Welcome Home

As you all may know, last week I left for a private island in Tortola, BVI. I wish I could say that we had a wonderful time and that the island was everything we'd hoped it would be. But in keeping with the theme of my life lately, all was not as it was promised. Our "private paradise" was a mosquito infested, "Louisiana in late summer", with the rudest staff imaginable. Additionally, we found out that being there "not in the season", that being when the cruise ships were expected, meant that virtually everything was closed. Some of the low points included being stranded while the shuttle ferries were broken only to finally be taken back in pitch blackness on the open rough sea in a rubber dingy and having the beautiful arch, underneath which we were envisioned to be wed, was destroyed, not repaired by the carpenter, and left in pieces by the recent hurricane. So just like the wedding shower and reception, the wedding/honeymoon was a far cry from the imagination's creation. In fact, there wasn't a single thing about Marina Cay that was as advertised. We were told, after arriving, that all of the activities which were supposed to be complimentary, were in fact non-existant because the dive shop had moved off the island. So there went our fun times scuba'ing, open ocean fishing, kayaking and snorkeling. There was no wi-fi, t.v. or phone signal. Pretty much the only things we could do there was eat at a very expensive beach front restraunt, or else sit in our mosquito buffet room, or sit on a three foot stretch of rocky, coral filled "beach", or swim in the ocean. Oh and get sun-burned too all crispiness (despite ridiculous amounts of sun-screen)
And so the day after we exchanged vows, we checked out and left the island.
We went to the West End of Tortola, and we stayed at a little place called Sebastians on the Beach in Little Apple Bay. At least there were no mosquitos attacking us at all hours there. We rented a car and spent most of our remaining time exploring. What we discovered was a third world country, seriously. The roads are mostly gravel, or else if they were paved, huge pot holes and washed out areas of asphalt plagued our path; the terrain is nothing but insanely steep and twisting mountain passes which weave up and down along the coast, like the ultimate roller coaster for a car. Secondly, the electricity was unreliable, at best, meaning that if the wind blew too hard, the lights would go out. There was indoor plumbing, but no centralized sewage system. Instead each little area would have its own septic tank, and when it rained, like it did on three of the days we were there, the lovely smell of you-know-what would welcome us into each neighborhood. So while the scenery was stunning, the island's interior left so much to be desired.
Needless to say that while I may never be a true fan of Shreveport, I have never in my life been so excited about coming back to it. Nick and I promised in our vows to be there for each other in good times and bad and for better or for worse, and, just to make sure we meant it, we got a honeymoon from hell. If I had been there with anyone else, I would have just cried, whined and waited at the airport until my return flight came. I do not know how many times I said out loud that I wanted my money back and to just leave straight away. Without Nick by my side I could not have found any moments of happiness there. In a bizarre twist, having such a wretched time on the island only made me realize how incredibly happy my husband makes me. He was the only reason I smiled, laughed, or relaxed. He brings out the best in me with such ease, and I know that I will have a happier life with him as my husband than I possibly could have had on my own.
This afternoon we became lawfully wedded at a Justice of the Peace's house. Since the Louisiana law requires a "ceremony" which must, at least consist of an exchange of "I do"'s, the idea of not hearing our vows, for the first time, from each other atop a sunset panorama was just unacceptable. So we had our island ceremony first, then our honeymoon, and finally came back home to make it official by law. Regardless, I did have such a nice second ceremony with my mom and nana as witnesses. We got to have the idillic romance of a destination wedding, plus an intimate family ceremony too. And I got to feel supremely beautiful in my wedding dress, twice!

Cheers!

Mrs. Courtney Nelson.