Something Old,
Something New, Something Borrowed... Something Blue!
So, for those of you who know us well you will know that we have been together now for just over 13 years. Again, those of you who know us will also know that I’ve wanted to be Mrs S for long enough. And those of you who don’t know (probably because I’ve called him ‘my husband’ for long enough), I’ve proposed every leap year day since 1998 – so that’s four ‘official’ proposals and countless dropped hints over the years and each time a refusal or a swift change of subject.
Did I ever think in my wildest dreams that he would say yes
this year? Nope. So, when at half past six on the morning of
29th February this year I mumbled from under the duvet “before you
go to work, I’ve got to ask you if you’ll marry me.. I know you’ll say no but I
just wanted to ask.” He said “Yes, OK –
but one condition; we do it in secret and don’t tell anyone until afterwards.”
Do you think I’d argue?
No way!! I have joked so many times
over the last 13 years that if he ever said yes I’d do it whatever the
conditions... “I’ll marry him in a bus stop wearing a bin liner if he’d just
say yes.”
So, quick thinking me suggested that Easter might be good as
we’d already booked our caravan holiday in Norfolk and our fab friends Mark and
Michelle would be with us and could be our witnesses. What a great idea! So, since 29th February I’ve kept
the biggest secret of my entire life... and anyone who really knows me knows
that I’m totally rubbish at keeping secrets!!
As a three year old girl I spent the afternoon baking with my Mum and
icing a cake for my Daddy’s birthday which was the next day, we hid it in a tin
and put it on the top of the kitchen cupboard... “don’t tell Daddy until
tomorrow”. So, Daddy comes home from
work... what’s the first thing I say?
“Daddy, Daddy it’s a secret, I can’t tell you about that cake in the tin
up there!” See, useless!!
I can’t tell you how hard it’s been to keep this particular
secret from everyone. Firstly my sister
Jill, she’s my best friend in the whole world; I’ve so wanted to tell her! Nightmare – we had a spa day for the girls
and for Mother’s day. What did Mum ask
me? “So, did you propose to him on leap
year day?” Now the other thing I find
impossible is telling a lie, I don’t know how I did it but I didn’t tell but I
also didn’t fib; I told Mum that of course I asked him – I just didn’t tell her
what his response was!
Then, I was running in a cross country race up in the Lake
District and staying overnight at my Dad and Jool’s house... it was sooooo hard
not to say anything at all. It was my
birthday in March and I had a lovely birthday lunch in Harrogate with Mum,
sister and brother in law, nephew, brother and sister in law and nieces... how
hard was that to keep schtum? Then, my
brother Sam rang me to see if they could pop in on their way home from their
holiday in Centre Parcs... OMG! This is
all in between going running three times a week with my lovely friends Carol
and Caroline and going to numerous crafting classes and events with my other
great friends Monica, Linda and Lorraine.
It’s also been a nightmare chatting to my neighbour Dianne and not
spilling the beans.
Well, now the secret’s out!
We got married at 11.15am on Tuesday 10th April at Fakenham
register office while on holiday. In
attendance were Michelle and Mark Elliott and Milly, Molly and Barney Elliott
(doggy bridesmaids and page boy) and Mr Mo (doggy usher).
Something old: earrings
Something new: dress, shoes, bag
Something borrowed: Michelle’s hanky! (clean)
Something blue: my dress
All I need to do now is practice my new signature!! For those who don’t know my new surname is
Szczecinski (pronounced Sheshinski) I think Andrew will still call himself Mr
Greenwood from time to time!!
