And thus another chapter in this wonderful Seraphic saga...

I remember I couldn't care less about eating all the wonderful hors d'hoeuvres available in my yichud room. I was still flying with my happiness and excitement, started to dance around the room, singing James Brown's "I Feel Good!" My new hubby just sat, smiled and allowed me that frivolity. (He's allowed me that frivolity ever since!)

Robert, do you recall if you happened to have a migraine that day, what with fasting...?

Thank you for giving us this lovely glimpse into a truly beautiful moment. Oh, Karen rocks!

Pearl:

No migraine. Flying way too high.

Tamara:

Karen most certainly rocks.

Robert:

The mysteries of womanhood...

Let me know when you figure it out. ;)

Robert, we are getting awfully close to the "wedding night" part of the story. That may fall into the category of "TMI" (too much information). But, as per usual, this story is sweet and funny and touching beyond compare.

Lance:

G-d forbid I should ever figure it out -- as if I or anyone ever could unravel this vast and wonderful puzzle. For if we men ever did figure it out, then life as we know it would cease to exist.

Randi:

The wedding night. Uh-huh. Yeah, I'm preparing that entry right now.

NOT.

You are talking to the man who still closes his eyes when there is a nude scene in a movie.

You are talking to the man who still closes his eyes when there is a nude scene in a movie.

Yup, as Randi said: "Too much information..."

You guys are just TOO cute! Oh, and better late than never!!

Stacey:

One of us is definitely cute. Better late than never? Are you kidding, that's the subtitle of my life.

This chapter of "How I Met Karen" is the first that I've read. It captivated me enough to make me want to go back in your archives and look for the other 31 chapters. But then I realized you started this blog nearly two years ago! That's a whole lotta archives to go through! I guess I'll just enjoy all the future chapters. :)

Genendy:

Glad you enjoyed this chapter. I don't want to throw a damper on future chapters, but it will be hard to enjoy what's comining unless you know where you're coming from. Take my word for it, "How I Married Karen" is a journey worth taking, if only to see that a dork like me can end up with the smartest, most beautiful woman in creation.

Ah, so that is what that Yichud thing is about. When one of my Jewish friends got married last year the Rabbi explained to the non-Jewish people present that the custom was that the bride and groom would now go off for some time alone together, and I see now that this is a time for them to have something to eat and/or to tell one another any dark secrets that they thought would cause the other person to run away if they weren't actually married when they heard it.

Top 10 Things You Never Want to Hear During Yichud
by Jake Novak

10. "Are you sure my mother can't come in with us?"

9. "Honey, wait until you see all of my awesome tattoos!"

8. "The good news is I've been in love with you since the 4th grade, the bad news is I never finished 4th grade."

7. "I'm really hungry! Stand back while I eat every one of these 100 cocktail wienies in 5 minutes."

6. "Can you lend me a few quarters? Our limo is parked at a meter."

5. "Uh oh, I think this is the leftover chopped liver from my Bar Mitzvah."

4. "It's time for you to know the truth... I'm Batman."

3. "Cool, there's a TV in here. We can catch a few minutes of the game!"

2. "Geez, honey I don't think they're going to be able to lift you for the chair dance."

1. "I think the photographer is hiding behind the couch."

Jake, #3 is so great. It wouldn't have applied in my case, though, thank G-d...unless it was a cooking show that was on the tube!

I'm a big sports fan, but I'm not stupid. In my 5 years of marriage, I've had to cut out about 99% of my TV sports-watching. Believe me, I'm not complaining, I'd rather watch my wife. We will watch the Super Bowl, though.

Jake, I am so happy not to have heard any of those things during our lovely yichud!

Wow, #7 is exactly what I said!

Adar:

Is is the actual, authentic, real live Mrs. Jake making her very first appearance in Seraphic Secret?

Oh
My
Gosh!

Welcome.

Genedy,

So Robert won't seem too much like a shameless self-promoter, I (a neutral, unbiased observer) can testify that Chapters 1 through 31 are very, very well worth reading.

Jake:
How could you even think such things!

Everyone:
As I had a literally fly-by-night wedding, there was no food in our Yichud room (well, we got married on Motzei Shabbat and so hadn't fasted anyway). But that's a whole 'nother story, and maybe sometime I'll tell it.

Sara:

I live by imagining the silly and absurd. It helps in comedy writing and working at CNN.

Yes, it's me! And you can call me Adar, unless you want to start calling Jake "Mr. Adar."
Jake asked me to check out his Top 10 and I felt compelled to respond (but not to his sports-watching habits, because that wouldn't be nice).
Our Yichud (and our entire wedding) really was wonderful. The best part was that Jake didn't change his mind about me as I scarfed down sushi and diet coke.

Sara:

We would love to hear your story. In fact, EVERYONE is invited to tell their "How I Married ..." in Seraphic Secret.

Oy, Robert...did you just open a can of worms!

That will make for an entire new Seraphic Press graphic novel/scrapbook with reader contributions. Hmmm...? Just an idea.

Randi:

This is a can of (hopefully) joy and laughter, and ahem, perhaps the occasional bitter rant.

Genendy - Robert has a list of categories at the bottom of his main page in the sidebar. One of those categories is "How I Married Karen". Definitely worth reading - so go check it out.

Robert - Once again, lovely.

Jake - That was so funny, I would have laughed out loud - if I hadn't been worried about waking my husband!

Thank you for this beautiful vignette; it makes me wish I could marry my wife for the first time, all over again.

Shrinkwrapped:

You are welcome.

Hey, I just realized, don't some people do this thing called "renewing their vows."

Genedy, let me add my encouragement to go back and catch up on the Robert and Karen saga. You won't be sorry. Thanks again, Robert & Karen, this was a nice cap to a long day. Suz

Suz:

Thanks so much for the vote of confidence. And so glad we can act as an easy chair after a long day. Hey, any chance we can get your picture, say when you were 8-10 years old? You're a regular and we'd love to have it.

Dear Robert,

Your words are so beautifully chosen, your images so exquisite, much like your kallah :)! I confess that upon reading your posts like this and those about Ariel, I get misty!

I remain,

Very Sincerely yours,

Alan D. Busch

p.s. It just occurs to me that one mere 's' differentiates "chossen" from "chosen"! Then again, are not all the former the latter in any case?

Alan:

Thanks so much for your kind words. Interesting point about the 's.' Except that's using the English alphabet.

As always your story is capitvating.

Jack:

Thanks so much.