mountain petals

my best friend is now a wife.

i don't think i can fully comprehend it yet.

this entire week has past in a blur for me. a strange, complicated blur in which miracles can happen, the world stops turning for just a moment as two people become one, and small ocean beaches can turn into a fairyland.

i'm still wearing my bridesmaids dress. i can't bring myself to take it off.

this beautiful plum purple gown, barely brushing my knees, and my still-sandy bare toes are my reminders of this day. that, and a small cluster of dark purple and white flowers that lay beside my laptop as i type.

i'm a bit lost for words, i think.

this day was perfect.

a sunrise service on St. Augustine beach in Florida. a cluster of vest-clad young men and dark plum gowned girls, all barefoot and surrounding a chuppah of hewn logs and whispy white linen.

i wore the groom's ring on my thumb as i walked through the sand toward my place as the maid of honour.

and then she came. down the sand on her father's arm. her dress was perfect. her eyes were glowing.

i cried. 

the ceremony was words. close-held hands and tearful eyes.

 i do. 

i do. 

he dipped her down for a perfect kiss. they were joined together this morning on the sand.

they took hands and ran up the aisle. i thought they would never come back.

during the photographs that followed, i caught a moment with her groom. he smiled.

she's perfect. 

i hugged him and whispered, "be good to my girl."

he promised me he would. he promised us all he would.

at the reception, we laughed and ate as i sat next to my best friend and watched her blushing smiles toward the man across the table from her. this, her new husband.

i stumbled my way through my speech, voice cracking and tears spilling into broken sobs. she stood and hugged me. we cried together.

she took his hand and slipped into the silver car, with a final blown kiss at me and her weeping mother.

she is his. 

he is hers. 

this is the start of their forever.

congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Zachary and Alexandria Hightower

i pray you know how much i love you both.

10-16-2011

{pictures from the wedding coming soon}

final arrival

she's next to me, curled up with a phone against her ear. her man is on the other end. ten hours away for one more night, and then he's here.

the groom and his attendants arrive tomorrow night. last night with just her and i before the men descend and the madness that leads to this marriage begins.

this is the night of coconut lotion and pampering.

of The King's Speech and one liter of Dr. Pepper each.

of so much aching laughter...but then again, that's been every night.

a night of a few shed tears and memories flooding as i run my fingers through her auburn hair, giggling as the smell of the hair dye overwhelms us both.

this is best friends on their last night alone together. 

she just tossed me a sheet of directions with six different languages on it, telling me just how to fix her lowlights. last night of preparations. because Zach is coming.

the groom is coming for his bride tomorrow.

the anticipation. the beautification. the preparations that abound and pile up around us.

it's a reminder of the Groom. waiting, planning. it is sacrilegious to picture Him shifting from foot to foot with excitement, looking at His Father?

is it time? can i go and bring her home now? 

{via pinterest}

and His bride...what is she doing?

is she preparing? is she ready, waiting?

or is she still so dirty? does she still reek of world and flesh and old self?

come now, church.

our Groom awaits.

be ready. 

Step

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. ~Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally

My best friend got engaged on Tuesday.

I still have a hard time believing it...after all, it's something we've both been dreaming of for the past two years of our best friendship.

I guess the reality of the whole thing is just a little hard for me to grasp -- I can only imagine the thoughts racing through her head and heart at this moment!

There's something about the first step a couple takes together...something so incredibly intimate about the lowering to one knee, the stifled gasp as she presses her hands to her mouth, and the stammering of that single word that will change their lives forever.

An engagement is so much more than just a sparkling diamond ring and the giddy smiles of two people in love.

It's a vow of its own.

It's the voice of a young man as he gazes into the eyes of the girl of his dreams...the whispers of his frantically beating heart, saying:

"Baby, I'm not going anywhere. And in a short time, I will give up EVERYTHING and take you as my other half. My perfect fit. My missing puzzle piece. I want to love you as Christ loved His church, how my King loves His bride. So be with me forever."

The wedding is the woman giving of herself -- the passing from girl to woman, the taking of another name, the change from "Miss" to "Mrs."

But the engagement is the man's surrender.

The lowering of himself. The ultimate humility.

And so, I have words for two of the greatest blessings in my life:

Firstly to my beautiful Alex:

Babe, you are the most incredibly strong, beautiful and passionate young woman of God I have EVER had the honor of knowing.

You blow my mind every day with your drive and your willingness to do anything for the Kingdom of God. You are the most wonderful best friend I could have ever asked for, and you bless me more than I could ever begin to say.

Also, you are insane. You are my Heathcliff, my mad little gal-pal. You make me laugh. You listen. You have this amazing ability to laugh with me and then cry with me, all in the same conversation. You write songs with me, and you manage to keep my head on straight.

And I love you.

You truly are the Jane to my Lizzie; you better know this by now. I could not be more honored to have you as my best friend...and I look SO much forward to undertaking this journey with you. I love so much, dear one.

And to Zach:

I have been praying that God would bring someone like you into Alex's life ever since she and I met. She deserves an amazing man of God who loves her with everything that he is, and is willing to give his life for her, if the need arises. Someone who will treat her with tenderness and adoration, and still manage to bear with her complete and utter insanity.

And I believe more than anything that you are indeed that man. Thank you for bringing a smile to her face and love to her life again. Thank you for loving my best friend with such a pure and selfless love. You are indeed her Mr. Darcy. You have wooed and romanced her in ways that continue to blow my mind. Your selfless and strong care for her touches my heart daily. I love you, and I cannot wait to get to know you better and better in the many insanity-packed years to come.

God bless you both.

Stay strong in love, and stay true to one another.

Alexandria and Zachary -- March 8th, 2011 -- Just the Beginning