April 27 turns into April 28

So, Jeffrey Wells Collett and I tied the knot on Friday, April 28. Yup. Not Thursday, April 27. It's a long story . . .

I received my endowments on Tuesday, April 25, according to plan in Detroit, Michigan. It was really quite wonderful. I loved the way I felt. I'm looking forward to going again and going with Jeffrey often. It was very special to be with Mom and Dad. It was kind of like one last step as their daughter before I became Jeff's wife. It was beautiful and special. I feel very special and blessed.

Courtney threw me a beautiful bridal shower the next day (see the photos from a previous post) in Muncie, Indiana. It was great to see all of my (well some of my) high school friends again. I still can't believe I beat Chelle and Shane to the altar.

On Thursday, I left Richmond, Indiana, to drive to Columbus, Ohio, to meet Jeff and get the marriage license. I was by myself in the car, but Dad and Jeff both called me and wanted me to have someone in the car with me. So, I turned around and brought Amy. It was really nice to have her with me. She's dating a real winner right now by the way. I think they might get married!

Anyway.

I get to Columbus and see Jeff for the first time since Sunday. It was so wonderful to be with him again.

So, Chinh, Kevin, and Amy wait in the parking lot as Jeff and I walk across the street and go into the building to get our marriage license. I read the form and am somewhat concerned about what it said about Ohio residents. I ask Jeff about it, and he said he had asked the temple about it, and they said it was okay, because he was a Utah resident—not Ohio. So, we wait our turn in line. We're so giddy and excited—well, I was. Jeff was nervous and excited, but he said he was becoming less nervous now that we were together again.

We get up to the desk, and as soon as she sees Jeff's Cincinnati driver's license, she informs us that we have to go to Jeff's resident county to get our marriage license. You only get the license in the county you're getting married in if you are out-of-state residents (which we thought we were). We didn't have time to drive to Cincinnati, because we were getting married in three hours, and pictures were in one hour. The lady told us we could go appeal to a magistrate.

So, Jeff and I go down the stairs and wait in line to talk to the magistrate. It is our turn, and the poor guy tries to help us, but it is a tough case. Jeffrey wasn't registered to vote in Utah. His driver's license was still from Ohio, and he filed for taxes in Utah and Ohio. Apparently, where someone actually resides has nothing to do with residency.

So, Jeff and I couldn't get married—no license.

I started to cry, and Jeff got on his phone immediately to find out if the Columbus Temple could move our sealing time to the following afternoon, so we could have time to get to Cincinnati and get the license and come back (the office would already be closed by the time we could get there that evening).

Dad and Jeff were apparently inspired, because it was really nice to have Amy there.

I called Peter and told him to turn around. He was driving from Indianapolis to Columbus, and he had work the next day (it would be his second day at his new job, so I knew he couldn't get it off). I started to cry, because I was sad Peter would be there anymore. The temple got a hold of the sealer, and they said they could move our sealing to the following afternoon.

Since the photographer and everyone who had flown from Washington, Utah, Texas, and New York were there, we went to the temple and started taking pictures. Luckily, even though my make up had not withstood my tears, my face wasn't too puffy, blotchy, or red.

Then Sister Glutz called, and we learned that marriage license's in Jeff's home county came along with a five-day waiting period, because they take a blood test and wait for the results. So, Jeff and I wouldn't be able to get married before we had to fly back to Utah!

A bunch of Jeff's family's friends started calling all of the nearby states—their temples and county office buildings. It turns out that Kentucky had a five-day waiting period too, but when they heard our story and found out we were Mormon, they said they could fix us up. :) The Church is true!

So, we kept taking pictures. We didn't ahve a sealing to rush off too any longer, so we enjoyed a really nice long photo shoot. :) The Louisville Temple was called, and they said they would find a way to accommodate us and marry us at noon the next day.

So, all of a sudden my mom's entire day to get the Muncie reception ready was slimmed down to only a few hours. My sister and a bunch of Homers opted to do it all for her while she was driving and at the temple, so she could be there stress-free.

Oh yeah, and Peter called his boss who ended up being Mormon and very understanding, so he gave Peter the day off, so Peter was able to come to the wedding! :)

So, rather than have our wedding night, instead everyone went and ate at Cracker Barrel and then the select few who could still make it to the sealing traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. I slept with my mom, and Jeff slept with my brothers next door. Not how we planned on spending the evening!

Bright and early the next morning, Jeff and I headed over to the county building and got our license! All we needed was our driver's licenses. On the form we filled out, there was a question asking if you were related and a line to explain how you were. :) Jeffrey and I laughed wondering what the exceptions are. :)

Jeff and I were finally able to get married and sealed in the Louisville Kentucky Temple at 12:15pm on April 28, 2006. My brothers Dan and Peter, my parents, his parents, his grandma, and his brother Kevin, and my family friends the Rasmussens were there to witness the blessed occasion.

It was so beautiful. Jeff cried the entire ceremony, but I didn't have any tears left from the day before—I just beamed. I was so happy. I have never before felt so full of light.

Then, we all got in our cars and drove to Muncie. The reception was fun. Jeff's mom's slideshow ended up having music, so Peter our DJ coudln't play music the whole time. Mom disappeared to go pick up Beth, but she didn't tell anyone she was leaving. The receiving line took almost two hours, because people refused to stop talking and move on. By the time the line ended, people started coming up to say goodbye! The music that was played wasn't able to get very many people on their feet and dancing. When we were supposed to cut the cake all we had was a knife—no plates or napkins or server! And I forgot Jeff and I were supposed to cut it together, and I cut a piece way too big, and it started to fall, so I grabbed it and caught it in my hand. Everyone was staring at me! I didn't know what do do. Jeff got scared that I was going to shove it in his face, so he bent over and bit it. So, I bit it, too, and kept holding the rest until someone finally brought me a plate to set it in. I told everyone to stop staring at me, but they wouldn't, so I started cutting the sheet cakes. Finally, someone pulled me away and ended my misery.

The open house in Cincinnati, Ohio, was lovely. I didn't make any of the same mistakes. :) I was able to meet Amy's boyfriend, Devin Rose. They're pretty amazing together—I wouldn't be surprised if they become engaged at the end of the summer. :)

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