The Best Day of My Life

Well, it's official!  I'm a married "woman". :D  The wedding is over, the guests (and Robby!) are all napping, and I have just a few minutes to relate the whole thing to all of you.   If I can focus, that is...I'm on cloud nine! :)

We did have the lovely outside wedding that we'd planned.  The weather was sunny and the grass was still lush and green.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to get married under the rose bush like I'd hoped.  The petals were starting to wither a bit, for one thing.  But more importantly, it was just a little too hot in the sun.  None of us wanted to melt. ;)

About 15 minutes before everything was supposed to begin, our guests took their seats.  Isabella and Tiana had kindly offered to watch Baby Emmaline and Baby Abigail since Eugene and Rapunzel were standing up with us in the ceremony.  The babies loved being outside and cooed and babbled happily with their babysitters.

Cordelia came as well, and much to my surprise, Ben also attended.  I wasn't sure if he would after our history.  Rapunzel and I were still getting ready when everyone was taking their seats, so Tiana filled us in on all of the details later.  She said that Ben very pointedly took the farthest seat away from Isabella that he could.  Tiana said that Isabella looked sad about this, but didn't say anything.  Ben can be such a stinker!

Of course, things didn't turn out so well for him when Marguerite, completely oblivious to his past feelings for her, settled herself comfortably beside him.  

"Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked pleasantly.  I could just picture her sweet voice, thick with her French accent, when Tiana told me.  "Raoul has to perform the ceremony, so I'm all alone."

Tiana said it took Ben a while to respond.  His face was turned away from her, so Tiana couldn't catch his expression, but I could imagine the stunned, pained look pretty well on my own.

"No, not at all," he finally managed.  

Apparently, Marguerite chatted happily away the entire time they were waiting for the ceremony to begin.  I felt a twinge of pity for poor Ben at this.  That had to have been hard. 

Eugene filled Rapunzel in later (and of course, she shared it with us!).  He had a better vantage point from his spot up front.  I guess Marguerite kept right on visiting, even when Raoul, Robby and Eugene stood up front to wait for me to come out.  Eugene said that Ben never took his eyes off of her, and that he had the most mournful expression on his face that Eugene had ever seen.  Meanwhile, Marguerite laughed and talked as if they were the best of friends, utterly blind to the pain she was causing.  And how could she know?  Ben had never shared his feelings with her.  He'd never had a chance, really.  Before he could say anything, Raoul had arrived at the house, and then it was obvious that Marguerite's affections already lay elsewhere.

When the music began, Marguerite finally stopped visiting with Ben, and all of the audience sat attentively, waiting for Rapunzel and I to make our entrance.  (Beast'sbelle had kindly plugged her CD player in and put it on the front porch so that we could have some music for the ceremony. :D )  I had selected "Meditation" by Thais as the music I would walk into.  I'd heard it on Beast'sbelle's "Never Grow Up" blog and thought it was absolutely beautiful.  I love violins!!

Once the music started, Rapunzel and I took our places behind the rose bush and waited for a few minutes.  We were going to let the music play a while and let everyone get in the right mood before I made my appearance. ;)

I was able to sneak a peak through the branches at my beloved.  He looked so nervous!  He was staring down at the ground as if he couldn't bear to look.  Or maybe he wasn't nervous...maybe he was just ready and couldn't wait another second.

Suddenly, I felt the same way.  "Let's go," I whispered to Rapunzel, who was going to walk in with me.

"Are you sure?" she whispered back.  "You were going to wait 3 more measures."

Three measures of music felt like a lifetime.  "I'm sure," I said confidently.

Rapunzel grinned and took my arm.  "Then let's go," she said sweetly.

We came out from behind the rosebush and headed over for the tree where I'd spent so many hours with my beloved Robby.

My heart was pounding, but I couldn't stop smiling.  It all felt so surreal!

And then I caught a glimpse of him.  I'll never forget the look of pure adoration he had on his face as he gazed at me, or the way he took a deep breath as I approached.  Never had I felt so absolutely cherished.  And that's saying a lot, because Robby has given me plenty of caring looks in the past! :)  This one was more wonderful than all the rest, though.  I wanted to rush into his arms right that minute, but I restrained myself...barely. ;)

As we approached the tree, Rapunzel left my side and took her place beside Raoul, who was going to officiate the ceremony since Percy was no longer with us.  I could feel happiness welling up inside of me so intensely that I thought I might burst.  The combination of the beautiful music, the face of my betrothed, and the excitement of the day had all combined into one huge wave of giddiness.  I felt as if I could fly if someone only asked me to. 

And then, almost before I knew it, I was standing there among the rose petals, facing Robby, ready to commit to him for the rest of my days.  

"You look beautiful," Robby whispered warmly as we came together.

I blushed.  "Thanks," I whispered back.  "You look amazing in that tux."

He made a face.  "I wanted to stick with my usual clothes, but Beast'sbelle insisted.  Glad you approve."  

