Dress rehearsal

It's been a busy week getting ready for Saturday, and now the big day is almost here. Friends and relatives have been arriving in Omaha all week for our wedding: my parents flew in Tuesday, and Vivian and I got to take them out to dinner and meet her parents. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and their kids have all been arriving as well, and we got to meet a bunch of them on Friday when we had our rehearsal down at the church. They got to meet some of our swing dancing friends for the first time last night, as well as Mike and Bekah from Lincoln. Vivian's brother Oliver also arrived from Colorado, and he got to meet a bunch of us for the first time. It's amazing to see so many people from so many different parts of our lives coming together to share this moment with us.

We gathered together at Twin Valley Church in Bellevue, where we ran through the order of events for the ceremony, and then Uncle Ben actually signed our marriage certificate, making us about as official as we could possibly get, (at least until I drop the paperwork in the mail).

We had dinner afterwards at Gorat's Steakhouse on Center street, a restaurant best known for being a favorite of billionaire Warren Buffet. My dad picked up the check, and we made sure to have a defibrillator on hand, just in case. He also had a present for Vivian's father: three plush camels from Campbell University. When I asked Jack for his blessing, he told me he wanted three camels as a dowry, so I suppose we're making good on the deal.

By the way, we have our fair share of shutterbugs among the jitterbugs I've created a Flickr Group in anticipation of the overwhelming number of photos people are likely to take. It's going to feel so strange for me not to be taking pictures at such an exciting event, but Vivian and I have recruited Jim for that task. We'll be adding his shots to the bunch once we get them back.

I still have a few hours left before heading down to the church to tie the knot. Words still can't express how amazing it's going to be, to be married to such a wonderfully sweet and Godly woman as Vivian. She's my perfect match in every way, and without her by my side, my life would be "incomplete." I love you, Vivian! Here's to our new life together.