Reflections from the Wedding

Hello!  So it's been two months since the wedding and the time for ordering pictures is around the corner.  I'm so excited to be able to put some pictures up on our walls!  

Words from Amy

The wedding was just so beautiful and Duncan and I felt incredibly blessed, from start to finish.  I don't think that we really anticipated how much we would feel overwhelmed by love and emotions that weekend and part of me wishes I could relive the weekend all over again!  Some of my absolute favorite memories:

• Duncan and I praying together for the first time as husband and wife on the altar just after communion.  We were praying for our marriage before us and for all of our loved ones.  
• The time spent with our lovely wedding party after the ceremony and before we joined the reception.  It was so wonderful to be able to spend those few moments with our families and good friends, get some laughs in, and to get a little food in our belly before we joined the rest of our amazing guests.
• Greeting guests, dancing with them, and spending some time with people who were there to support us and give us their wisdom.
• The after-party where we got to spend even more time with some of our guests and our loved ones.

Though the whole day was amazing, it was just a bit of a whirlwind!  I regret that we didn't get to even say hi to some of our guests and that the reception went by so quickly.  But believe me when we say we felt the magnitude of the love from our guests that day and it was the perfect way for us to celebrate our new marriage.

Words from Duncan

D-day has now come and gone… what a day! It seems like a blur to now look back on it. Surrounded by friends and family it truly was a wonderful day and a start to something special, though it did not feel real until I saw Amy in her dress at the beginning of the ceremony.

All of the hard work and preparations that went into the wedding really did show as the ceremony, reception, and after party couldn’t have been better. Our family and wedding party were great and offered such great support the entire weekend and we are both truly thankful.

So thank you all to those who were able to make it and all that sent cards and gifts!

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to both Linda Wetsel and Lilly Smith! =) 

Duncan and I also started day one of a 33-day retreat.  We were blessed to discover that the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is on June 16 this year!  What a wonderful way to enter our marriage!  So we purchased a copy of "33 Days to Morning Glory" by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, which came recommended by the Regnum Christi group (a lay persons fellowship for Catholics for which I have been a member of since high school) in Atlanta, to help guide us during this "retreat" in preparation for the Marian Consecration on June 16.

You may be wondering why we are doing this, so I will try to briefly explain it.

Ever since coming to the faith in 2007, I have felt a strong connection to Mary.  My confirmation saint is St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes, in which she received several visions of Mary.  My birthday is also on a Marian feast day: Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Duncan's confirmation saint, Padre Pio, was a big advocate for Mary.  Also, the anniversary of our first date, November 21, is the feast of the Presentation of Mary. 

As a woman, I feel as though Mary is a beautiful example for all women for her love, her compassion, her humility, and her faith and trust in Him -- all qualities that I pray for strive to have, especially as I become a wife and eventually a mother.  Duncan and I decided together that we would rather not do a unity candle at the Mass, but that we would do what is called "Flowers to Mary," where we simply honor Our Mother with a flower.  We decided to do this before we even knew about the feast day. 

Upon hearing that the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is on our wedding date, I just was so elated!  It's been somewhat difficult for Duncan and I to prepare for our marriage between my studies, his work hours, and some unfortunate experiences with the "required" marriage preparation through our parish, so I personally just thought this would be a perfect way to fine tune our focus in the month leading up to our wedding.

And what a coincidence that the first day of the retreat was on Mother's day!  With day one behind us, I think we both have more positive thoughts about "33 Days to Morning Glory" -- I was a little worried about the book being able to "connect" with us, but day one's reading/meditation was something that I think was written just for Duncan -- there was even a Braveheart reference, a favorite movie of his.

So, with all that being said, we also wish a happy Mother's day to Mary -- and just all the mother's in the world.