He gave me a little wink, and I stifled a giggle.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rapunzel and Eugene exchanging a tender glance, no doubt remembering their own special day over a year ago.  And they both loved us so much that this was most likely just as exciting for them as it was for us.  They'd both been hoping this day would come for months, even before I was convinced. ;)

I focused my attention back on myself and Robby, waiting for Raoul to begin the ceremony.  But Robby had an unexpected surprise up his sleeve.  

Looking deeply into my eyes, he started to sing.  It took me a while in my surprised state to recognize the song he was singing.  It was "You Were Meant for Me" from "Singin' In the Rain".  We'd watched it a few weeks ago, and I'd mentioned how much I liked that song.  Apparently, he'd been paying attention!

[Side Note #1:  I've included a link to the original song HERE  for those of you who aren't familiar with it.  Of course, Robby's version was a bit different.  He sang it a cappella, and we also didn't break into a dance number in the middle of it (good thing, too, since I can't dance to save my life!). ;)  Still, it'll give you an idea of how special it was.] 

Now, Robby's not a huge fan of musicals or romantic movies, but he puts up with them because I like them. So that shows you just how much he loves me.  He took the time to learn a song from a movie that wasn't even one of his favorites, just because he knew it would be significant for me.

It was the most beautiful, moving thing anyone had ever done for me.  Instantly, I was brought back to the day we'd gone outside, when I'd first discovered his singing ability.  I only wished I could sing well enough to join him.  I clamped my jaw closed, just in case my joy overtook my good sense.

Once Robby's song was over, the ceremony officially began.  I know Raoul said a lot of nice things, but honestly, I don't remember most of them.  It's all kind of a blur.  :}  I did pay enough attention to repeat my vows along with Robby:  

"I Belle take you Robby, to be my wedded husband.  To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in brokenness and mint condition, with rich humans or poor, for better or for worse, till dumpster or landfill do us part."

 Before I knew it, the time had come to exchange our bracelets.

We'd brought the "Je Taime" box that Robby had used to give me my engagement bracelet.  It held the bracelets safely until it was time.  

Rapunzel scooped down and got both bracelets out, then waited to hand them to us as Raoul started talking about them.

[Side note #2:  You might notice that we didn't do the same glove ceremony as Eugene and Rapunzel.  I really wanted to, but my gloves weren't in the best of shape, and I also wanted to keep the wedding as simple and short as possible.  I hadn't planned on going over our traditions again in this post since I went into such detail for Eugene and Rapunzel's wedding post.  If you're interested in a refresher course, you can view their wedding HERE.] ;)

When Raoul had finished, Robby placed my bracelet on my left wrist...

...and I placed his on his left wrist.

Raoul pronounced us husband and wife, and Robby bent down to kiss his bride.

And with that, I was officially married.  It seemed so strange.  Months of anticipation and planning and dreaming had all come down to a simple 15 minute ceremony, over in the blink of an eye.  But now, the real adventure began. ;)

Our guests all cheered and applauded, full of joy for us on our special day.  I looked out at each one of them, so thankful that they had come to witness this important moment in our lives.  

We didn't do a receiving line because everyone was planning on sticking around afterwards, and Beast'sbelle really wanted to get some photos of us.

The Happy Couple

Rapunzel and I

Eugene and Robby

We also got a group shot of everyone who was able to attend. :)

And of course, Beast'sbelle went crazy with the camera and took a TON of wedding photos.  She had advised us to wait to do pictures until after the wedding so that the first time Robby saw me in my dress would be when I was walking towards him during the ceremony.  It was a little tiring to have to do all of the pictures afterwards, but I'm so glad we did it that way.  I wouldn't exchange the look my almost-husband gave me when he first saw me for anything! :)

Anyway, here are some of our very favorites:

After a while, my veil really started to bother me, so I took it off and posed for the rest of the pictures without it. ;)

In keeping with tradition, I selected the wedding guest who would have the honor of receiving my wedding bouquet.  After Tiana's story last weekend, I knew without a doubt that she would be the right choice.

I hoped that somehow, someway, she would be able to be reunited with her special Naveen doll.  And I hoped that if the Naveen on his way was the wrong one, I could perhaps convince Beast'sbelle to send him back and search for the right one.

After all, Tiana deserved to have a day just as happy as this one for herself.

Once we had finished our pictures (we thought!), we headed over to cut our...Reese's.  You'll all remember how important the cake was to Robby. :}  Well, Beast'sbelle kind of ran out of time to get a cake for us, but she happened to have a heart-shaped Reese's peanut butter cup available.  It was just the right size, and the heart shape was very appropriate.  Robby decided that would be an okay substitute, so we went ahead and used it. :)

It looked delicious!  I was sure our guests wouldn't mind the substitution. ;)

Beast'sbelle cut if for us since she didn't want any of us using sharp knives.  She's really big on having mint condition dolls without any lacerations. ;)

We took turns feeding each other and decided to be NICE (no smashing Reese's in each other's faces or anything!).  I'm a little embarrassed by this picture, though.  My arm locked in place at this weird angle for a minute, and before I could fix it, Robby bent down and took his bite, and Beast'sbelle snapped a picture.  How embarrassing! :{

Robby's picture looks much more sophisticated. ;)

Apparently no one minded the Reese's, because it was gone within minutes! 

