...neither did we.
Until last Tuesday.If you told me in August when I moved to Raleigh that I'd be leaving as a married woman in less than a year, I'd totally have laughed in your face. Heck, if you'd have told me that fact two weeks and one day ago from this very date that I am writing...I'd totally have laughed in your face. Up until a couple weeks ago, Greg and I had a very content, no rush or worries type of relationship.
Life is full of surprises people.
No, Greg is not pregnant.
And neither am I.
But here's the scoop, I'll start at the beginning.
So Greg and I had a trip booked and planned to go to the Netherlands and Belgium in late June. I mean, I even had the itinerary typed, printed, and enclosed with a pretty border. We were all set!
Then we had a few wrenches thrown at us.
We found out a few weeks ago that there was a chance that Greg was going to be deployed and have to leave in the next 16 days....for four months. That would mean I'd have to reorganize the whole trip we had planned to Europe for myself. I had it in my mind that somehow, he'd have to get out of that pickle. It's impossible that he would be deployed, we already had a whole trip set, right?! (I'm adjusting to the fact that if there is one thing I cannot control, it is the US military). Here is the timeline from then on:
May 19 (Monday): We learned that Greg might not be deployed within the next 16 days. Instead he might be stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. For two-three years. We'd be finding out that week.
Of course I was upset. So I called my go-to crowd for when I'm having a freak-out: Mom and dad. My mom was asleep, so my dad said "Yeah, well, you know. The military is tough. Grandpa was in the air force, and it was hard, we were always moving around. But they sent Grandma and she could go with him because they were married. Well, that's too bad about you and Greg."
And so the marriage idea was planted in my head.
Really though, I didn't sleep that night. I stayed up making cancellations for our once perfectly planned trip to Europe, and analyzing every single option, at every single angle, with every single outcome for our situation at hand.
May 20 (Tuesday): My bags were packed and prepared to spend every evening after work at Fort Bragg until I know exactly what is going on. After work I headed down. I found out that Greg will be stationed in Germany for two-three years, and has to report on July 10. We discussed our options for this situation, and completely on the same page, both concluded "let's get married, and I'll move to Germany too." You know this is a decision that just a week before making it, Greg and I were talking about how insane it would be to do something just like this. I called my dad to give him a heads up, so not to be totally blind-sided when Greg would call asking "Can I marry your daughter next week? And take her to Germany for three years?"
May 21-23 (Wednesday-Friday): Anxiety has been relieved. I have a pretty normal week teaching my students. Though when I start to take posters down because the school year is ending, my kids ask "Why are you taking those down? Are you going to another classroom?" No, actually, I am going to another country. At some point during this week I found out that I've been accepted into graduate school at North Carolina State University...however grad school will need to be temporarily postponed.
May 24 (Saturday): Greg and I had lunch with our friends; Jeff and Ashley. After lunch, we looked at each and said "What do you want to do today?" "I don't know. Do you want to go get our rings?" "ok".
So we went to the Crabtree Valley Mall in Cary, NC, and walked into the first diamond ring store we saw: Helzberg Diamonds. In we go. I have absolutely NO clue what in the heck I am looking for. Ask Greg, rarely do I ever get nervous. But my hands were shaking so much that all those potential rings were flinging off my hand left and right. I'm going to have this thing forever....I better make a good pick! In the end, I did find a bit of a unique one, which I loved. Afterwards Greg got himself a new shirt and tie at Express. Since he got new clothes for this very soon, but still undated makeshift wedding of ours, I decided I should get myself a new dress for the event. JCPenney was having a Memorial Day weekend sale, so there we go. I got myself a white sundress on sale for 25 dollars, and boom! We were just about ready. Except we had no idea when or where to get married. We researched that the only places to get married on an upcoming weekend, would be at a detention center. Perfect. Isn't that what all girls DREAM of since childhood?!
May 25-26 (Sunday-Monday): We did a lot on Saturday. It was time to relax for a minute, and do nothing for these two days. Except on Monday, we went to Kohl's because I had coupons. I bought some jewelry and shoes to match my dress.
