Settling into Husband/Wife

Having returned from a tiring, yet successful wedding weekend in Las Vegas, I was a little shocked to see a friend from Canada waiting at our front door, who had driven down from Seattle to spend a few nights with us before driving cross-country to a conference in Chicago - what, were we going to say no?

Despite not having showered yet and having stayed up all night to catch a seven a.m. flight back to Portland, I found myself getting a second wind, and not even minding the fact that I was still wearing my "very Vegas" feather earrings from the night before!

After settling into being the hospitable host, I was happy to rehash all the details of the weekend and talk frankly about how things have been going in Portland: my job struggles, the difficulties I had been having in finding good female friends...etc.

I even told our friend about the 365 days of massage challenge - which he thought was hilarious and proceeded to tease me about for the rest of his visit. He also recounted to us that he had never really understood having pets (dogs, cats, otherwise) but that he was starting to realize how great they really can be after spending a few days with Bob, one of the most responsive and people-loving dogs he said he had ever met.

This is when I reminded Tyler that we had an open spot for a 'reader' at our wedding - that I had already asked my friend from elementary school to read at our wedding and that if would be more balanced if Tyler did the same. At first our friend was wary, wondering aloud what crazy hymn or poem he would have to read in front of all potential female hookups bound to be at our wedding. When we told him it was his choice, he was charmed by the idea and promised to do a fantastic job - which I knew he would, having seen him emcee several of our friends weddings. I also knew it would be great to have him around more during the wedding, as he is sensitive, very perceptive and fun to have around (we traveled to Europe with him a year ago).

That night as we finally got to sleep in our own bed, I warmed up some Vanilla bean lotion and gave my new husband (we decided to revert back to being engaged in public as of the next day) one of the best hand massages in the history of all hand massages.

10/9/10 - A Wedding Vegas Vacation

Having run out of ideas on how to make my day job more tolerable, I finally made up my mind that after four years at the same company, I would have to start looking for a new job. Being on a temporary work Visa from Canada, this was not slated to be an easy process. I had heard through the Occupational Therapy grapevine of gossip that after your third visa renewal it is a lot more difficult to convince U.S. officials at the border that you are working temporarily in their country. Apparently they tend not to believe you and give you a maximum of three months before you have to leave the country for at least six months.

This was not a good option for me because I have a love, a dog, and very happy life in Portland. Tyler and I decided that we would have to get married sooner rather than later, so that if I was given that three month ultimatum, I could stay in the country under his permanent work visa.

Being as I was already planning a destination wedding for forty people in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for February 2011, I delegated the planning of the civil ceremony to my practical husband-to-be. He quickly decided it had to be done in Las Vegas, Nevada as we had traveled there together many times and always had a great time. One Saturday night in September we sat down at the laptop and looked at many cheesy websites showing couples holding hands in hot air balloons, hot pink cadillacs, helicopters...you name it.

I was of the opinion that we should keep it low-key, as I wanted to save the b

ig emotions (and big money) for February. We were lucky enough to stumble upon the Little White Wedding Chapel and its very convenient drive-thru wedding option for $129 U.S. We booked it immediately for October 9th, 2010.

Me being the excitable social connector that I am, I immediately invited my twin sister (and boyfriend), an old friend from elementary school and her husband, and my great Portland friend and her husband. It was a random assortment of people and was likely to have increased in size quickly if Tyler had not taken me by the shoulders and gently shook me back to reality by saying, "Meg, lets keep it simple, all these people are already coming to Mexico, right?".

So we kept it at eight people, which happened to be the exact number of people the limousine could seat to/from the chapel. We booked a flight and hotel (Treasure Island) and then I searched and found a hot little white dress and a gorgeous white shirt for Tyler to wear with his suit.

Sitting in the Portland airport on our way to Vegas, we agreed that for the duration of the trip, we would suspend the "Massage a day" challenge. As those of you know who have been, in Sin City the days and nights run into each other and we knew we would be drinking, partying, and getting married!