Like I mentioned earlier, we figured we were all done with pictures, but then Beast'sbelle mentioned that the sun had shifted, so it might be nice to take some pictures by the roses.  Part of me wanted to just skip it, but Beast'sbelle reminded us that we'd never be able to capture this moment again, so it was always better to err on the side of too many pictures than not enough.  We figured she was probably right, so we agreed, even though we were getting tired of posing!  They turned out really nicely, though, so I guess I shouldn't complain. ;)

At last the pictures were finished, and the guests had returned to the house.  Robby and I flopped back in the grass and stole a few minutes to ourselves. 

"Can you believe we're actually married now?" I asked him incredulously.  "I feel like it's all just a dream, and tomorrow, I'll wake up to things the way they used to be."

Robby smiled gently as we sat up.  "It's not a dream, Belle."  I loved the way his voice caressed my name as he said it.  "You really are mine.  No more waiting and pining."

He leaned in closer and gave me a tender look.  "I'm afraid you're stuck with me for good, m'dear."

I pretended to think about this for a moment.  "I suppose I could live with that," I teased him.

I had only a moment to see the grin that spread across his features before he stooped down and kissed me.

I don't know how frequently I'll be posting in the next few days.  I'd like to just focus on Robby and spending time with him.  I'll be in touch in the weeks to come, though.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by to share our special day with us!  We love hearing from all of you and are humbled that you're so interested in our little plastic lives. ;)  Oh, and Robby said to be sure and say hello to everyone for him, too. :)

Girl Talk

At last, I've got a little time on the computer!  Beast'sbelle was working on her checkbook for several hours this afternoon (something about a math error or two...she was really stressed out!), and I was beginning to think I'd never get a chance to do this post! :} 

Like I mentioned in either an earlier post or an earlier comment, last Saturday my friends came to help me get my room ready before the wedding.  I still felt really self-conscious about being the only one with a room of my own, but none of the other girls seemed to mind.  They've all been really nice about it.  Rapunzel even pointed out that I was the logical one to get my own room, since Belle was Beast'sbelle's favorite Disney Princess.  It still made me feel weird to be so favored, though.  

Before we got to work, we all sat and visited for a while.  I'd really missed being able to visit whenever I wanted (yet another reason I'm not a fan of my room:  it keeps me too isolated!).  Cordelia was not able to make it, as she'd recently been moved to the curio with Marguerite and Raoul, but Tiana, Isabella and Rapunzel all came.  It was kind of nice that way, though.  These three were the ones I was the closest to.  

"I can't believe the wedding's less than a week away!" I said with a mixture of excitement and nervousness (remember, this was Saturday). ;)  

Rapunzel smiled over at me.  "I'm so happy for you and Robby, Belle.  Married life is wonderful.  You two will love it!"

I blushed.  "It's just crazy to think that by this time next week, I'll be Robby's wife.  I feel happy and nervous and giddy and a little queasy.  What on earth is wrong with me?"

Rapunzel laughed.  "I think that's pretty normal.  I had to make myself eat the week before my wedding.  I was so on edge that I couldn't get rid of the butterflies in my stomach!"

"Still, in spite of your nervousness, you must be very pleased, no?" Isabella remarked in her lovely French accent.  "To be getting married to the one you love more than any other...it is so romantic!"  And she let out a huge, dreamy sigh.

Rapunzel and I giggled, and Isabella joined in.  I never would have thought that I'd come to love this dramatic, dreamy, fashion-obsessed doll as a dear friend.  When she first arrived, I thought she was shallow and waayy too excited about clothes.  But little by little, I'd come to know the real Isabella, the doll who was fiercely loyal to her friends, always keeping her eye out for others, and full of passionate ideas and dreams.   She also had an absolutely gorgeous singing voice, even better than Rapunzel's!  Sigh.  I would feel slightly better if at least one of the other dolls Beast'sbelle brought home was tone deaf like me. ;)  

She still tended to randomly change her outfit every few minutes, but it didn't annoy me as much as it used to.  I was still glad for my less involved wardrobe, but I didn't see why I had to get so worked up over something so harmless that brought her so much joy.  

Tiana had also become a special part of our group in a very short amount of time.  She was one of those dolls that you couldn't help liking.  She always had a smile on her face and always had a positive, upbeat outlook on life.  Plus, she could sing just like Anika Noni Rose (the voice of the actual Tiana).

"So, what did you have in mind for us today, Belle?" Tiana asked in her sweet southern drawl.  

