relationship wednesday: 1 down, 50 + more to look forward to

this past weekend mr c and i celebrated one year of wedded bliss….

and saturday, in typical, romantic fashion…
mr c had me falling in love with him all over again.

at 5:30 in the evening, soft light streaming through our windows,
me in my dress and mr c in his suit…
my husband surprised me with a recreation of our ceremony.
and as we listened to a recording of our vows,
repeating them once again,
tears slipping slowly down our cheeks….
we had a new understanding and respect for the vows
we put so much time and thought into writing.

one year ago
we said those heartfelt, grandiose promises to one another
with hopes and prayers for the life we wanted to create
and the partners we wanted to be…

but largely unaware of what it would take to

truly make a marriage work.

because no matter how many marriages you have witnessed,

or how many relationship books you have read,

nothing can really prepare you for the profound intimacy

that comes with being married to your best friend.

nothing can truly prepare you for the

compromise and the work

the first day of tense silence and the make up that follows

the laughter, the tears

the adventures and the discoveries

all precious moments....
that are yours alone

it’s hard enough to truly “know” ourselves….

to truly know another is certainly a lofty goal and a lifelong endeavor..

this is what i have learned this first year...
to know another requires of you

a deliberate thoughtfulness and tenderness,

a forgiving heart and an ever open mind.

it requires that you don’t become complacent

you don’t side with pride and you don’t quit.

it requires relinquishing old parts of yourself

for a better truer whole

and an attitude that always believes the best of the other….

all this it requires

and more

because no matter what you think….

marriage is different.

and while some strive to cover this up
preferring instead to make it sound..... perfect
i think it’s ok to say….

that in it’s imperfections....lie it’s magnificent beauty
and unfathomable grace.

mr c thank you for this most wondrous journey
for the opportunity to grow
for a life of laughter
and for the honor of
getting to know you...

 ~ mrs m

 

and thanks to the amazing jacin over at

lovely little details

for the beautiful post about our wedding!!!

thursdays child: walking on sunshine

sunny skies found over at my new obsession

kind over matter

All of My Days from Kate Swoboda on Vimeo.

so much love, so many beautiful things....

x's & o's

~ mrs m

revolution tuesday: snap crackle pop

 

look at what you would like to achieve and ask yourself,

“what is the smallest step in the direction of my dreams that i can take right now?”

then take that baby step.

now.

-- mary jaksch

x's and o's ~ m

happy vernal equinox day....or spring

today we welcome spring back into our lives

like a long lost friend.

in our little corner of the world

she has made her appearance cloaked in

grey sky's and drizzle

with a chance of snow later this week...

but even though sunny skies and gentle breezes
are still a ways off,
i am thrilled at her rebirth 

and the pure potential of her next few months.

just a couple things that made me happy this morning...

"why i wake early"

hello, sun in my face.

hello, you who made the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever-darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light –

good morning, good morning, good morning.

watch, now, how i start the day

in happiness, in kindness."

~ mary oliver

create happiness ~ mrs m

thursdays child: beannachtam na feile padraig...

raise a glass
and may the luck of the irish be with you all day

blarney kisses~

mrs m

*warning* politics + religion = not your typical happy go lucky tuesday post.

sometimes the verbal insanity spewing from seemingly “intelligent” people
really leaves me flabbergasted…

admittedly

we as humans have committed unimaginable atrocities
against our planet, and one another

and it seems inevitable that at some point
we will have to pay for our
mistreatment of both the resources
and the peoples we have wronged

but to blame it on your very own bearded white dude in the sky
who is evidently

so malicious

so wrathful

and so callous
that he gleefully sweeps thousands of innocents into his

ultimate plan of revenge against the “sinners” of the world

makes me

1. throw up in my mouth just a little

2. wonder gee, how on earth could sensible "organized religions" such as this have difficulties attracting new, young, educated followers?

well glenn beck as if you weren’t there already, your comments regarding the quake put you solidly in the same league as say people like pat robertson, who claimed in the wake of the devastating earthquake in haiti last year that haiti "swore a pact to the devil" and has "been cursed" ever since.

or with other religious conservatives who claimed katrina was god's punishment for america's alleged sins.

or even worse, alongside those who have radically departed from all sense of reality, i.e. rev. jerry falwell who suggested that gays, lesbians, feminists, and others bore responsibility for the 9-11 terrorist attacks and said, “ i really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the aclu, people for the american way, all of them who have tried to secularize america. i point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.”

well i have one thing to say to you mr beck…
if there really is such a god as yours, high in the sky,
waiting to dole our misery on those who foster hate and fear….

m

whatever makes me happy monday: fresh new life

who doesn’t love a juicy beginning?

the creaking spine of a cellophane covered library book as you open to…page 1…

the breath in your throat as you turn the handle on the first day of a new job...

the feel of fresh fabric on your skin as you slide into a outfit you adore…

the tingle in your belly as you wait to be picked up on a second date full of promise…

the first daffodil as he pokes his head up through the crusty wintry earth…

the sight out a tiny window as you lift high into the air,
leaving one destination behind in search of another…

the smell of butter and gooey bread the second before it touches your lips…

the site of your life from different angles...

