Day 1

The flight was surprisingly smoother until we reached the top of Lake Michigan. As we started to descend it got bumpy because we started into the clouds, which sucked. I hate to fly really anyways and I expect the shitty turbulence, but I still hate it. I got into O’Hare at around 12:30, grabbed my luggage and went over to the bus station and caught the 1:30 bus to Rockford. I played my DS the entire way practically except when there was a thunderstorm. My nose was glued to the window watching the cloud to ground lightning. Ajemi sent me a text message telling me that there was a tornado 10 minutes away from where she was picking me up. It was awesome! We didn’t see it unfortunately, but we did go to Panera Bread, stuff ourselves silly and then went to her softball game. After that we drove up to her parents house and called it a night.

Day 2

Saturday was Ajemi’s bridal shower and bachelorette party. It was hotter than the hinges of hell and the building where we held the shower had no air conditioning. The food was fantastic and we played games. I think people were slightly miserable because it was so hot but overall I think they had fun. Brandie, Loni, Ajemi and I did, and I think that’s all that matters! She got a lot of great gifts and afterwards Ajemi looked at me and said ‘I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be excited to get gifts I can use to cook.’ Oh the joys of being a grownup. After the shower, we went back to her parent’s house and got ready for the party. We met at the bar at around 7, had a drink and then got on the bus and went bar hopping. We all had a great time, bar hopping, drinking on the bus and playing games. It was a great day, and we got home around 4am.

Day 3

Brandie, Ajemi and I went into Rockford to try and find bridesmaid dresses for Saturday. After about 2 stores we found some in JC Penney. The dresses are beautiful, and they’re red. We didn’t have to compromise anything, which is good because Ajemi was willing to settle, and you don’t settle when it’s your wedding. After the mall, we went to Panera Bread and then to Coldstone for ice cream. Brandie had never had Coldstone before so it was a treat! When we got back to her parent’s house we loaded up the car and just as we were about leave, the skies unleashed their fury. There were tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings all over the county. There was a funnel cloud spotted 3 miles south of the town and then another spotted right outside their town, so we waited it out for a bit and then left. We were on the lookout for funnel clouds/tornadoes all the way home but once we hit Rockford, it seemed to die down completely. I really wanted to see a tornado, or at least a funnel cloud.

Day 4

Ajemi and Brandon were both at work all day so I slept in and was lazy all day. It was fabulous. I know Ajemi felt bad but I didn’t mind at all. I’m not at home and I love to be alone so it worked out perfectly. When they both got home from work we went out to a bar called Fatty’s and had the best nachos I’ve ever had in my entire life, and then I had one of the best chicken sandwiches I’ve ever had in my entire life. The next time I fly out here, we’re definitely going back. After dinner we came back and watched Lucky Number Slevin, which I had never seen, and was a little wary of seeing because the name made it sound like a farce and I’m not into those types of movies really. But I was wrong and it was not a farce but a suspenseful crime thriller and it was utterly amazing. I definitely need to see it again to catch the stuff that I’ve missed.

Day 5

I slept in and watched television all day. When Ajemi got home we went and did some errands for the ceremony on Saturday and then we came back and made dinner. Green bean casserole is one of my absolute favorite dishes ever. Ajemi makes it with mushroom soup and I usually have it with cheddar soup but they are both so damn good. We watched Twister while we ate and then watched an episode of Army Wives. This week is flying by; it’s surreal.

Day 6

I slept in again; it was fabulous. I need to convince Ajemi that I’d be doing the same thing (lying around all day) if I were at home, or at the beach so it’s okay that she has to work all day. When she got out of work we went to her softball game and then came back and watched Knocked Up. I had never seen it before and it was absolutely hilarious. I need to buy it now.

Day 7

Ajemi and I got up sort of early, packed, got ready and did some errands. We went to every store you could possibly think of to get last minute items like…shoes for Ajemi to wear with her dress (sort of important), supplies for the centerpieces, and shoes for the bridesmaids to wear. After that we drove up to her parents house, and on the way got our nails done and did a few more errands. Brandon came up later that night after he got off of work and the foreign exchange student who lived with them from high school had flown in from China. There were bad storms in the area so we stayed inside all night.

Day 8

Today we got up, got ready and started getting things ready for Saturday. We made the ribbons for the chairs, and the centerpieces. It took us a while because we had no idea what we were doing. She gave the wedding party their gifts and I nearly cried when she gave me mine. It’s a glass heart with a clock in it, and inscribed it says ‘Time enriches friendship, and friendship enriches life. Dear Emily, may our friendship last forever.’ We went to Ajemi’s sister’s house to bring one of the bridesmaid dresses for last minute alterations. Her sister has a ton of birds and the parrot and the other white one (I don’t know the name of it) scared the crap out of me because they weren’t in their cages. That night was the rehearsal dinner. We went to the park and got our stories straight and then went over to Brandon’s brother’s house for a cookout.

Day 9

We were up super early to get our hair done. Our appointment was at 8am and we didn’t leave the salon until 11. We went back to her parents house ate a lot really quickly because we wouldn’t be able to eat again until the reception. We went to the hall after and got everything ready. Then headed over to the ceremony. We got ready inside a church, which was next to the park. We took pictures while we waited for the people to deliver the chairs and after the pictures were taken, we STILL were waiting for the people to deliver the chairs. The girls went back to the church to wait and at around 3:45 we went back over and saw the chair people driving away, with the chairs still in their truck. Brandon told them to get lost, they had found makeshift chairs while we were gone. The ceremony was beautiful, and Brandon and Ajemi were beautiful too. The ceremony ended just in time because it started to rain as we were getting in the cars to go to the reception.

The reception was something else. The food was AMAZING. People had a great time, beer was free and people danced. Ajemi looked like she was having fun, and so did Brandon and that’s all that matters! The entire wedding party each gave a speech before the meal, and we toasted, laughed, and cried.

Day 10

We got up relatively early, which is shocking. We went to drop off the tuxes and clean the reception hall. Ajemi and Brandon showed up and helped too. After we got everything cleaned we went back to Ajemi’s parents house and they came over and opened their gifts. After the gifts, we loaded up the car and headed to the airport, where I’m writing this now, waiting for my plane to board. The check in line for United was seriously a two-hour wait. I went outside and did the curbside check in, that line was about a 45 minute wait but it was better than the atrocity that was inside. Next time I fly in there, I’m only taking carry on luggage so I don’t have to deal with this hassle.

I miss you already Ajemi.