The Civil Ceremony

Having a good day in Romania is like climbing a little higher when you’re already on the top of the world.

I woke up before I was naturally ready for it, which is unusual for me here. Vio opened my door and reminded me the time I had quoted I would wake up. I walked around the apartment like a drunkard, increasing speed until I was whipping out the door with a promise to Vio that I’d be back.

Today Conrad and Vio would be legally married in a court in Romania. Their church ceremony will take place in July, a little more than two months from today. Her fiancé’s parents had Emailed me from the states to ask if I could buy some flowers to give in their stead. I like spending other people’s money, and that’s what I did when I saw the yellow and orange roses at the florists. I asked for a dozen and watched a Romanian girl wrap them up with care. I was waiting anxiously for the flowers to be ready, when I realized I couldn’t make time go faster by wanting it to. It was a waste not to enjoy the moment as I watched the florist take so much care with the dozen roses I had ordered.

As I stood their waiting I had time to marvel that 6 months here have equipped me to communicate with the florist, even though I’m still a beginner. Now I have little wings, and though I may not fly beautifully, it is nice to know I don’t have to be afraid anymore of jumping out of the nest.

I rushed back home. It’s fun to walk down streets in Europe with a bouquet of a dozen roses in your arms in the middle of May. Personally I like the curiosity it provokes when people see a happy young woman alone on the streets with a huge bouquet in her hands.

I opened our apartment door a crake and spoke to Violeta, who was all dressed up for the civil ceremony. She was waiting for the event by calmly reading her Bible on the couch. “I have a present for you from Conrad’s parents,” I spoke in Romanian. We agreed she should cover her eyes. The roses were so beautiful and we admired them together. Part of the beauty of the flower is that it dies. Would they ever be as beautiful as they were this morning?

It was pure joy to meet everyone once we arrived and I had been given the job to video taping everything. In Romania that gives me the right to stand and move almost anywhere I want during the ceremony. How great to really get to be the fly on the wall for a short time.

Before the ceremony I had made chocolate chip cookies. After the ceremony everyone gathered to eat sweets. Conrad held the tray of Chocolate cookies in his hands; another piece of America to this official Romanian marriage besides the American groom. I spoke Romanian and listened. What happiness! After the ceremony we took pictures at the park and then moved on to Vio’s brother’s apartment where we got to eat and talk and talk and have fun. Vio’s brother and his girlfriend keep telling Livia to speak with me in Romanian, instead of English, and it was great to feel part of their family and their home and their hearts for a time.

So today was an incredible day in my life because I was loved, I was spoken to and spoke to others in Romania and I was with people I loved and felt safe with. I thank God for the best year yet and that today he didn’t give and take away, but he just gave.