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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

10 Years and Counting! (updated with photo of murder mystery)

Mr. Swizz's Dad & Swizz's Mom
Request the Honour of your Presence

at the wedding
of their daughter Swizz
to
The Rev
October 16, 1999

at First Presbyterian Church

Houston

Dessert Reception to Follow


(Our wedding invitation)

I've never been very good at surprises. I love GETTING them, but giving them is another story. For one, I'm a HORRIBLE liar. Deception just doesn't come easy to me.

For our 10 year anniversary I told The Rev that he wasn't allowed to plan anything. "Um, Okay," he said. You could just hear the anxiousness in his voice. Maybe a little tension? He's typically the one to plan special occasions; he relishes planning and surprising, so letting go of this control was huge for him.

I planned a FABULOUS anniversary weekend at The Gaylord Texan, a resort in Grapevine, Texas. And he was actually surprised!


This is the view of the resort from outside.


This is the "lobby" or atrium inside the hotel.
What you can't see are all of the miniature trains that ride around the lobby!

Friday night we arrived at the hotel. This was our actual anniversary so I planned a very special dinner. A "romantic" murder mystery dinner at the Riverwalk Cafe inside of the resort.
Here is a photo of us with the cast of the murder mystery!



Saturday we met JMonster, Grammy and Pops (The Rev's parents) in downtown Grapevine for a fun Butterfly Festival. Grapevine is a quaint old town with a Main Street and adorable shops. There are also TRAINS! After watching the butterfly release we headed over to the trains so JMonster could explore. The trains travel between downtown Grapevine and The Stockyards in Fort Worth. A round-trip ride, with a stop in Fort Worth for lunch and shopping, lasts about 5 hours. We didn't get to do this trip but one day we plan on heading back to do it...JMonster insists!

Saturday evening we headed to The Glass Cactus, a nightclub there on-site at the resort. Many guests visit there, but it is also an attraction for people from the surrounding areas. We didn't end up staying...I'm such an introvert that the crowds of people I didn't know, coupled with no tables or chairs being available (they all had reserved signs on them) made me uncomfortable.

All in all it was a fabulous anniversary weekend away!

When we got home, a good friend of ours sent us a copy of the vows that were written by our friends and said during our wedding ceremony:

The Rev & Swizz: we are gathered here as your family---whether by blood or by Spirit---celebrating a process of transformation that is nothing-short-of divine. Right before our eyes, all that is the old Rev and the former Swizz is about to vanish, never to be seen again, because in this moment---in this very room--- God has given you a precious gift, which we are privileged to watch you both unwrap: the chance to begin life all over again. As eyewitnesses to this miracle, we pledge to you both our support: we will lift you on our collective shoulders, which are strong enough to carry you and broad enough for you to cry on; they will heave with laughter as we share your joy, and slump with sorrow when you are broken. As eyewitnesses to this miracle, we pledge to you both our love: not as those who have invented it, but as those who have been graced with it from the Father, who acknowledge its most-perfect-model in the sacrifice of the Son, and who have known its power which comes through the Holy Spirit. God has already given you His blessing---we echo that with our AMEN!

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