"Well, I'd like to get some decorations up on the walls, and maybe organize my other things.  I don't know...I think some stuff will just have to wait until Robby gets here and we decide the best place for things together."

Tiana nodded.  "That's understandable.  But I'm sure we can spruce this place up in no time!"

"First things first, though," I said with mock seriousness.  "You were going to tell us a little bit more about yourself, remember?"

Tiana looked embarrassed.  "I guess we did have that conversation, didn't we?"

We all nodded.  Rapunzel and I waited expectantly, while Isabella settled herself on the floor and leaned back against the bed.

"Are you sure you don't want to work on the room first?" Our newest friend seemed uncomfortable in the spotlight.

"It can wait," I encouraged her.

"Well, as you know, I started out at the Disney Store, just like you two."  She motioned to Rapunzel and I as she said this.  "It wasn't a bad place to be, although I wasn't a big fan of the twist ties and the confined box."  

I shuddered just remembering my original box.  I was so glad that Beast'sbelle liked opening her dolls.  Well, most of them.  My gaze wandered over to her boxed Belle dolls across the room.  I was really glad I wasn't fancy enough to be one of them!

"I'll never forget the day I was put on the shelf," Tiana continued softly.  "They had so many of us, so I ended up being a few boxes back from the front row.  I was a little claustrophobic at first, but then I noticed the doll in the box next to me...a Naveen doll."  Her eyes brightened as she mentioned him.  "Of course, at this point, I didn't really know anything about our movie or who he was, but it was pretty easy to tell that he was supposed to go with me.  We were in matching outfits, and all of the Tianas like me were paired up with Naveens."  She chuckled lightly.  "One of the first things he did was to turn his head my direction...as much as he could in his box...and wink right at me.  It kind of shocked me, but it was sort of cute at the same time.  And he was so handsome!  I suddenly didn't feel trapped anymore."

Rapunzel and Isabella let out a simultaneous sigh, and Tiana and I laughed.  

"We were in the store for a few months, always side by side, so we had a good chance to get to know each other a bit.  It was a little hard to hear each other through the plastic and cardboard of our boxes, but we managed.  Every night, when the dolls would have their sing alongs, Naveen always sang out at the top of his lungs.  He had the most wonderful voice!  During the day, he would purposely try to make me laugh whenever a human came by.  He was such a tease."  She shook her head, smiling at the memory.

"The more we got to know each other, the closer we became.  I couldn't imagine life without him.  We both hoped that we would be selected by the same human, and our chances seemed pretty good, since we were always next to each other.  What would be more logical than for a human to select the Tiana and Naveen right next to each other?"  Tiana's smile dimmed slightly as she continued.  "Well, the day finally came when someone lifted my box off of the shelf.  But something was wrong.  She wasn't even looking in Naveen's direction!  She just kept looking me over from head to toe, as if she wanted to make sure I was just perfect. She turned me over to check the back of my box, and I found myself face to face with my Naveen for the first time.  I noticed that his face mold was a little uneven on one side, but he was still the most handsome doll in the room in my eyes."  She stopped suddenly, as if the memories were too painful.

Isabella sniffled and wiped her eyes.  Rapunzel and I sat on the edge of our seats, waiting as Tiana collected herself. 

"Our eyes met for one brief moment, and we saw our worst fears mirrored in them.  We both knew instinctively that we wouldn't be going to the same home.  But Naveen held my eyes with his and said as clearly as he could through the plastic: 'Tiana, I'll never stop looking for you.  We will be together someday, I promise.  Don't forget me!'  I just had time to nod before I felt my box moving again.  The woman took me to the counter and paid for me, and I was put in a bag that blinded my vision.  But I could hear him calling after me the entire time: 'Don't forget, Tiana!  Wait for me!' "

After another brief pause, Tiana continued.  "My new home was nice enough, I suppose.  I was freed from my box, but held in place by a doll stand with such a firm grip that I couldn't escape, even when everyone was asleep.  There were a few other collectible dolls there, but they weren't very sociable.  I was never posed or played with.  And every day and night, I thought of my beloved Naveen and wondered how he would ever find me."

"So how did you end up at Goodwill?" I asked curiously.

Tiana looked pained.  "I'm not really sure what happened.  Maybe I wasn't fancy enough, maybe she lost interest.  Whatever the reason, the woman decided to donate me.  But I'd rather not talk about that place," she said with a shudder.  "The workers are nice enough, but there are some really rough dolls there who have been through a lot.  They were unfriendly just because I was in such nice shape and..." she rubbed her arm uncomfortably.  "Well, I'm just glad that Beast'sbelle found me when she did!"

"So you never saw Naveen again?" Rapunzel asked softly.

Tiana shook her head.  "No," she answered.  "But I've never forgotten him, and I never will.  I still hold on to the hope that someday he'll find me, or I'll find him."

It seemed pretty unlikely to me.  It was an awfully big world for two dolls to try to be reunited in.  But even as my logical side pointed this out, I found myself hoping that Tiana and Naveen really would be together again.

