A Beginning and an End...

September 29, 2007. The Harvest Moon was full and our expectations for a long lasting union were set. I did not marry my sweetheart in a traditional wedding. The ceremonies did give respect to a traditional service on some levels. However, we had a 3 day celebration that ran with the moon cycle. Our Wedding Rings were hung from a tree by a black silk cord and stayed hanging for the full moon cycle and were removed at its peak. We then used the cord in a hand-fasting ceremony on the beach. We gave back to the sea the gift of Amethyst for allowing our nuptials to take place on her "porch" and we celebrated with Chocolate Cake, Italian Spumante and an Italian Feast.

It was a memorable 3 days. We allowed our closest friends and family to see our vows exchanged, our service was open only to about 25 people. We are pretty private about our religious views, we don't want the ignorance of others to create a wall between us,  it sometimes incites arguments among those who don't understand or who are so zealot in their own beliefs that they have no tolerance for others! I have had people call it Voodoo, Hocus Pocus, and Devil Worship. I laugh at them, We are in fact Wiccan. We were both raised in Christian homes, and as the recent survey shows we probably have more knowledge of religion then most "Christians". Our beliefs do not allow or permit us to judge others, or their belief systems. We also choose not to offend other religions by impressing our beliefs onto them. Because of this, we did not explain the Hand Binding prior to the wedding and allowed our Priestess to explain the significance to our guests as the tradition was happening,  my sister Terry being the most significant to David and I coming together bound our hands for us! With all this openness and the Practical Magic Blog party having just taken place, I'm feeling "ok" about sharing  my religious views rather then keeping them private! I however can not write about my wedding ceremony with out mentioning them in brief because of the hand-fasting ceremony, which was the most important element of the service in my opinion. Being bound to someone is a pretty big deal, I feel as though we have been bound to each other since childhood! Its odd how several boyfriends and One Husband have all had physical features very similarly to David. Its even more Odd when people point it out to you! So as we enter our 3rd year married, I have to say  quite honestly that our journey this far has been happy, with the exception of the normal arguments over kids, money, and sports ~Go Blue! Thats all the normal stuff! I have to say that I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else or with anyone else! We spent the 1st full year of our marriage building a business and suffered the loss of both my Grandmother and my Aunt to cancer. David is my support and I am so grateful for him!

We expected those losses and as hard as they are and were to deal with, loosing a peer was even more tragic. As we celebrated our 1st anniversary my beautiful friend Heidi suffered the devastating loss of her soul mate and best friend, Michael SPUD Black (09/29/08). As we mark each year married she marks each years loss. She hasn't lost her spirit or Micheal's either! Heidi has become a teacher of sort, living through this has put her in the position of a mentor, although Im sure she is much to modest to make that claim!I'll make it for her! What I love most and have learned the most from my beautiful Heidi Anne is that: You must not ever take each other for granted. Say what you mean and mean what you say to each other, life may not give you a second chance! She has taught me that Family means the most while they are here, and quite Frankly we decide who our family is not the DNA you share! You should live everyday as though its your last. and by no means ever pass up an opportunity to laugh! She has come a long way since loosing Mike. She may  never feel whole but she does move forward. She is still the best Mother to his children, the best sister to his sister, and the best friend to his best friends that she can be. As David and I celebrate our love Heidi, We toast to yours as well!
May Everyone Love and Be Loved!
That is our toast! Raise your glass!
Salute!


~ Love Muffin