Friday, February 27, 2015

B2B, WTB, loving a H2B and searching for an MoH

The moment every girl longs for...

Life is full of abbreviations these days. I seem to live in an LGBTQi community addicted to them. Even my students say BTW, WTF and LOL instead of their spoken equivalents. We all live at a super fast pace with no time or space to do things the way we used to. As a girl whose life had stalled for years I'm as prone to this as the rest of us. Waiting for my life to start for so many years has made me impatient to enjoy it to the full now. I want to taste everything, experience everything, do the things I longed for as a teenage girl, reach for the stars and live life to the full. In the past ten years I seem to have hurtled through adolescence, first periods, first dates, first boyfriend and first steps as an adult woman. I've evolved my style and dress sense. I've had a crash course in how to negotiate working life, relationships, romance and err....yes....sex. It continues to be a roller coaster ride....sometimes it's nice to pause, take stock and have a rest; cue for a break.

Last week was one of those times. It began with Valentine's Day; red roses, a card, wine and chocolates. Come midweek I was whisked off by my boyfriend to one of the most romantic locations of all; Bruges. We had dinner and wine on board ship, walked by dreamy canals, bathed in sparkling Winter sunshine, engaged in sightseeing and shopping and relaxed. The afternoon saw us installed in a cosy bar by an open fire, drinking glasses of Leffe. We sat opposite each other, beautifully warm, toasting our love for each other. Think that it couldn't get much better? It did!

My boyfriend loves photography. Since we met over two years ago I've gotten used to posing and having the most amazing photographs taken of me. His camera lens captures images the way HE sees me. Most of us find it hard to understand the things people genuinely appreciate about us. Seeing myself as others do and through my boyfriend's eyes was a revelation and a surprising one. I've always considered myself unattractive and destined to be unloved. His photography changed all that. So, the beautiful backdrop of Bruges and soft Winter sunshine was a good reason to take more posed shots of me.....Silly girl that I am, I still didn't catch on when he packed a tripod and set it up by the Minnewater to photograph me. Only when he went down on one knee and produced that teeny tiny box did I realise what was happening. It was such a precious romantic moment. It was the perfect place and time to pop THE question and of course, I said yes. I am so totally in love with him.

As a result, I'm on Cloud Nine right now. I left the UK with my boyfriend and returned from Belgium with my fiancé and a ring on my wedding finger. Growing up, I felt sure that I would never find romance, be loved by a man for the girl I truly am and would never become engaged. It wasn't even 'feeling sure'; I absolutely KNEW it would never happen to me......except it has. It is a continuing source of wonder and happiness to me. I'm now planning my wedding with the most wonderful guy in the world and looking forward to being his wife. I'm experiencing the world as I never expected. When we attended a wedding fair last week I was surpised to be asked if I was the Bride and to find myself saying 'yes'. Fiancée, Bride to be, future wife, future Mrs Williams and no longer just the girlfriend is quite a lot to take in all at once. Gazing down at my ring finger I keep smiling and smiling and smiling....how on earth did this all happen? The answer of course is that 'it started with a kiss'. I should blog about that some time.

So what now? Set a date? Check (28/10/15) Book a venue? Check; book a Registrar? Check; plan out a Wedding Budget? Check. There is so much to do, so many decisions to make; that all important dress to find, items to shop for, bookings to be made, an MoH and Bridesmaids to choose. There are only 8 months to do them.....even so, for a few days they can wait: This cloud is such a comfortable place to be...especially with a glass of Prosecco!

Hugs,

Jane <3 xx