For years
I’ve watched Hallmark movies. I’d make a
tasty snack and sit in front of the TV swooning over the romance. I hoped and wished upon God’s stars; I would
be the woman who literally ran into my prince charming. Bam! Oh! Sorry dear sir, or should I refer to
you as my soulmate? The love stories
drew me in with their wholesome whimsy.
They whisked me away to a land of courting enchantment. My
mind left my living room and sat at a coffee shop in Seattle across from my
wooer. I then strolled over meadows with my suitor
filled with monarch butterflies and willow trees. I sat under raining leaves for a moment and pretended
to be in love. I left Clinton Township
and dreamed of a Christ-centered
Courtship.
I was now
thirty-two and living in Gray, Louisiana.
I still watched Hallmark movies and dreamt of the day that I would fall
in love. Little did I know, what was
around the Bayou bend. A lunch date with
a friend changed my whole life. Her
suggestion turned into manifestation. God was preparing me for my role in my
Hallmark movie.
On June 27th,
two years ago, God introduced me to my leading man, Carl John Baudoin. As they say, “The rest was history.” In my book of life, the “O’Banion” chapter
was almost ending. My single life
changed instantly, like instant coffee. At
Scarlet Scoop, I scooped up my soulmate.
I didn’t literally run into him as they do in Hallmark movies, but I fell
into his love. I fell, danced, and spun
into perpetual love. We kissed and
ah! What bliss!
Perpetual
love brought us to a brisk December evening.
December 16th was a night of rosy magic.
We roamed the New Orleans City Park beneath twinkle lights sparkling
upon Live Oaks. Our cold breaths misted
into the night air. We sauntered and
swayed through mazes of white glittered bushes.
We sipped hot chocolate to warm our bodies, but Carl’s love for me
warmed my soul. He wrapped me in
tenderness like my green pea coat. We
steadily approached a corner amidst roses aglow. Carl started professing his love for me. He said, “He couldn’t live without me.” Since, the day we started dating, I knew I
couldn’t live without him either. He was
now etched into my heart. He stooped
down to one knee and opened a little black box.
It held a ring of shimmering gold.
The diamond ring glistened like the Michigan snow. People proceeded to walk by where we stood,
but they faded as Carl’s words grew like the rose bushes. He said, “Will you marry me?” I kept saying, “Yea…yea!” I lit up like the lights that spun like
ballerinas around the fountain in the background. I couldn’t stop smiling! I felt like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in
Wonderland. Carl slipped the ring onto
my finger. The diamond in the setting
was his late grandma’s. I felt as if I
could feel her there, even though I haven’t met her. I could almost sense a smile on her face as
she sat on a bench in Heaven. The
December eve felt like a scene out of a Hallmark movie called, “A Rose Gold
Proposal”.
Tick-tock,
tick-tock…hours went by on the marriage clock.
An “Alice in Wonderland” themed wedding shower chimed on August 4th,
2018. So much love and excitement
showered us, that we held a black umbrella over our heads. We were hopping down the rabbit hole to wedded
bliss. It was as if we were the main
guests at the Mad Hatter’s party.
Teacups, top hats, teapots, ribbon, lace, bunnies, and a Cheshire Cat!
Oh my! There were many laughs and happy
hatter sighs. I was dressed as Alice and
Carl was in his dapper attire as the rabbit.
My wedding clan played along and dressed as the main characters. The cast included a purple plum Cheshire Cat,
mystical Mad Hatter, royal red Queen of Hearts, and a frilly flower child. The day popped of yellow pansies and sweet
pastries. When the shower was over, we
took an imaginary bow as the guests of the party applauded. Carl and I sealed the rabbit hole by a
magical kiss. My “Alice in Wonderland”
fairytale was about to start. Ah, no, it
already started. “Curiouser and curiouser…”
“When I used
to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here
I am in the middle of one!” —Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little
Bill
The morn
of October 15th finally dawned.
