Now we're cooking with gas!

I can check something off the long, long list from Martha! After a month of fretting over wedding details like wondering what I'm going to wear, what we are going to serve, how the flowers will look and what favors to give to people (does anyone remember them?) and oh, where to have the wedding, we FINALLY confirmed our location! A farm! In true small town, know-your-family sense, Annie is sending me the contract, which she says is little more than a notebook paper with her signature on it. We pay her the day of the wedding.

My desire to make everyone I love fly to western North Carolina stems from wanting them to see where I go all the time and what I rave about. I want to be able to tell them stories from my childhood. For them to meet some of the people who I love so much and also to see a section of the country that will always be part of me. My fiance was a little hesitant to pay to rent a farm for our wedding since his family has a farm in Germany, but he has come around. He hasn't met theClarks yet, but I know when he does, he'll know why I wanted the wedding there.

Annie and her family have run their farm for as long or longer than my family has been in the area (1920s). Our families have known each other for years. One time, when I was home from college, my mom dragged me to the Clark's for a square dance. I thought it was going to be incredibly lame and boring. A bunch of hicks circling about. I had the BEST time. I danced with the 80 year old Clark patriarch who was also a Congressional representative. I danced with five year old girls. I got spun around by Clark boys my age so many times I almost fell down. My face hurt I was smiling so big. Lame it was not.

Ever since that fateful night, I have dreamed of having a wedding as much fun as that square dance. I am not sure if I can replicate that, but I am hoping that saying my vows on a rock in the middle of one of their apple orchards will be a good start. I think a few rounds of square dancing wouldn't be too bad either.