Isabella was unashamedly wiping tears from her eyes.  "That was such a beautiful story!" she sniffed.  "I am sure that someday you and your true love will be reunited!  It would be too cruel if you didn't."  She sighed again.  "Ah, to be loved like that!"

Tiana gave her a gentle smile.  "Thank you, Isabella.  All I can do is hope.  And I'm sure someday you'll find someone special too."  She glanced slyly over her shoulder towards the shelf where Ben sat with the others. "Maybe he's not that far away."

Isabella looked down at her hands resting in her lap.  "I don't think so," she whispered.  "He does not seem to notice I exist."  She blushed.  

Tiana reached over and took her hand.  "I'm sorry, Isabella.  I just thought you seemed interested...I didn't know."

"He's...recovering from losing someone he loved," I explained briefly.

"Or perhaps two someones," Rapunzel added under her breath.  

I elbowed her, and she hid a smile.

"Well, it's about time to work on the room, don't you think?" I said a little too quickly.

Everyone agreed, and we all got started holding things up to the wall to see where they would look best.

We didn't get everything done, but it was a good start.  They gave me some great ideas, and as of today, I'm nearly ready. :)  I hope Robby is happy with the results. 

That night, as I lay awake in bed, waiting for sleep to claim me, I thought back over Tiana's sad story.  Once again, I found myself wishing that her special Naveen would somehow be able to find her.  I remembered that Beast'sbelle had mentioned ordering a Naveen from the Disney Store.  I decided not to mention it to Tiana.  I mean, what were the odds that he would be the Naveen?  That would be a pretty amazing coincidence.

Just One More Week!!

One more week till I'm a married woman (well, female doll, but you know what I mean). ;)  I can hardly believe it! :D

As you can imagine, almost every spare moment has been devoted to wedding preparations.  I also need to get my room in order, as it will soon belong to both Robby and me.  Tiana, Rapunzel, and Isabella are going to come over this weekend and help me get everything ready.

I still don't like being the only doll with a room of my own, and having Robby there won't really help.  We'll still feel like "the favored ones" among the rest of our friends.  Plus, I'm pretty sure Robby's not going to be a big fan of the zebra stripes and purple! :}  But what can we do?  I don't want to hurt Beast'sbelle's feelings, since she's gone to a lot of trouble making all of these special things for me.  Robby and I have discussed it, and we think that after we've been there for a couple of weeks, we'll probably see if Beast'sbelle would be willing to let her daughters play with our "room" and we'll request to be returned to the shelf with our friends.  I don't know how she'll react, but we'll see what happens.

Sorry this isn't a very interesting post.   I hope to get one more post in before THE EVENT, but I can't promise anything. ;)  Hope you all have a great weekend...hmm, my last weekend as an unmarried gal.  Weird! :}  Talk to all of you soon!

Stopping to Smell the Roses

Yesterday morning was absolutely glorious, and Robby and I were dying to get outside.  Beast'sbelle was kind enough to get the door for us so that we could spend some time together in the front yard.  We'd thought about trying the backyard, but Belle'sbeast has been so busy with work that he hasn't had a chance to mow the backyard in a long time.  We were afraid we'd get lost if we braved that jungle!

So, we had to be content with a ramble through the front lawn.  Honestly, neither one of us minded.  We're both eagerly looking forward to our wedding, and since it will be held out front, we've grown very attached to the place. ;)

It was the perfect morning for a stroll.  The weather was warm, but not as overwhelmingly hot as it would be later in the afternoon.  Robby and I held hands and "took a few turns about the lawn" (can you tell I've spent some time with Tess lately?) ;) 

I was especially thrilled with the beautiful, deep burgundy roses that were blooming in the middle of the lawn.    They grew in two sections and almost formed a natural trellis.  I found myself wondering if they would still be blooming in two weeks.   

It wasn't long before I could recognize the telltale signs that Robby's hip and knee were wearing out.  His stamina has greatly improved with time and exercise, but there's still only so much time he can spend on his feet before he has to take a rest.  He doesn't like admitting this, but I can always tell when it's time for a break.  He lapses into silence so that he can concentrate on his walking.  He grips my hand and the top of his cane a little tighter, and beads of perspiration form on his brow.  

Whenever this happens, I have to figure out a way to help him without making him feel like a weakling or like a child that I'm mothering.  Today, I went for the casual approach.

"I think this would be a nice place to sit for a while, don't you?" I said offhandedly.  

Robby gave me a knowing look.  "Subtle, dear."

I looked up at him.  "What?"

He smiled and squeezed my hand.  "Yes, I'd like to sit down now, thank you..."

"I only meant..." I started to protest, worried that I'd hurt his feelings.  But at that instant, Robby's face went pale and stopped me in my tracks.

"What is it?" I asked.  

"The cat," he whispered.