The misty Smoky Mountains whispered of sweet wedding tunes. I couldn’t believe we were getting married in
three days! The preparation and planning
halted. Wedding bells began to ring in
the distance amidst Honeysuckle Hills valley.
We finally reached our quaint hotel in Pigeon Forge. We unloaded luggage along with excitement,
nerves, and anxious “I do” hearts. We
were both ready to tie the knot, literally, on our braid ceremony board.
The
rehearsal dinner was located at “The Local Goat” Restaurant. I thought that uncanny, since I do love
goats. The dinner and company were sugar
sweet and splendid. Carl and I sat at a
table in the middle. We were amongst our
knights and ladies at the rectangle tables.
The lights in the restaurant shone upon faces that we loved so dearly.
During our dinner, my sister-in-law, Kaitlin, surprised me with a heart
stirring gift. I opened my present and
laid it upon the table. It was a
scrapbook with colorful pictures and tender letters. I flipped through the scrapbook and looked
upon fond friends, loving family, and my heavenly dad. I touched him, not in a physical sense, but
in a spiritual sense. “Oh, dad, I know you’re with me.” Each of my family and friends wrote letters
of adoration, an adoration that I could feel deep within my bridal soul. The tears starting to stream down my face,
like a refreshing stream amidst the mountains.
The love of all our family and friends molded my heart with intricate
molding. I could almost
hear my dad laughing and crying during this memory moment.
When we
got back to our hotel, Carl met me outside of my room. It accompanied me, my
mom, and my flower spirit friend, Jessica.
He bid me goodnight under the knitted afghan of stars. He said, “I don’t want to see again till we
meet at the altar.” We went our separate
ways and slept in separate beds for the last time that brisk night.
The sun peeked
over the Smoky Mountains. Ah! It was the
morning of October 18th. It
was finally our wedding day! It seemed
as if we waited for years for our union to become one. From the first day we met, I felt as if we
were one. We were like horses pulling a
wagon. We both stayed side by side,
pulling equal weight. He pulled with a
spiritual strength. There were qualities
in him I never saw in any other man. I
knew he was my Hallmark leading man.
We arrived
at our venue, Honeysuckle Hills. We were
greeted like the monarchy court. I felt like
a princess. I would be a princess for only
a few more hours, then be crowned, Queen Baudoin. My king and his men abided in another room. Regina,
our photographer and her “lady’s maids” made sure to all our needs. They made
our memory day even more momentous. My
bridesmaids kept my spirit calm as we all beautified ourselves. Makeup was glittered all over the table. Dresses and tool flowered over couches. My mom sat with a joyous yet bittersweet heart. “Bob, look at our daughter…” My sister, Andrea, was my made of honor. Although, it was an honor to have her as my
sister. She adorned me with my aquamarine
birthstone. My dad presented the necklace
to me many years ago. Now I felt as if
he was presenting it to me again. She
also clasped my mom’s diamonds earrings in my ears. I felt like a princess mountain dewed in diamonds. My bridesmaid, Missy, tied my pink bow on my
wedding dress. She tied the dainty bow
with delicacy and grace. I was ready for
the ball. I was ready for “the rest of
my life”, the new chapter in my book of life.
It was almost time…
I’ll never
forget standing in my wedding dress, decorated in white tool and lace. I stood in the quiet room alone as the
ceremony started. I could hear the music
start to play across the magical land.
The song “Only Time” by Enya danced over trees. I knew the doors were about to open. I bounced in my white ballgown with a touch
of flowery pink. I bounced out some nervous
energy. I talked to my dad. “Dad be with me as I walk down the aisle. Let
me feel your spirit.” His spirit I did
feel, all around me in the peacefulness of the room. I chatted with God. “God, thank you, for everything. Thank you for the love that you placed in my
life. Please, be over our wedding.” God’s presence swept over Honeysuckle
Hills. He reigned over our wedding day.
