Goin' to the Chapel and I'm gonna get married...

****Linda's returned again to post for me. Read it and weep people!*****

I’m getting married next May to my fiance Matt. I can’t wait to be part of his family. I love them all, especially Matt’s mom, who calls me “my Linda.” She took me under her wing right away, defending me against any comments that could even remotely be perceived as negative. She speaks up for me because she knows I’m shy, and she never makes me feel like there’s anything wrong with that.

This weekend, we had our longest phone conversation yet, about two hours. We talked about wedding plans of course, and just about things in general, like family. Matt told me his mom always wanted a blue-eyed grandchild, especially a grandson, and it looks like that’s not going to happen as all of her kids are dating people with dark eyes. I asked Matt’s mom about that, and she said “At least I have Lucy” (Lucy is Matt’s two-year-old niece). All of Matt’s family has blue eyes, and I guess his mom wanted to see that continue in the next generation. But she also told me she can’t wait to see what my children with Matt look like. She’s already a great mom and grandmother, and I have no doubt she’ll be just as doting with my kids.

Matt’s sisters. He has three of them, and he often tells me (horror) stories about growing up with them and all of them being on their periods at the same time. I guess being around women constantly has prepared him well, because he is very caring and generous. He also has infinite patience. This comes in handy especially when I’m in one of my ranting moods. You can also tell a lot about a person by how their family treats them, and Matt’s sisters treat him like a king. They trust him. They come to him for advice (particularly computer advice). They listen to him. Matt’s mom told me his older sister Kate constantly brags about her brother. I was touched to hear that, and proud that I was marrying such a guy. :)

I was looking up wedding vows and poems a few days ago, with the idea that each of our sisters (including my own) could read something at the ceremony. It would be really fitting and beautiful, everybody sharing their vows and contributing to our union. Matt and I don’t have a lot of friends—we tend to stay home and watch movies and occasionally I’ll drag him up to dance with me—but we are very close to our families. They say that when you marry someone, you marry their family, and I for one can’t wait. Did I say that already?