May 27 (Tuesday): We decided we will take work off on Friday, and get married at the Wake County Courthouse in Raleigh. I cancelled all of my bookings including the flight to Europe that was scheduled for us in the end of June, and told my principal what was going on, and that I will not be returning next school year.
May 28-29 (Wednesday-Thursday): I tried to call as many close friends and family as I could in those two days to tell them what was going down on Friday. My mom and dad headed down to Raleigh on Thursday, all the while, making phone calls as well. I went to get my nails done that night, and came home to a beautiful bouquet of flowers at my door...a gift from my awesome in-laws!
May 30 (Friday): I woke up about 7am and got ready to get married. Greg came over at about 8am, and my mom and dad finished their drive and arrived around 8:30. Upon her arrival, my mom wrapped some roses from my in-laws in ribbon, so I could have flowers to hold..you know, like a normal bride.
We were one of about 4 couples getting married...and we were in fact, the first ones to arrive at the courtroom.
So picture this: four couples, plus some friends and family...all happy and carrying on as we waited for the judge to get the show on the road. When suddenly, the side door opens, we are all shushed, and in walks a fine fellow in handcuffs. No, he wasn't meeting his bride in that room.
How nice, there was a pre-show to our ceremonies! We all got to sit through this guys trial, listened as he argued how he can't make it on his next court date, and in the end...witnessed him being sentenced to jail. So romantic. <3
They shipped that guy away, and then it was our turn! When the judge (who actually was complete with a jumbo size soda from Bojangles on his desk...again, so romantic <3) asked who was getting married first, I made sure to jump up before anyone else. I didn't want the parking meter to run out before we were married.
So in about 1.5 minutes...we were Mrs. and Mr. Hargraves. People, it's THAT easy.
As we left the courtroom, I noticed my dad was not behind us. Turns out, the next lady getting hitched was down one witness. Well not if Mitch Wagner had anything to do with it! Yes, my dad was an official witness for a complete stranger. His name will forever be on their marriage certificate.
I printed and framed a few photos of some family and close friends that could not make it on that short of notice.
We had a few hours to kill before we could go back to the courthouse to pick up our certificate. So we went to lunch, and to the Life and Science Museum, which is where Greg and I had our first date in August.
Greg and I went to the ring store to see if my ring was in yet. It wasn't...so some might say that we were married before we were engaged.
For dinner, my parents took us to a restaurant in downtown Raleigh called "Second Empire". If ever you are around Raleigh, this restaurant is a MUST. It is inside a gorgeous old historical home, and the food is delicious.
In conclusion, stay tuned for future posts on our upcoming travels as we move to Germany, and explore all around!
And do not act like this whole thing surprises you about me. I did blindly move to Russia, all by myself a couple years ago.
-Gina
May 31 (Saturday): Because of the "snow" days we had this past winter, Saturday was a snow make-up day. Yes, Saturday school does exist. Mr. Hargraves came to visit my class this day. As he walked down the hall, my students said things like :
"Who is that kid?!"
"That's not a kid, that's a firefighter!"
"No, it's Miss Wagner's dad! It's her dad!"
They were shocked when I told them that this guy is my husband. They just discovered I had a boyfriend about 3 weeks ago. So then I heard comments like this:
"Well what about your boyfriend??"
"How do you get married?"
"Did you eat cake?"
"He's in middle school, right?" Miss Wagner: No, he is in the military. "Did you survive?"
"Are you a teenager Miss Wagner?"
"So and so (child in the class) is married too!" Miss Wagner: No, no she is not.
Mr. Hargraves came to recess with us. I told the kids that he likes bugs, because he does. Just about all of them spent recess catching bugs for Greg to see. Greg even had the privilege of naming a few of these "pet" bugs.
The students can't really wrap their heads around my new name. Every time they say "Mrs. Hargraves", they giggle. "Mr. Hargraves" rolls right off tongues! They've been asking where he is everyday since they've met him!