I turned and looked.  Coming across the lawn right toward us was a big orange tabby.  I'd never seen him before, but Beast'sbelle was always complaining about the big, over-friendly cat who was constantly messing up her photo shoots.  Still, she never said anything about it being dangerous, so I didn't understand Robby's fear.  Then it hit me.  The cat.  This was the cat Robby had rescued from the pomegranate bush, the cat who in its panic had dragged him almost half a block, unaware that Robby's boot was trapped in its collar.  The cat who had left my fiance with a permanent limp.     

For one fleeting moment, I wanted to go attack it.  This was his fault!! (Or hers...I really didn't know whether it was a girl or boy cat.)  But then I thought over the whole scenario in my head.  I thought of how frightened the cat must have been, trapped for who knows how long and waiting for rescue.  Robby had helped it, but the cat must have still been terrified by the whole ordeal.  It was only natural that it would have taken off running.  How was it supposed to know that Robby couldn't get free from its collar?

I glanced back at Robby.  His eyes were closed, and I knew that he must be reliving that moment too.  

"Would you like to go back inside?" I asked gently.

He jumped a little at the sound of my voice and opened his eyes.  Then a determined look came over his features.  "No," he said, shaking his head firmly.  "I've got to get used to being around it.  Beast'sbelle says it's always coming over, and I'm not going to let that ruin our outside time together."

I turned back to the cat and stifled a gasp.  It was right in front of us.  

"Stay perfectly still," Robby whispered, "and maybe it will go away."

I answered by lightly pressing his hand.  We both stood as still as statues, not even daring to breathe.  (Breathing is optional for us dolls, you know...that's why you never see us breathing when we don't want you to!  Of course, we've also perfected the art of shallow, undetected breathing, too.)  

The cat walked right up to us, and then started to pass us from behind.  As it passed Robby, it stopped to sniff his face curiously, almost as if it remembered him.

Then, losing interest, it walked on by and headed for Beastbelle's backyard.  

As the cat wandered out of sight, we both let out a long slow breath.  "Are you all right?" I asked Robby worriedly.

He nodded, but he still looked paler than usual.  

"Why don't we sit for a while?" I suggested.  

This time, he immediately took my advice with no comment.  Once he was comfortably situated, he rubbed his forehead and let out another long breath.  

"I just didn't expect that," he explained.

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"It all came back," he continued.  "The minute I saw that cat, it was as if I was reliving everything that day.  It hit me out of nowhere!"  He shook his head.  "Just when I think I'm getting over it..."

"It takes time..." I soothed.

He sighed.  "It's been 5 months, Belle.  When am I finally going to be able to realize that this is my life now?"

"I don't know," I admitted sorrowfully.  "I wish I had all the answers.  I'm so proud of you, though," I said, stroking his cheek gently.  "You've kept going when so many others would have given up.  You haven't let your physical issues define you or change you.  If anything, they've made you stronger."

He smiled and turned his face to kiss the palm of my hand.  "I can't tell you how much it's meant to me to have you there cheering me on every step of the way.  If I was going through this and having to watch you and Ben being all lovey-dovey together, I don't think I could have coped!"

I paused for a moment, trying to picture myself and Ben spending as much time together as Robby and I had for the past 5 months.  Somehow, I couldn't imagine it. 

I came back to the present to find Robby smiling at me.  "What?" I asked.

"Do you know that you crinkle up your nose when you're thinking?" he said affectionately.  "It's absolutely adorable."

I blushed and shook my head at this silly comment.  I decided not to tell him that I wasn't adorable, because that would only lead to his insisting it even more.    

I turned away and tried to think of something else to talk about.  Right in front of me was a delicate rosebud.  I reached out and gently touched it.  "Aren't these roses lovely?" I asked.

Robby took the bait, but I could tell he was amused.  "Yes," he agreed dutifully.  "Beautiful."

"I wonder if they'll still be blooming by the end of May?" I mused.  "I mean, if they were, we could do the wedding here instead of under the tree."  I looked over our heads at the rest of the roses.  "They almost form a perfect archway.  We could stand right underneath them and it would look lovelier than anything I could do with handmade decorations!"

Robby kissed the top of my head.  "As long as we're married by the end, we can stand anywhere you like."

"And as long as there's cake," I reminded him. 

"Of course!" he agreed, grinning.  He'd been very adamant about the cake throughout all of the planning.  Not that he'd really been a part of the wedding plans.  I figured out pretty early on that most of the stuff was not anything he was interested in.  The dress, the location, the attendants, the guests, even the date didn't really matter to him...as long as we were married by the end.  Rapunzel and Isabella had stepped in as confidants and fellow planners, and Tiana had expressed an interest in helping shortly after she'd arrived.  This made it very convenient for Robby.  He and Eugene could sit and talk while we girls worked out all of the little details.    

I leaned back against his shoulder.  "I think you'd be perfectly happy to just have a 2 minute ceremony with no frills whatsoever," I quipped.  

