Moment of Zen?

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Anyone who's seen The Daily Show on Comedy Central is familar with the last segment of the show, entitled "Moment of Zen". It's usually pretty funny and pretty childish.

Now, I bring you the Dry Tea rough equivilent of this (because I am most certainly not Buddhist (see: Zen)):


Daniel and Cate

"My favorite 3 things: skipping, playing the flute, and burning towns down."

- Gwen (Guild Wars)

An Old Friend's Birthday (She's not that old!)

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The photo album on the right is not the last of things. I do still plan on telling some stories from our honeymoon. (all rated G, I promise!)

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" though (John Lennon), and I want to share a quick couple of pictures from something that happened after we got back.

Lilly and I went to my friend, Merry's, 27th birthday party the other night. It was at this crazy place called Al Biernat's. I heard someone mention it was a 5 star restaurant. We didn't realize this as we walked in. Luckily for us though, there was a person there who had the means, the love for Merry, and the generous heart to be paying for everyone's meal anyways. (This was apparently the plan before hand.)

That being said, it instantly became a more relaxing night. I think we all had lots of fun. The food was amazingly terrific. I even got to see a few old friends from high school. (woohoo!)

Here's a couple quick pictures:


A few friends from High School


Merry had a blast


There was plenty of good wine all around


And plenty of leftovers, too!

Old Friends

Old friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
of the high shoes of the old friends

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settle like dust on the shoulders of the old friends

Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
Silently sharing the same fears

- Simon and Garfunkel

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

- John Lennon

Wedding Pictures, The German Invasion, and the Honeymoon - Part 2

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I uploaded a huge amount of photos tonight, and created a little web "photo album" for them. (link is on the right!) I'll try to tell some of the stories behind them in the next few days, and I may post a few more, too.



Our Hotel Room

For the first two nights, we went and stayed in the Wyndham Hotel by the Galleria here in Dallas. They gave us a great view because it was our honeymoon, and they even left us a really awesome gift: A plate of freshfruit and a bottle of Chardonnay!


The plate of fruit and wine (After Lilly got to the fruit, of course!)


They left us an awesome note, too


So, we hung up the "Do Not Disturb" sign, totally relaxed under the knowledge that our stress from all of the wedding planning was finally over!!

It was an awesome view.


By day


Or by night...

When we came back, Thursday morning, we sort of paused our honeymoon for a few days, and I went back to work for the afternoon. That evening, Kai, Uli, and Moerssl were going over to Cate's to eat Mexican food. We opted to use that time to try to get the bed from my parent's house that my brother, Jonathan, is lending us and to set it up.

From Honeymoon Photos

Our new bed

It's pretty cool. It's a huge Kingsized bed, and Jonathan, as a wedding present, got us the hanging canopy thing. (Lilly was ogling that when we went and registered at Bed, Bath, and Beyond) Maybe it seems crazy to make such a big deal out of a bed, but we both like it very much.

The next day, we went out with Uli, Kai, and Moerssl down to the Reunion Tower downtown. It just so happened that Dallas had one of those really BIG scary thunderstorms while we were down there.


Yes, that WAS rotation, and that WAS a funnel cloud....about a couple hundred yards off the side of the Reunion Tower...

When a funnel cloud formed off the south eastern side of the tower, we were all hustled into the stairwell. From there, most of us (including some employees!) decided to make the long descent down by foot. That's about 50 stories (51 as one person commented) worth of stairs! My legs hurt for the next several days!


You can see the storm bearing down on us.


It got really dark really fast, too.


How many people do you think have had the chance to go down these stairs...


The doors to the Union Station leading out.

Luckily, the worst part of the storm left us alone that night. It was kind of fun, too.

Anyways, I'm exhausted and going to sleep. Feel free to browse through the photos I put up.

~ Guten Nacht!

Wedding Pictures, The German Invasion, and the Honeymoon - Part 1

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Being in the wedding, one doesn't have much of a chance to be taking photos. For Lilly and I, we had no chance at all. (We were busy) However, Moerssl managed to get some, and, before he left, he copied them to me. So, I thought it would be fun to share some of them and then, after that, some of the photos Lilly and I took while we were on our honeymoon.

The problem is that there are SO MANY of them. So, this might take awhile. I'll start at the beginning....


Many of Lilly's family and friendds came into town for the wedding. (Some of them pictured above)


We all enjoyed a time of playing around at a local western wear store. (Moerssl, pictured above, took (or had taken) most, if not all, of these pictures with his camera)


Western clothes seem to fit Papi (Lilly's dad) very well.


Uli might be a little too small for them though...


Mutti (Lilly's mom) and Lilly looked really great.


Especially Lilly (Sorry, Mutti! :-P )


I think the all black outfit works really well here...


I think Kai just wanted a new car...


Kai graciously allowed us to use him for playing a song during the wedding, Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God. (We were practicing it and playing some other stuff one night while they were at my place)


Kai, Uli, Lilly, and Moerssl had many breakfasts on the patio. (Even though Moerssl is not in this picture...)


I think they also liked Rajah....well, until he pee'd on something... (Uli with Rajah)


And Uli and Kai made a really awesome sign for us which, while shown here attached to the inside of the patio, they moved it out to the railing in front of the front door after the ceremony.


This is one of the few photos that got leaked from the bachelor party.


And here is a photo from the rehearsal.

