3 weeks and 17 months

Today we have a double anniversary, 3 weeks of marriage and 17 months since we started seriously investigating each other. It's interesting how we count every day and week and month now, I wonder how long will it continue for:) I know that this kind of dates make relationship special and add a flavor to everyday life. For me I always keep track of time as I like to kind of look back and see how much was done and accomplished over a certain period of time and, of course, it kind of reminds me of those days when everything just started, was unknown and intriguing, fresh and exciting and how we both felt about the whole thing:) It's a nice thing to remember, don't you think, and to try always bring back to life that freshness and excitement of first dates:) But the good thing is no matter how much we know each other we still find some new things about each other every day, and it is always an exciting process of bonding with marriage partner and learning more about myself and him on the way because through it one is able to establish stronger bonds with his Creator and learn more about Him which is a purpose of life for Baha'is.
This picture was taken in spring 2005, i was not feeling well and Amir came from Akka to visit me. We were just starting talking about marriage at that time:)...

Galiya and Seid

Galiya and Seid are here for a brief visit with their lovely children that were born in the Holy Land one after another. When I came here, Galiya was pregnant with her son and her daughter Janet was one little cuty, didn't walk and talk yet. Now, after a couple of years it was very nice to see Janet and Hushmand running around and talking away. They have grown up a lot since last time i saw them. Here I am, a few minutes ago, sitting on the steps of the ITC building and holding Janet in my arms.
Seid also took a picture of Galiya, me and two children on a background of the Seat.
And these are two beautiful keychain dalls that came all the way from Kazakhstan in Galiya and Seid's suitcases to proudly guard the keys from the BWC flat for now occupied by myself and my beloved husband. They are so excited to take over their new service in the Holy Land. The guy in his cute little green traditional dress will be my key assistant and the girl in pink with nice hair style will go to Amir.

More pictures from the BIG DAY

My beloved sister Maryam
My beloved sister Ruzanna

Don't we look alike?
My beloved husband and father-in-law
My beloved mother
My beloved father
I and Baboosh during the reception - I loooove this picture...

Ruzanna is reading an extract from Abdul-Baha's Writings about marriage translated into Russian
Amir with friends Franco and Bernard
The wedding favors The birthday girl Kara with her birthday gift - my bridal boquet. She said that from now on her every birthday she will remember our wedding, isn't it nice?
Family trio (when we learnt this song, my other sister was not born yet, and after she was born, she never got her own part in it, may be that is why she became a beautiful dancer:))

My dad is enjoying making video
Mandolin piece by Behrouz
African queens gracefuly dancing for us
Our wedding cake with a little cake for the rings in the middle
Just signed the contract...are we really married ????
Zhenya (Dj) was our MC for the reception
Ukrainian song by Liudmila and Serghei
Happily following Mark's instructions

Kissing mom
Our family Our amazing photographer Mark and his very devoted and supportive wife Mara
My sister Ruzanna is performing traditional Kazakh bride's dance
Cutting the cake
Married at last I and Amir are welcoming the friends
Our wonderful MC Mr. Ardjomandi and his beautiful interpreter Tatyana

Life is Beautiful

We got married on 7 April at 4:00. In the morning we went to Bahji to do some photos in the gardens. The weather was not cold and not hot, it was cloudy with little sun rays coming through. It was a gorgeous day and everyone felt happy. Behi was volunteering that day in Bahji Visitor Centre, he was the first one to welcome us there. We walked in the gardens and took a lot of pictures, i wish i could post all of them here! Kiyoko was our photographer for that morning, and she did a great job. My family and Amir's father were very happy to be in the gardens around the Shrine again and to take part in our photosession. After we got satisfied with our photosession in Bahji, we had lunch in the Visitor Centre together with Behi and went to Haifa to take few shots on the Terraces. There were few more Israeli wedding couples taking pictures on Terrace 1, we had a variety of colors and couples, it was fun. Our ceremony started at 4:00 in the afternoon, we had close friends and families saying prayers and doing readings for us after which we said our wedidng vows. After we signed the marriage contracts we finally were legaly married, and our happiness didn't know limits (Russian expression translated by me in English:)). Our friends and family prepared some performances for us during the refreshments part. There was a Kazakh dance performed by my sister Ruzanna, Ukrainian song by our friends Serghei and Liudmila, musical peice performed on mandolin by Bahi and African dance by three gorgeous African girls. We exchanged the rings after cutting the cake which was cooked by Amir's good friend Bernard. It was beuatiful! He made a little cake for our rings too! I don't have pictures of the wedding cake yet, but if i get one, i'll post it here. At the end my father decided to sing a song with me and my sister, the one we learnt together many years ago. It was nice to sing with them again on my wedding day:) We managed not to forget that it was Kara's birthday and sang for her. She got my Bridal bouquet as a birthday gift:):) I will try to post more pictures soon. Life is beautiful...