Love is not what I thought it would be. Less a certainty and more a strengthening. A muscle formed under skin. A firming up of the soul.

I love you husband.

Jen

On days like this, I need a good view. Even if it’s just a new photo on my desktop. Ash tried for so long to get me out of bed this morning that he ended up back in bed himself. We taunted the clock until the last minute, blankets pinned at every corner, and then rushed to get to work. I blame the cold. And the dark. And the weeks off we spent draining our champagne supply. And him, for being so nice to wake up to.

Photo via here as seen on Bliss

I would love to write something not related to the next 5 sleeps.

But I can’t.

I’ve got one thing on my mind.

He’s tying his tie in the hallway mirror.

Jen

xoxo

PS: Photos of postcards contained in The Little Box of I Love You, currently for sale at Chapters for $15.95 and now, our guest book.

This morning, the leaf mobile found a friend. I’ll show it to you in a second. First, you should know, I’m listening to this song and drinking Nespresso on the floor in front of the fireplace. Whiskey and I are wondering if the rain will lighten up long enough to go for a walk before work. Ash is gone to Orlando. Well, not quite. He’s at the airport. Probably holding an Americano and an Economist. Ash loves the airport. It’s his place. Travel overwhelms him with a sense of stillness that daily life does not. He sleeps with a fierceness on holidays that I love. Except, this is a work trip and he doesn’t seem that happy about going. Last night, I came home and found him reading the newspaper, waiting to surprise me with this:

A care package. Are you crying because you’re happy? he asked. Yes, because sometimes a busy heart can find its calm in the care of someone who loves it. Someone who would stroll through the aisles of Meinhardt and pick all the things you love off the shelves and make the sales lady wait to wrap it until they got back with this: can you see it? It’s right there in the heart of it all…

Veuve Cliquout. And what you don’t see (because milk doesn’t take a very pretty picture) – the litre of Island Farms in the fridge for my coffee this morning and the note on the counter that tells me the next time he gets on a plane it will be to Mexico as my husband. Sigh. I feel it all. Now back to the leaf mobile:

I borrowed the now-crusty leaf mobile to show you our Rehearsal Dinner invites. Every Jot and Title did the handy-work of creating two silhouette tags (she even included the string), customized with our rehearsal and dinner information on the back. Wouldn’t this make a great wedding invite too? And they were seriously inexpensive. I loved them so much, we did a photo-shoot, as I often and oddly do with my mail these days:

What is love but a messy string between two people and the resolve to tie a million knots to keep it strong?

An endless row of knots for you, Ash.

Mine heart is full.

Dear Ash,

I made an executive decision, pending your response. Kat’s coming over, we’re making spicy black bean burgers, you will love me, even when it’s hard.

For me, it’s chandeliers. A kind of light not so different from the firefly-bubbles in a good champagne.

Here are a few that set me alight:

From Absolutely Beautiful Things

From Paper & Ink Studio

From Velocity Art & Design

Happy Champagne Wednesday. I toast to you tonight.

Jen

I love this. It makes me want to write a letter. It makes me want to wear yellow at my wedding. The poor girl trying to put on Stevie Nick’s make-up just has to step back and let the moment happen. It reminds me of a greyhound bus and of Kari, when she tells the story about singing Anne Murray at her wedding.

I run around like a spirit in flight
Fearlessness is fearlessness
I will not forget this night
Dare my wild heart
Dare my wild heart

Thank you, thank you, my wild heart.

Happy Champagne Wednesday. Press play.
Jen

Please indulge me just a little.

There we are, back at the spot where we first met. The day Whiskey chased me down a field and gave me a clean, kiss of a bite right through my pants. And something about that, bit Ash. So, I tied Whiskey to a tree and for the next few months, we chased each other around instead.

Around Greece and then Paris. San Diego, Toronto, Seattle, Victoria, San Francisco. Moving in, moving out. Buying a home together. So many glasses of champagne later…

I said yes.

The adventure begins…again.

I love you.
Jen