For Sarah)

There was this kid who lived under the table
I think maybe her name was Mabel.
She reached up in the air
And grabbed some stuff that weren’t there.

You could see her hand, reachin’ and snatchin’
Then, her head, she’d be scratchin’
We’d move things ’round and away
To see what kind of game she’d play

How we’d laugh to see this delight
Of the scrawny hand grapplin’ each night.
O’ poor little kid who lived under the table,
I’m sure they said her name was Mabel!