I do!

Almost a year ago, Shazzad proposed to me in front of the Mona Lisa.

 On Saturday, we kicked off our worldwide wedding tour in Raleigh, North Carolina.  In the presence of family, a few random hikers, and the occasional frog or earthworm wandering by, we had our legal ceremony and officially became husband and wife.  Yippee!!

On the sunny banks of Big Lake, Umstead Park.

 We chose a spot in the woods of Umstead Park, a beautiful forest where I have run many times.  It was on the lake, which looked picture perfect on a sunny afternoon.

 Surrounded by smiling faces and pine trees, Shazzad and I stood looking at each other as my dad officiated the ceremony.  After a few words of welcome, he remarked,

 As you all know from getting here and from looking around, this spot is a bit off the beaten trail. That is how Shazzad and Maria live– off the beaten path– as they forge their own trail together. 

I think that Shazzad and Maria are well prepared for the journey forward. Maria said recently, ‘I just have a compass. I don't know where it's taking me, but I trust that it's the right path.’ 

Shazzad and Maria, use that compass to find your happiness together in this big world.”

Historically I have a hard time getting through weddings without a little bit of crying (what can I say, they make me sentimental!!).  One solitary tear found its way down my cheek during my dad’s remarks, but the fear of mascara streaks all over my face kept the rest in check.

 We had asked a few people to read poems during the ceremony—as might have been expected, we wanted to have a global selection.

"i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)"

I carry your heart with me, ee cummings

(Read by my sister-in-law, Holly)

"I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…In life after life, in age after age, forever."
Unending love, Rabindranath Tagore
(Read by Shazzad's cousin, Russell)

"Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but do not take from me your laughter."
Your laughter, Pablo Neruda
(Read by my cousin, Samantha)

"Mohammed Shazzad Hoshen Khan, you are my one true love....."

We thought about just stealing the vows that Travis and Holly had used for their wedding.  But that’s not really our style, so we wrote our own.  They were mainly in English, with a few lines of Bangla mixed in.

It's official!  Married live begins!

 Now that we were officially husband and wife, it was time to eat!  We went to a great place in downtown Raleigh. 

Great food and even better company at 18 Seaboard

During dinner the cousins sneaked outside to decorate our car.  We listened to the beautiful sound of cans dragging along on the street for the first half of the drive home, until we eventually lost a few of them on the highway.

Nothing says newly wed like shaving cream and aluminum cans.

It was a great start to our three-week marriage extravaganza.  Next stop: Chiang Mai!

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