He chuckled.  "Well, what guy wouldn't?  You really think the fancy wedding ceremony was the groom's idea?"

I smiled.  "I guess not.  Thanks for going through it anyway, though.  I'd like the day to be special."

He put his arm around me.  "It will be, no matter what happens.  It will be our special day, even if everything doesn't go exactly as planned."

"Just 16 more days," I said slowly.  "I can't believe it."

"It'll be here before we know it," Robby added.

As if on cue, we both lowered ourselves onto our backs and looked up at the beautiful blue sky.  A slight breeze stirred the branches of the roses and covered us with their sweet fragrance.  The sunlight danced on the grass and peeked through the rose tendrils, making patterns on our clothing and skin.  The fluffy white clouds in the sky floated lazily by.  It was the perfect way to end our morning.

I suddenly thought of something and turned to Robby.  "If you could capture one memory and freeze it, what would it be?"

He thought for a moment.  "Either our first kiss," he began, "or...that day when I first took you outside.  It was one of the first times we spent almost a whole day together."

He looked over at me.  "What about you?"

"This moment right now," I said happily.  "Being here with you on a beautiful day, knowing exactly where we stand in our relationship, and having our wedding to look forward to."

Robby smiled.  "Sounds like a good memory to freeze to me."

We went back to watching the clouds until it was time to go inside.

Save the Date! :D

Well folks, it's official!  After going back and forth for a while and after several discussions with Beast'sbelle, we've finally set a date for the wedding.  Mark your calendars:  Robby and I will be getting married on Friday, May 25th!! :D

I can't believe that our wedding is only 23 days from now!  It seems like I've been waiting forever, and now all of a sudden it's almost here.  I can't wait! :D

Wedding plans are going well.  I've got all sorts of ideas for decorating the front lawn underneath the tree, and my dress is all ready.  Robby keeps reminding me about the cake, so I'll have to be sure that Beast'sbelle picks one up for us. ;)

And, since Beast'sbelle can never limit herself to just one picture, here are some of the other photos from our shoot today. ;)

Well, that's about all for now.  I don't know how often I'll be on in the next few weeks.  Every spare minute will be used to take care of all of the last-minute details.  I'll try to at least do a quick update post every once in a while if I can.

Oh, and I nearly forgot!  Good news for all of you Tiana fans out there!  Rumor has it that Prince Naveen is officially on his way from the Disney Store as we speak. :)  I think it's safe to say that our new friend is staying. ;)

Talk to all of you later!

P.S.  I've also included a copy of our header, because this afternoon I'll be changing it again. :)  I like having my old headers in my posts just for my own enjoyment.  Hope you don't mind! ;)

(You can click on it if you want to see a larger version!)

Updates...Finally! ;)

At last I've managed to secure some time on the computer!  Thank you to all of my wonderful readers and followers.  You've been so patient with me, even when I haven't been that great at posting.

Wow, Blogger just decided to change to their new format.  This is really weird trying to figure everything out and remember what I was going to tell you at the same time.  :{  The changes aren't as bad as I thought they would be, but it's still going to take some getting used to!

So, things have been a bit crazy around here...but what else is new?  I think you've heard that from me and Beast'sbelle's 18" blogging dolls enough that it's beginning to sound like an empty excuse! :(  Trust me, though...I really mean it this time.  Still skeptical?  Just take a look at this picture:

You see, in the midst of all of her various commitments, birthday parties, and events, Beast'sbelle has decided to rearrange her room (aka OUR room) and her closet.  And since time isn't on her side, she's had to do it in spurts.  This has lasted for a few weeks now, and as you can see from the picture, our living space is a bit chaotic at the moment (to put it mildly).

Apparently, Beast'sbelle's dad is working on some official doll rooms for the 18" dolls.  Beast'sbelle's idea is to have all of her 18" dolls on one side of the room instead of both.  She needed another space for her books, so Emma, Hayden, and Charlie lost their room for the time being.  As for the rest of the mess, as most of us know, any time you do major rearranging, it's like working a puzzle, trying to find the proper place for all of the pieces again.  Beast'sbelle does not appear to be very good at puzzles.  ;) 

Any of you who follow Beast'sbelle's blog probably noticed that she made a "Room in a Box" for me, after watching My Froggy Stuff's YouTube channel and going into "crazy crafter mode"!  (You can see Beast'sbelle's post about it HERE...you'll have to scroll down to see the room.)  If you'd rather not follow the link, here's a quick picture of what it looks like:

While I appreciate the thought, there are two major problems with my new room:

1.  I have no idea why Beast'sbelle thought that I would be the type to enjoy zebra stripe decor.  I mean, do you guys look at me and think zebra stripes?  It's just not really me.  And as if that isn't bad enough, Beast'sbelle never even finished the room!  She was going to add pictures and wall decorations and never got around to it, because she's been so busy.  So not only am I in a room with decor that would not be my first choice, but it's been an "in process" room for almost a month now!

