Beggary or request for support?

Dearest friends,

probably, many of you wonder why we decide to go if we haven't got enough money? The answer is very easy! We accumulated necessary funds! BUT a new situation appeared and we haven't been prepared for it! A week ago, we were only 2.000,- PLN short. You'll admit that it's not a huge sum and it couldn't prevent us from organising our wedding. Our friends would help us, lending that sum if we couldn't do it.

On last Sunday (17.VI), our friend from Jerusalem, Marcin Gmiąt, who is helping us to organise this undertaking, informed us that the final price of hiring a bus, which will be used to travel across Israel, has radical increased... We haven't been prepared for such a high price of transport because we were assured about much lower rates. It was a very difficult moment for us because we had made so much that we couldn't give up. So, we decided to put a request for urgent financial support!

Unfortunately, we heard that there are some people, who don't understand our situation or they just don't want to! Planning this journey few months ago, we had a view of sufficient funds. If we hadn't had a view, we wouldn't have even started! Information about our request for help appeared short time ago because a new situation has arisen!!! If someone don't understand it, and is accusing us of beggary or swindle, he or she is mistaken, and should be ashamed of telling nonsense! Instead of help and understanding you show ill will - it's unpleasant; we can only feel sorry for you.

We're not going to give up! We - me and Natalie - are working very hard to prepare everything to this unusual and unique event - our wedding. Everything shows we will make it, although we have small problems at the moment. This problems, however, are rather very small in relation to the whole undertaking! Happily, our closest family and friend understand our situation and cheer us up!

It's a treasure to have such a fantastic people around!!!

Wedding Suit

Oh, yes! The wedding suit is already there! It's ironed and prepared to be put on! But - listen - how long we were looking for it... how many other we had to try on... ;-) You understand that garments is a domain of women - men prefer another kind of activities... :-) OK - let's start from the beginning.

It was a beautiful, sunny day - 19th May, Saturday. Together with Natalie, my parents, and my sister, we went to the huge shopping mall near Warsaw. We aimed at shops and boutiques with suits, shirts, ties, and shoes. When I was passing one, I noticed a pattern in a shop-window - it's to my liking. :) We came in and started to try on.. this one is too short, this too long, and this one fits... :) I had a few consultants: mum, dad, sister, shop assistant, and - the most important - my Fiancée. :) Frankly, we decided to buy a suit in this shop but we wanted to make sure that this suit is the absolutely best choice.

We continued our search, striding across the mall and looking round all shops with suits, and I have to say, we didn't find anything better than that first suit. Tired but sure about our choice, we came back to the first shop. Once more, I tried on the suit carefully. We checked its cut, and matched it up with shirt, and the decision was reached.

I'm really glad that my wife-to-be was pleased with the shopping! :) She has a good taste, so I'm sure that it was the best choice! Of course, I can't forget about my mum and my sister, who really patiently assisted me in trying on the suits!

Finally, we made it - few hours of striding was successfully done We only needed to find a suitable tie and shoes. The first one wasn't a problem, and we found it quite fast. But it wasn't so easy to find an appropriate pair of shoes. So, we needed to change the mall... "Seek and you will find" says the Bible, and so we did. We made it - I found exactly that shoes which I was looking for. Also my nearest and dearest liked it.

In the same shop Natalie bought a beautiful shoes, which matched the wedding gown. I have to add that my father also bought a suit that day.

After doing shopping, we were quite tired. On the way home we were talking - sometimes even stormily.. but show me a family which is always calm. It's important that we talk! It would be a tragedy if we kept silent and lived as if alone...

In the evening, we went to a restaurant in Wilanów. We ate delicious pancakes, visited one of my favourite art galleries, and in the end we went for a stroll under the night sky. Venus - visible to the naked eye - kept us company...

Premarital preparation course - fifth meeting

The last meeting (29.V) was an opportunity to reflect on a relation between parents and their children, after children have got married. Parents has to act very wisely because their children don't have to be obedient to them any longer. Children become a new and autonomous Family, that can decide independently. The task of parents and in-laws should be reduced to providing advice. We can hear their suggestions and sensible advice but how we act depend only on us.

Fr Stanisław Orzechowski was telling us that human tend to look at other person selfish and our thoughts are often dirty... The remedy for that is Love, which can improve our "sight" - it heals the way we look at other person. Thanks to Love the feeling of shame is absorbed - we become like the first parents unspoilt by the sin: "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Genesis 2:25).

In a few days we go to Krzydlina Mała for "Dialogues for Engaged Couples", which are a part of preparations to Holy Matrimony.

Our blog is one month old!

A month ago Polish version of our blog has been officially opened! Many of you visit us regularly and accompany us in our premarital preparations - we're delight!!!

We hear from you that you not only appreciate what we do, but you really give our idea to get married in Israel the thumbs-up! It's very important for us to hear you support us!

Since the beginning, our blog has been visited by Poland, and the rest of Europe, both Americas, and other places like: Australia and China. :)

We thank you for all of your fondness and support!

We thank you that you are still with us!

Wedding of Ania and Błażej

On Saturday morning (26.V) we went to the wedding ceremony of Ania and Błażej. Matthew with Jola (Ania's sister) witnessed saying the sacramental "YES". :)

After the marriage ceremony we went to the reception for the closest relatives and friends. Although there weren't many people it didn't stopped us from having a good fun and taking delight in the joy of the newlyweds. Delicious food, interesting talks and dance!

Błażej Iwaniak is a close friend of Matthew. They study on the same faculty (Faculty of Painting and Sculpture) on The Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław.

Greeting for Błażej & Ania, and all of the wedding guests, especially guests from Zamość. :)

National Geographic - Polish Edition

Dearest friends, we are very pleased to inform you that National Geographic Polska is helping us to realise our Dreams - i.e. they offered Matthew to write an article for National Geographic Traveller about our undertaking! It's an honour to cooperate with such a reputable and well-known magazine.

We would like to thank the editorial staff of National Geographic Polska for extraordinarily quick answer as a response to our request for help. Special thanks to Mrs Martyna WOJCIECHOWSKA - editor-in-chief, and Mrs Agnieszka FRANUS - deputy chief editor. We are sure that our cooperation will be successful!

Currently we're agreeing details and concluding a contract. Amazing is that Matthew since high school has dreamed of appearing in the magazine with characteristic and well-known yellow frame as a logo! It's amazing that another dream could be fulfilled... isn't it a miracle? :)

The date of Civil Marriage

Yesterday (i.e. 23.V) we visited Registry Office in order to set the date of our civil marriage. We had tried to have a concordat marriage, but it's not possible to get married outside our country. A few weeks ago, Matthew made several appointments to figure it out. First, he met with the notary of the Bishop's Curia, than with the Chancellor of the Curia, who kindly gave him exhaustive information. Next, he visited the Registry Office and it dispelled our illusions - we have to take civil and denominational marriage separately.

We wanted to avoid at all cost putting the rings twice, but it failed... and we admit that at the beginning we weren't very pleased. Gradually we got accustomed to it. With time we started to like it very much! We noticed that our civil marriage (before the national law) takes place in Poland, and the denominational one (before the church law) in Israel - the Holy Land. :)

Finally we made an arrangement at Registry Office that the Civil Marriage takes place on Saturday, 23rd June 2007 at 10 AM in Wedding Palace in Wrocław, 17 Nankier square.