Thursday, July 30, 2009

cool toast

I’ve been blessed to have Emily as my dear friend for the past eight years. We met the first week of her freshman year at Richmond, my sophomore year. We sauntered into entry-level chemistry and quickly spotted each other for lab partners among the sea of science dorks. It was a few months later that she caught the eye of a handsome Maryland boy in true Richmond fashion at a fraternity party. Let me tell you, we talked a lot more about Liam, then Bunsen burners and protons from that day forward. Eight years later we stand here today celebrating this momentous occasion. An occasion that I’ve seen coming since Emily, a bright-eyed teenager gushed about the boy of her dreams. Their love has not only withstood, but grown and blossomed under the test of time. Fraternity formals, date nights at d-hall, grad school, long distance, their first “baby” Duncan the schnauzer, wedding planning extravaganza and, well, tonight’s severe storm.

They’ve become to each other what everyone could hope for in a partner—a compliment and an inspiration. Emily with her infectious energy as a motivator and nurturer. Liam with his down to earth nature always keeping perspective. It’s been a privilege to watch your journey.

I was going to offer you some pearls of marriage advice based on my two whole months of wedded bliss, but just last night Emily shared with me something she wrote to Liam. As many of you know Emily is one of the famed Weddingbee bloggers. Her post yesterday was entitled ‘Because This Is All That Really Matters’. If it’s OK with Em, I’d like to share a bit of it with all of you now…

“Soon it will be official, but for a long time it’s been you and me. We go together, we just make sense. Living my life next to you makes my world richer, more full of adventure and bursting with so much love that it takes my breath away at times.”

They say life is not measured by the breaths that you take, but the moments that take your breath away. I hope that there are moments today and every day in your marriage that take your breath away.

A toast to the very lovely bride and her very lucky groom. To Emily and Liam.