2.  Because a lady's bedroom is a personal place, Beast'sbelle thought it would be best if the others weren't there with me (especially Robby...we're not married yet, after all).  So all of my friends have now been banished to the top of the bookshelf, while I sit alone in my lavish bedroom.  Not only does this make me feel unjustly favored over everyone else, but it's awfully lonely, too.  Not to mention the fact that it makes visits with Robby very inconvenient, especially when we've been used to sharing the same shelf.  

Robby's been having a difficult time getting down from the bookshelf, because Beast'sbelle accidentally lost his walking stick and hasn't had a chance to make him another one yet.  Walking stick aside, the shelf is so high that it makes it almost impossible to get down unassisted.  This is very frustrating for him, but he bears it without complaining.  He's so much nicer about it than I would be!  

When Beast'sbelle is available to help him, Robby comes and visits me but stays outside of the room so that everything remains proper and appropriate.  It's always so nice to be able to talk to him and sit with him (and sometimes even get a kiss or two in!).  I miss him dreadfully when he's up on the shelf with everyone else.  Now I'm looking forward to our wedding even more.  Once we're married, Beast'sbelle will display us together again.  I'm counting the days, believe me! :)

This feels very "Romeo and Juliet-ish", doesn't it? ;)

Sigh...he's so beautiful.  I can't believe I ever thought him otherwise.  I think it's because I know his soul so well now.  That's what I see when I look at him.  And his beautiful soul makes his perhaps (as I thought at one time) less-than-perfect features beautiful to me.  I mean, how can this face not make you want to swoon? :D <3 <3 <3

Ahem, okay.  Moving on from my adoration of my fiance! ;)  You probably noticed a few new faces among the regulars of the 12" set.  You see, there was a huge Goodwill Thrift Store that opened locally several weeks ago, and Beast'sbelle keeps finding new friends to bring home.  She's already warned us that she's not sure if this will be their permanent home or not, but she wants us to make them feel welcome anyway.  It's easier said than done when they're stuck up there and I'm way down here in my room.  I think Rapunzel and Isabella have done a pretty good job of making friends with them, though.

Our first new addition was Tiana.  She's from the Disney Store like Robby, Eugene, Rapunzel and me.  She had everything but her shoes.  Apparently she was a "display only" doll in her former home.  I've only had a couple of chances to visit with her, but between those talks and info that Rapunzel shared with me, I found out that Tiana was pretty upset when she first got here...still adjusting to the fact that she'd been donated.  Thankfully, she was only at Goodwill for a few hours.  Beast'sbelle snatched her up on the morning the store opened.  

Tiana's opened up a lot more and has been pretty cheerful now that she's gotten to know everyone.  She sounds just like Tiana from the movie, but of course, she's got several differences (remember, people, we're not ever the character from our movies...we're just made to look like them!).  For example, she loves Bluegrass music more than jazz, and her favorite food is spaghetti. ;)

Beast'sbelle has been really struggling with whether she should keep Tiana here or find her a new home.  Beast'sbelle was really disappointed with how dark "The Princess and the Frog" was, especially for a kid's movie, so I think she feels bad having a doll from the movie.  I think Beast'sbelle really likes her, though.  The rest of us do too.  Hopefully Tiana will get to stay.  I know for a fact that Beast'sbelle has been dying to order a Naveen for Tiana from the Disney Store, but she doesn't want to do so until she's sure about Tiana's future.  Beast'sbelle does love a good romance, and she's been pretty successful with her matchmaking so far (aside from Isabella and Ben...but I'll have to save that for a later post), so I figure if a Prince Naveen shows up in one of those UPS packages that come to the house every once in a while, Tiana should be safe.  There's no way Beast'sbelle will be able to resist when she has Naveen too. ;)

Our other newbie is Cordelia.  She was a Party Princess Belle doll that Beast'sbelle found at Salvation Army in her (very scrunched) original box.  I don't know if Beast'sbelle is very attached to her yet or not.  Cordelia is...well...nice...but...she's kind of an airhead.  She's really sweet but just not very deep.  She has a gorgeous voice, though.  She can sing all of these amazing arias from all these operas I've never even heard of.  So as long as you don't expect a lot from her, she's nice to have around.  It's just a bit difficult to have to keep explaining all of our jokes to her 3 times before she finally laughs.

Anyway, that's about on what's going on here.  We're still working on figuring out the best day in June for the wedding (we have to coordinate around Beast'sbelle's family vacation and such).  As soon as I know for sure, I'll let all of you know. :)

I'm not sure how regularly I'll be able to post, but I'll do my best to get out to the computer when I can.  Hopefully, our room will be back together soon.  I'm also thinking of offering my room in a box to Beast'sbelle's daughters for their dolls.  I'd much rather have my friends with me than a room all to myself.  I'll let you know how it all goes. :)

Talk to all of you again, hopefully soon! :)