Everyone familiar belongs to Janet. I decided to continue this story past the next chapter so I thought I'd start making the chapters a little longer. Thanks for the continued interest and reviews for this story which really was supposed to remain only 100 words.
On Christmas Eve as a surprise to everyone but Steph and I, our wedding took place at my parents' house during their annual family gathering. We became husband and wife in front of the glass doors leading to a now snow-covered backyard lit up by what seemed like millions of white Christmas lights. Stephanie had chosen a bone-colored leather wrap skirt that molded to her body from hips to knees, paired with a high-necked, long-sleeved sweater in a matching off-white shade. Olivia's baby-of-honor dress was ivory with a gold bow and trim lining the waist and two skirt ruffles. Steph had on heels so impractical for a Jersey winter, I offered to carry her from the car into the house. Olive, who I did carry, wore tiny white patent-leather buckle shoes with a jeweled flower perched on the toes of them.
Due to the dual nature of the holiday, Stephanie received an early Christmas present ... an engagement ring I felt even more compelled to buy because her name was literally in the description "The Stephania Ring". Olivia was given a tiny silver charm bracelet to wear that we'll/she'll always have to commemorate the day. Stephanie and Ella bonded further as they shopped for the 'right' charms to attach to it. They, with some input from me, finally decided on eight specific ones. A wedding cake, a diamond-chipped 'O' to match the ring I'd originally given Steph which is now on her right hand, a double wedding ring charm, one book-shaped one that read 'Fairy Tales Happen', an olive for our Olive, a heart locket containing a piece of ribbon from the barrette currently in Olivia's dark hair, a simple rectangle with the date engraved on it, and one of a baby's face in profile that stated 'Our Girl'. The sound and motion of it kept her occupied in my mother's arms throughout the vows as Steph and I exchanged them along with more jewelry.
