Patty, we got a German Shepherd cross-- his name is Captain Awesome.
He's a rescue, but we think he's a cross between a Shepherd and a Doberman. He seems to have all the best qualities of both, and this is coming from someone who's not a real fan of either breed.
I finally got my honeymoon pictures up... so I started my trip report! It's not much, but it's something!
I'm sorry it's taken my so long to get to this point, but I need to get the pictures up, and between my father's health, work, and getting a puppy, there's been very little time to do anything else.
Where we last left our heroine -
Putting away cake, opening cards and presents, and packing last minute items forced us to stay up until midnight.
Our flight was after six in the morning, so that meant we needed to get up around four to get out of the house on time.
I was exhausted, but I had trouble falling asleep again, so I only got about three hours of sleep.
I woke up, and in robotic form, I took a shower, got dressed, packed the rest of my toiletries, and brought the suitcases downstairs.
Rob got up (after much nagging), and he got ready. We fed the cats, medicated Sammy, and we were off.
We got to the airport, parked, made note of the parking space (which we still messed up, even though I had it in my phone), and dragged the luggage to the door.
Do you sense a very low, boring tone to this entry?
There's a reason for this.
As most of you know, I get chronic migraines (I'm actually in a two-plus week period of them right now). When I don't get enough sleep (or too much), I'm going to get one. I made it through our wedding day without one (a miracle!), so I knew I was screwed that day.
Between the lack of sleep, the tension in my body (traveling), and the oncoming migraine, I was a very unhappy girl that first day. I was practically comatose. Everything I did was methodical-- very little thought involved.
We checked (or tried to) our luggage and found one of our suitcases was too heavy. Thank god we had nice Southwest people, and they guided us as to what to move from suitcase to suitcase to make everything weigh under the 50lb limit. They checked our luggage and sent us on our way.
When we got to security, the woman manning the metal detector got a good chuckle out of our bride and groom shirts (they were little stick figures with top hat and veil). She asked us all sorts of questions. When did you get married? Did she make you wear that shirt? Was your hair that color for the wedding?
Usually, the metal detector person's attitude is something akin to the troll under the bridge, so this was a nice change. We answered all her questions, and she congratulated us. It's funny how people kept looking at us (read: our shirts). Some people just looked and... that was that. Other people (usually younger women) smiled brightly at the shirts. It's all like a big sociological experiment.
Rob grabbed a coffee and some breakfast (when you get up early, you get hungry earlier. I'm used to eating breakfast around 10am; it was before six, and I was ravenous. Hashbrowns and an egg and cheese help (why is it that I don't like eggs, I don't like cheese, and I don't like English muffins, but you put the three together, and it's like heaven?).
We started to eat, and then the plane was boarded.
We got on the plane, and we got the first row! We were very excited, but I'm not crazy about the first row anymore because you have to put all your carry-ons in the overhead bin because of not having a row in front of you. The flight attendant seemed very... ornery. I thought, But I'm wearing a cute shirt!
Another flight attendant noticed our shirts and smiled. She asked us when we got married, and we told her, "Yesterday." She had a few questions for us too.
The flight felt like an eternity (it's only about three hours). I was intent on writing thank you cards and mailing them. I had pulled up theknot and all the gift listings from people (and left them on my desktop), so they were there, even if I didn't have internet. But I forgot that all the addresses were separate, so I couldn't address any of the envelopes.
But I felt so exhausted that it was really difficult to even muster the energy to get through writing the cards. I wrote maybe fifteen, and I decided, I'm going to go to sleep.
HA HA HA HA HA!
I can't sleep on planes. I'll doze off every once in awhile, but it generally lasts five minutes, and I'm up again. I just laid there. I couldn't sleep. I was a mess.
Then I realized we didn't have our requisite flight pictures.
Do I look thrilled or what?!
Let's try that again.
Blurry, but better.
