Arrivals and Departures

4:54 PM (Pacific) 9/26/2011. I had just typed out about 90% of the first Friday. Except the guy in front of me just reclined his seat (we're about a 1/2 hour away from San Diego), catching my little laptop funny and knocking out the battery, shutting it off and causing me to lose about a thousand words or so. I suppose today is just that kind of day. I had to leave my darling about a thousand miles away.

But it's the best time of my life anyway. I'm a married woman now. :)

Friday morning, September 16th, I woke about 3:45, very excited. I was very packed the night before, so getting out the door wasn't too hard. I had planned on walking to the airport, but I didn't quite leave when I wanted. And there was a taxi waiting across from the main gate... $5 to the airport?! I got right in.

I had the first flight out, and arrived before security opened. For breakfast I got McDonald's oatmeal, yogurt parfait & a sausage biscuit. They let it through security, when it finally opened. :) Fast forward through an uneventful flight to the Denver airport. Mom, Dad, Meg & Jason had my same flight to OKC! Since it was only a 1/2 hour layover, I quickly crossed the terminal to the right gate, scanning for my family. But their flight had arrived even a few minutes after mine, and I soon saw Meg and Jason running ahead of Mom and Dad. I was able to swap my aisle seat on an exit row for the seat between Mom and Dad's... who wouldn't take that deal? So I sat between Mom on my right and Meg across. Meg and I played a game of Phase 10 (and I lost), and I was altogether light-spirited. More so than I've been in a long time. Because I didn't pay attention to the safety talk, and because I was laughing with Meg, the flight attendant spoke to me as if I was 14 or so. But nothing could dampen my happiness.

Mike was on the freeway when we pulled into the gate... perfect timing. By the time the fam got their checked bag, he had parked and arrived in baggage claim. Because of the great thing we were doing, and the fact that it was different to have my family there too, I felt a little nervous when everyone met. But that was soon brushed away; everyone was friendly and very happy.

Mike and I took off to get the marriage certificate at the Cleveland County, OKC, courthouse. It was something of a generic office building, and after the security screen (wait, hadn't I just done that this morning?) we headed down a few stairs to a clerk's window and waiting area. We showed our driver's licences, raised our right hands and swore the information was correct and that we were not already married... that and $50... and we signed the certificate there. Apparently, witnesses had recently been signing in the wrong place, causing line-outs on official documents.

We had to stop to get out some cash, and we stopped by the chapel. He wanted to show it to me... and gosh! it was so beautiful! The small chamber was full of afternoon light from the five tall stained windows. A half-dozen row of chairs, six to a row, and a baby grand piano in the back filled up most of the room. A bright green kneeling cushion sat before a pedestal, which had two candles, a small polished brass cross and a giant Bible, opened to Psalm 139... which we were scheduled to read that night. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Next, it was to 416 Park Dr... my new home. I admired the new couch, and all the improvements Mike had worked so hard to get done in time. My family soon arrived, and they were introduced to Charlie and Patty, and we visited for a minute. We decided to all go look at the chapel, and after that we sat for a long while in the big sanctuary alongside. They have a massive 1920s pipe organ that fills up the entire wall in the front. There were many more stained windows that let in some delicious light as we sat, relaxed, and talked.

After deciding we'd like to leave before they threw us out, we drove a couple blocks to "Othello's" on Campus Corner. A locally owned Italian restaurant was perfect for the occasion... and it was a tradition stemming from my two earlier visits to Norman. Mike and I again had the meat lasagna. :)

We all returned to Mike's house, after the two of us went to pick up Mike's shirt and tie, for an episode of Remember WENN before saying goodnight; on a wedding theme, you guessed it, we watched "The First Mrs. Bloom". I stayed the night with my family at the Days Inn, for another tradition... we've stayed there each time! :) I had a roll-away bed and slept rather soundly. I woke up facing the full-length mirror, so that was a little surprising.