The French
country doors opened. “Are you ready,
Brandy?” I was ready and at peace in
knowing I was about to marry the man of my Hallmark dreams. I was about to marry my best friend, my superman. My “lady’s maid” helped me down the steps towards
my awaiting brother, Joseph. He looked
at me with soft and joyous eyes. I saw
the strength within him, and it made me feel at ease. He grabbed my arm and we locked together. My brother, my strength, locked within my
heart locket. We were the clan O’Banion
and I was about to join the Baudoin clan.
The Celtic tune of “Canon in D” swayed softly over Willows and prancing
pebble streams. I wanted to lock my
brown eyes with my green-eyed Frenchman.
We walked around the bend and I saw him, I saw the man of my dreams standing
there. He was dressed in dapper blue and
my heart swooned. This felt like a whimsical
dream. It felt as if hobbits watched us
from the woods and unicorns abided in the pastures. Once I saw Carl my heart bean sprouted with
joy. Joseph guided me over the enchanted
blue bridge to my everlasting love. Carl
and I grasped each other’s hands and looked into each other’s eyes. “I love you” my Frenchman in blue. We exchanged binding vows. Carl’s vows were read aloud with his
undoubting love and spiritual strength.
We then tied the three-cord knot.
The know represented God, me, and Carl.
We bounded our love with God being in the middle. We knew God would guide and lead us
throughout our marriage. As we tied the
braid, the “Braveheart” theme song played in the distance. Tears dripped from my eyes. A memory of my dad fell like A yellow leaf. We were bonded, soldered, braided, and knotting
tied.
Our love walked
over fields that day. We pranced with
the horses and danced with loved ones.
As we giggled and reminisced, a stream flowed under the “Hobbit Bridge”
nearby. What a mystical memory day. “Gandalf could be heard, wising sigh. Under the willow of marriage chapter, we
smiled with laughter. “I love you” was said while lady bugs landed…Oh but didn’t
matter.
My king swept
me up into his arms and set me in our carriage, our black truck. We were ready to set out onto our new adventure
as Mr. and Mrs. Baudoin. Our ladies in
burgundy and knights in blue cheered and said, “See you soon!”
I dedicate
this blog post to my loving husband, Carl.
I love you from the stars then moon, sun to sky, sand to sea, until you
I see. I will see your handsome smile
now and forever. Happy one-year Anniversary!
Love your
wife, Brandy
Honeysuckle Dreams
Hello,
streams of wedding greetings
Soothe
me with your love endowed sound
Take
me over pebbles and God rocks
to
alter of braided entwined love
Time
to burrow the ‘become one’ lock-box
Ah,
green leaves, after orange and reds faintly fall
Emerald
start of Baudoin Juniper-fly
Oh!
Hello! Lady bugs on white tool,
wings
set from sky nearby
Come
with me on adoration frolic,
with
blue bonnet butterflies
Sun
blooms in tender Tennessee sky
Oh!
Marvelous Mr. rays! Oh my!
Door
opens to golden Lord land
Celtic
tune twine o’er Sunflowers
Brotherly
strength, tis’ calming comfort
Arm
in his, Irish led power
Round
the grass bend,
to
my love, take me, thee send,
o’er
basking blue bridge
Ah,
our hearts, about to soundly stitch
Vows
hymnal read and writ
My
love, my deep spirit love,
My
soul, my bold beauty soul
Let’s
pen our diary memory day
My
eyes upon lovely expression
Ah,
dewy tears, so much to say
At
last! Covenant whole, pastor told
Embracing
kiss and Irish wish!
Spirited
stroll to take,
Over
wheat and thistle meadows
Bridge
of cupid hobbits,
where
love wreaths abide
Red
heart beneath blue stone,
walked
o’er with groom
Play
and prance o’er leaves
October
shadows subtle and meek
Tilt
fair face, just a twig tweak
Hello,
my beauty, my handsome
Our
three-cord day, knotted
Let’s
take a first love stamp sway
Honeysuckle
hills, magic delight
Wandering
willows softly peck
under
buttercream leaves we gently met
Gold
bands, summertime shine,
God-filled
hearts everlasting tied
Night
a’ nigh, don’t fade,
Whisper
sigh, goodbye blissful day
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