Finally, the wedding was upon us. One thing I totally neglected to do was to shave properly and get a hair cut beforehand. (More of a hair trim I think) At any rate, we ended up having a last minute hair styling for the groom. Becca, who also did Lilly's hair and was one of the bridesmaids, came in and styled it a bit after it was first dryed. (I took a shower just before showing up to the church) Poor Jason had the illustrius task of drying and brushing my hair before Becca could do her work!

Jason drying my hair


Cheyenne kept coming with messages from Lilly and the bridesmaids. (Daniel and Eric respond...)


Jason was looking very cool in his Tux and sunglasses.


Kai looked very very sharp in his all black outfit. (I was jealous.)

Moerssl acted as an usher along with Pat at the very last minute. (Both were asked at the very last moment and did very well)


Usher Moerssl


Finally, the time came. (I was so nervous...)


Papi walked Lilly up to the front and gave a speech. In English!! (This was what ESPN would call an "Instant Classic" moment. People have been asking for a transcript)


We finally made it through all the vows and questions, etc., and came to my favorite part, the kiss!! It apparently was pretty crazy, and we had to stop because we were laughing at the noise from all the response.


My new favorite part: Being presented before God's throne (in a spiritual sense) and the assembled peoples as man and wife!


Here's a picture of the whole wedding party. (excluding our parents, translator (Kai), and ushers (Pat and Moerssl))


And, thus, it was on to the cake!


It was even more delicious than it was beautiful! (That's just the bottom "layer" there)


My Uncle suggested (and we thought it was soooo cool!) that my brother drive us around in my uncle's beautiful Cadillac. (Pictured above: The Cadillac and Kai)

Of course, then it was on to the private reception later. (A lot of people who were supposed to get invites to this one did not get them in time due to a snaffu on my part. I am totally sorry, guys!!)



It was a lot of fun. (Pictured above: Kai manning the bar)


There was dancing and smiles all around. (Lilly's Uncle Frank dancing with my friend, Stephanie (Frank was reportedly thrilled))


Moerssl and Cate


I just wonder....exactly how drunk was Daniel??? (Moerssl doesn't drink...)

That's it for now. We just got back today from the honeymoon, and I still need to sort out those photos. I hope you've enjoyed these. I'll try to get more up in the next day or so...

~ tchuess!

Wedding Cakes

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These were all baked by our professional bakers (in my kitchen), Uli and Mutti, my wonderful mother-in-law.

We are married!

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We are married now!

There are pictures, and I would love to share them with you. I will try to do so later though.

"Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday.

Mawage, that bwessed awangment,

that dweam wifin a dweam... "

- The Princess Bride

25 1/2 hours and counting...

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The wedding is getting so close. I feel so nervous.

I hope I don't screw anything up...

"O God, thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small."

-- Author Unknown

When Wikipedia isn't helping...

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I'm trying to fing out a little information on what exactly the "Groomsmen Gifts" are. I hit up Google, but all it did was tell me that engraved flasks, etc., are popular. Wikipedia was my first place to look, but I couldn't even find a mention of them on it.

Is this a wedding tradition that will be missed if I overlook it? Where do I find out about this stuff? And, if I don't do whatever it is I'm supposed to do, will they be disappointed but never say it?

I could use a little advice here, if anybody knows about these things. I have less than a week until the wedding, so engraved items are pretty much out of question (unless I engrave them!). I actually have an idea of something that would be pretty cool (and amusing), but I don't know if I will have the time to pursue it....(or the money!!)

Suggestions?

The Color Green

And the moon is a sliver of silver
Like a shaving that fell on the floor of a Carpenter's shop
And every house must have it's builder
And I awoke in the house of God
Where the windows are mornings and evenings
Stretched from the sun
Across the sky north to south
And on my way to early meeting
I heard the rocks crying out
I heard the rocks crying out

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise

And the wrens have returned and they're nesting
In the hollow of that oak where his heart once had been
And he lifts up his arms in a blessing for being born again
And the streams are all swollen with winter
Winter unfrozen and free to run away now
And I'm amazed when I remember
Who it was that built this house
And with the rocks I cry out

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise

- Rich Mullins

All in an evening's work...

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I haven't posted on here much lately. We've been under a lot of stress, and we've been overwhelmed with all the things we have to do to get ready for the wedding. It is krass.

Tonight, several of Lilly's friends and family arrived here in Dallas. We picked them up from the airport. Then, after a quick stop at my apartment, we went to the hotel. There, we spent about an hour trying to check them into their rooms. An hour.

Apparently, after hours, security is responsible for checking in guests. However, even though we spoke with office personal beforehand, they left no note (they had promised to leave one!) with security about our checkin. It was tough.

Then, two of the room keys did not work. And, they put everyone in smoking rooms. They stunk. So, we went down, negotiated with security some more, and got all new rooms. Finally, everyone was settled!

It was crazy introducing Lilly's family to my parents. We all shared a toast with champagne, and then we left them to sleep.

Before I go for the night though, I want to put out a prayer request that is on my heart: My friend, Helen, (Cate's grandmother) fell a few days ago, and she is now facing an increasingly difficult life. I don't really know what to think about it, but, if she can not come to church on Sunday mornings anymore, I will miss her and feel very sad.

I pray that her body will recover very quickly.

~ Guten Nacht.