The first Southwest flight to Orlando we ever took was our most enjoyable. The flight attendants sang and joked and made all sorts of cute Disney World comments. We always hope it'll be the same every flight. It never is. The ornery flight attendant did have a sense of humor, however, and she made several jokes after we landed.
Then she said, Okay, I have to embarrass you. What are your names?
So she announced to the flight that we (Rob and Jen [I was so tired, I think actually did say Jen... or Rob answered them]) were newlyweds, and people clapped and cheered, and I turned bright red (I'm sure Rob did too, but the blaring of redness from my face blinded me from seeing anything else).
We got off the plane, and I thought I'd be in better spirits. We hopped on the tram/train/thingie. Took our requisite picture there.
You can see Rob's groom shirt (which he picked out-- I did tell the security lady that at the airport too!).
We headed to the Disney desk. Checked in with them (got the jokes we heard a lot on the trip... "Now let me guess... you're celebrating something..."). Got on the bus.
Spirits usually lift by the time we're on the bus.
All I could do was cry.
I know, an awful start to the honeymoon, but I was so, so, so tired. You know how you think about your wedding, and all you want to do the day after is sleep? That definitely applied to me. I was desperate for sleep. I kept saying to Rob, I don't want to be here; I want to go home.
It wasn't even that I missed the cats (of COURSE, I kept thinking of Neechee, but that wasn't it). I just wanted to curl up in bed and get a couple hours of sleep.
Our room is always ready when we get to Disney World. Even when we arrive at 9:30 in the morning.
Of course it wasn't ready this time.
We were greeted by a newbie (the day before was her first day) and her trainer, and they checked us in. They gave Rob two leis and told us that it was custom that he put the lei around my neck and kiss me. So he did. Then the trainer said, We have to go get that thing. The thing. Before we forget. (Very elusive!) So they disappeared behind the secret door and came back a few minutes later with one of Lana's goodie boxes (thank you, Lana!). We were so touched.
They told us the room wasn't ready, but it was a good one, worth the wait. They gave us a card with a number to call later to check on it. They wished us a great honeymoon, and we slumped on the bench right next to the check-in counter. I opened Lana's box a little to see what goodies were inside, and then we decided to go to Epcot, since we had a lunch reservation in less than two hours.
I ran to the bathroom and changed, and then we checked our carry-ons at the valet desk.
We wandered around the resort, trying to get our bearings straight. We were trying to get to the TTC, so we kept wandering in that general direction, hoping we'd find it. But then I noticed some hammocks out on the beach near Tahiti. We laid on one, and I started to bubble.
I forgot to mention that from the start of our honeymoon, whenever Rob and I would think of the day before, we'd both start tearing up. Once I start crying, I usually cry off and on all day. It's like I've turned a switch on that just won't go off.
So when we made it to the hammock, I started to think of all these questions. And I HAD to know.
What were you thinking?
What were you feeling?
What did you think when you first saw me?
When did you first see me?
Were you scared?
Did you worry about whether or not I'd show up?
Did you get my cards?
What did you feel when you read them?
What did you feel when you did this? Did that?
I was a typical girl, and he was a typical boy:
I wasn't really thinking.
I wasn't really focusing on what I was feeling. I was just... in awe of the day.
I don't remember this. I don't remember that.
La la la.
So I kept asking the same questions over and over again. Crying all the while.
I can't help it. I NEEDED to know.
But I realized we better get going, as we only had about forty minutes before our Le Cellier reservation.
We got to the TTC and got on the monorail and off to Epcot.
I just loved that cake - I hope you got a ton of pictures of it from every angle!
I am at work here with tears in my eyes from the story about your dad! It was so touching and to see the pictures with it! I am so happy you had a perfect fall day for it! You and Rob look so happy and in love with each other! Absolutley Incredible!!!
).
I'm wanting the Honeymoon TR! 
This thread has been wonderful, you truely had a magical heart-felt wedding!
