Mom on the Run: A Special Kind of Birthday

***This post was going to have pictures, as all of mine do. But for some reason, my photo uploader is not cooperating. I think I need to restart my computer maybe. But I'm going to go ahead and post this and then just re-share it again when I get the pictures incorporated!

The last time I blogged, it was two days before my birthday. Well since then, a little bit has happened.

I GOT MARRIED!!!!

Yep, that's right. Lucas and I tied the knot. On my birthday. And YES I was totally holding out on everybody, because we had planned it and known it was coming but kept it a big fat secret. So I guess we technically eloped. I know most people would NEVER get married on their birthday (or any other gift-related holiday, for that matter), but I loved the idea of it. It makes my birthday even THAT more special. And then every few years, it will be our anniversary, my birthday AND Mother's Day all at once. It's like an explosion of happiness, and who wouldn't want that?

We got married at the courthouse by the county mayor, Jim Coppinger. Not the most romantic story in the world (unless you consider eloping in general to be romantic), but we wanted to do it, were ready to do it, and it turned out to be really nice and fun. I don't know anything about Jim Coppinger as a public figure, but from a personal perspective, he's a super nice guy. And his middle name is Mac, just like Lucas.

Waiting in Mayor Coppinger's office.

Hi baby!

Hi Daddy!

A surprise did come right before we got married, though. I had told Lucas that at some point before we got married that he needed to officially ask me. Since we had mutually agreed and planned to elope, I didn't get the down-on-one-knee proposal. And I was fine with that. But I told him that I wanted to at least hear the question come out of his mouth. So as we're walking from the car to the courthouse that morning (and I'm thinking he weaseled his way out of asking), he not only got down on one knee in front of the courthouse, but also pulled a ring out of his pocket! So not only did I get to hear the words I wanted to hear, but I got the ring to go with them. Happy birthday/wedding day to me!

Here's a mini photo session of our nuptials......

After we got hitched up, we went home to finish packing for Nashville. Once we got to his parents' house in Nashville, we took off our rings and put them in our pockets to save for later. Right before we were all leaving for dinner that evening, Janice (Lucas's mom) gave me a wooden sign for my birthday that said, "And they lived happily ever after", which of course was the PERFECT segway for telling them about our day.

We announced it the same way to Lucas's family as we did to my family two days later. I told everyone that for my birthday, Lucas gave me THIS.......(place engagement ring on finger).....and let everybody scream and celebrate. Then once that settled down, I told them that about 45 minutes afterwards Lucas gave me THIS....(place wedding band on finger).....when he married me. More screams and cheers.

Good times.

My new bling. My engagement ring was too big at first so I had to use my wedding band to hold it on!

As you might can tell, I'm real super-proud of it. :)

The wedding band is an eternity band, which I LOVE.

Next year, our anniversary/my birthday falls on a Saturday, so we're going to plan a big shindig for that day. Maybe a vow renewal ceremony would be a nice idea? That way, we still have the "wedding" with all our friends and family there. But there will be less stress because we're already married, so the focus will be on the party.

Mark your calendars now! May 10, 2014 - you have plans that day!

And maybe next year I'll actually wear something pretty and white. :)