Extraordinary Paths Series - Albert Pereta from Share the Path on Vimeo.

every dawn is a new beginning

so put your foot on the peddles and ride your life…

muah ~ mrs m
ps bowery lane bike intro from not your average ordinary

far flung friday: jet set



located only 25 miles  from the state capital of florianópolis in brazil, the district of governador celso ramos is a region immersed in history and tradition. a small fishing village whose inhabitants are descendents of the first immigrants from the azores; the area represents a slice of the old-fashioned brazil of colonial times, where the most important elements of life are traditional activities such as fishing, embroidery and oyster and mussel farming.

  

ponta dos ganchos resort is located on a privately-owned peninsula, surrounded by the exuberant emerald coast. known as one of the most exclusive beach resorts in brazil, the property enjoys direct flights from são paulo, rio de janeiro or buenos aires. there the waters of the emerald coast meet the lush rainforest vegetation in a dazzling display of colour and light. 25-sophisticated and charming bungalows lay in perfect harmony with the breathtaking scenery and there is even a tiny private island that each evening seats one lucky couple for a solo romantic dinner

i don't know about you

but my bags are packed

happy weekend ya'll

~m

thursdays child: ride on

sniff

seriously,

if this doesn't make you want to....

jump on a bike,

jump out of a plane,

jump into your lovers arms

jump more fully into life...

what would?

deep at heart
we really are all the same...

dream on peeps

~mrs m 

relationship wednesday: the good, the bad, and the uuuuugly

5:30 this morning i woke with rage in me.

do tell…

how is it possible to wake in a bad mood

before ones toes have graced the chilly hardwood floors?

before one’s eyes have fluttered open…

even before the smell of coffee

and the barrage of the days to do’s have started filing into the brain

like militant little soldiers?

but there it was, solidly perched at the foot of the bed….

crankiness.

and it followed me, in the predawn darkness,

all the way to the gym as i sat on my bike,

arms crossed to the world,

water bottle forgotten,

tank top on backwards,

scowl on my face....

then i caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thought….

lady, you’ve got one hour to pull your shit together.

sooo, i started imagining riding down a long stretch of road in a forest of green.

and the road coming at me was rage red, angry and full of pot holes…

but i let it come….

all my crankiness and my grumps,

my complaints and my bitches

they all came baring down upon me,

fast and furious

but the second they hit the front wheel,

i rolled right over them

and let them go.

and poof…..

they disappeared.

and in that moment the road turned from red

to a luminous shade of silver

streaming out behind me like a riverlet of forgivness.

sound crazy?

perhaps it was…

but in a flash, i left crankiness in a ditch

and was on the road

...to a much brighter day

smiles ~ m

whatever makes me happy monday: it's all about...the dress

this weekend a dear friend came to visit

and we got to do one of the most memorable dear friend activities of all times….

shop for a wedding dress! 

after being such an integral part of my wedding,

nothing could make me happier than being part of her bliss. 

so it is with great joy that i look forward to their summer wedding

and seeing her in whatever amazing dress she chooses….

on this monday…i am happy for

friends

weddings

soul mates

vows

slow dances

cakes

candle light

first mr and mrs kisses

happy endings

and of course

the dress

to k and a....a thousand blessings!

xoxo ~ m

far flung fri: it's 5 o'clock somewhere

in the blink of an eye....

....a week has flown bye.....

this time last friday we had our dear friends a and k in from nyc

and spent a quick 24 showing them some good ole pa luv.

from ginos cheese steaks to the barnes exhibit (and yes, it was every bit as amazing as anticipated),

tango dinner with friends to the reading terminal market,

the liberty bell to fou in china town

and a nova game topper....

we had a blast.

but come last sunday

mr c and me were happy to hop on a plane and head south for
some much needed vitamin d and warm, ocean breezes

useppa island
a little private paradise



and ft myers with the in-laws.

now off to pick up karina for some wedding planning and girl time...

more to come!

happy weekend

~ m