I may have to use that as a subtitle... !  thanks for writing!

What a great way to start my day!  Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm.  Hope you write back and share with me your feelings about the story!  Enjoy!

ps.  Feel the same way about J/B stories

more is on the way...

And eat their puppies for breakfast...

Yes, Alice is a little... beligerent about having this perfect wedding.  But it is only because she loves both Bella and Edward that she is completely insane.

She was driving me completely crazy too with this whole bridezilla-o-honor thing, but then I realized... Poor Alice is EXPECTED to be perfect, especially on the wedding day business, and MAYBE just MAYBE she doesn't have a very clear vision of how everything is going to play out... and she is... nervous.

Just an idea... taken from a woman who has survived many a bridezilla...

I guess there is a long list of things that should have been in BD, but I sort of have sympathy for the process because I am having to edit out things...breaking my heart, btw.  I am sure the Saga suffered this as well, not just because of the limits of the target audience, but from the sheer limits of bookselling logistics.  Just how many pages can a hardcover hold when formated for wide margins, larger type, and double spacing?

Carlisle and Esme... they are a couple, arent' they?  More on that note to come...

Not as surprised as Emmett and Charlie, right!?  It is hard to know what Charlie is aware of on a conscious level.  He often referred to the superstitious closemindedness of the town against 'new comers' and railed against their suspciousness.  But he was also (in this story) tied to the Rez during his young life and was taken in to be 'educated' as it were as one of the black sheep of the tribe.  It stands to reason he would have heard the stories of the Cold Ones and perhaps the shapeshifting spirit warriors and how th tribe was descended from wolves.  But would he put the shards of truth in those stories into context and apply it to the Cullen's?  I guess we will have to find out.  Something significant would have to motivate him to that thought, doncha think?

Thanks for writing.

It will be interesting to see if he finds the secret or if it finds him. 

Just because he is not consciously aware of what is surrounding him doesn't mean that he doesn't feel the vibe.  And add that curious nature...well, you have a recipe for trouble where secrets are concerned.  Putting words to that vibe is not always easy.  I think Charlie's latent talents (undiscovered) put him on the edge of discovery in more ways than one.

Yeah, we haven't heard the last of Charlie nor have the Cullen's been released from the fear that the friendly-neighborhood Chief of Forks' finest might be a new wrinkle in their quest to assimilate Bella without raising suspicions.  Somehow, the "I'm not coming home for Christmas, I'm in the Sudan" story of a world tour may not be enough cover, after all.

Thanks for writing.

I am so glad you feel that way, friend!!  This chapter kicked me from VA to WA and back again!  I guess Edward and Bella arent' the only ones facing performance anxiety!

Since you mention it...  here is a little additional information on the traditions, rites, and signs found in this chapter.

I can understand how this processional is unusual and unexpected to many , but it is absolutely traditional... just depends on your tradition!

The Cullen's and Charlie each brought ethnic, religious, or spiritual traditions to share in the ceremony to create a ritual that 'covered all the bases' as Alice said in the chapter, "The Cullen House of Wedded Bliss". On a more serious note, it brought the many families together as one. She mentioned that Rose's Jewish heritage lent the the idea for the covered pillars with the cascading flowers, the chuppah. This processional was also her tradition.

This parade-like procession comes from the Jewish cannon that the wedding creates a bond between families by creating a new family. It is for this reason that the symbolic union of these families is shown in the BIG walk down the aisle. If there were grandparents, they'd be thrown in there, too. Also explains why Phil and Renee are in there, as well. With their marriage they have created a new family unit as evidenced by the pregnancy. The family center of life in a Jewish tradition is expressed in the symbol of the processional. Edward and Bella will create a new unit from three families, The Cullen's, Dwyer's, and Swan's, like a new branch, but still tied to the origin.

Yes, it is not the 'here comes the bride' version that is my Catholic tradition, but I think it expresses the moment excellently.

There is another lovely rite that is buried pretty subtly in the text, but it is worth mentioning because it is so lovely. It is called, 'the circling of souls.'

When Edward and Bella kiss, he takes her into his embrace, and spins her around in his arms. It is a nod to the practice where the bride and the mothers will circle the groom seven times just as the ceremony begins. This is not cannon, but is a rite that has been used for many ages and it holds a variety of meanings. The bride sees the groom is now the center of her universe. It is a superstition of the power of seven to protect against evil spirits bend on harming the groom. It is a territorial marking of the man as her own. Scripture references that the union, bride encompasses the groom and thus protects him. The general concensus is that the circling breaks the bond between groom and mother/family and allows the spiritual union with bride to create a new family unit. Mystically, the seven turns bring the bride into the man's soul and bonds the seven layers of their souls to each other in an eternal embrace. The breaking of the emotional wall brings intimacy, just as Joshua broke the walls of Jerico after seven rounds. There are seven days to Creation. Take your pick.

In a modern bride view, this is a little (okay, a lot) paternalistic in some ways, but as a sign even my feminist spirit finds value...with modification. In circling each other in the kiss, if only once, not seven passes, there is enough equality to give the practice, although remote from the original, power and value as a sign of union, protection, and strength.

Also aside, the carrying of torches or lamps in the procession is also in the Jewish tradition.

Notice that torches and circling were present in the initiation ceremony in 'June 19: The Meadow.'

If you are interested in these and other wedding processional traditions, here are two websites to check out.

http://www.bnaimitzvahguide.com/jewish. ... Procession

This site offers an authoratative compliation with indepth coverage that is fascinating and informative

http://weddings.about.com/popular.htm

This one contrasts the christian and jewish traditional elements of procession on the downlow and easy.


I told you there was a host of ritual and sign... Kinda makes a catholic girl wanna a do-over after 22 years!

Thanks for writing...and giving me a new topic for the Ascension AU FORUM. CHECK IT OUT for the backstory of our vampire priest!

http://twilighted.net/forum/viewtopic.p ... n&start=20

Having trouble navigating forums here...so if you are too, don't do Twilighted, and are interested in the backstory of our new character, Pere Fabian St. Michel, let me know!

I am confused by your confusion...PM me so we can straighten each other out!

You were absolutely right about Renee and when you said that in prior review I was busting out about it,too.  Kept worrying if it was obvious... 

The pregnancy scare was not in the first outline...she was more or less not sure she was pregnant at graduation...even toyed with Phil really being hurt.  But that all seemed too contrived.  And when I really thought about it... morning sickness wouldn't keep me off a plane to see my baby girl graduate neither would Renee.  And she could have gotten a babysitter for Phil if he was hurt, even if she were pregnant...so it had to be something more.  And so the miscarriage scare is what I came up with to tip the scales. 

That isn't the real problem, is it?  It's not that she didn't make graduation, it's that she lied about it so thoroughly and then didn't admit to her mistake.  One question Bella didn't ask...I might add... "Why the hell didn't you pick up the phone?"

Carlisle is a smooth operator...!  DO you remember that song?  Sade?  'No need to ask he's a smooth operator.."  Oh yeah... that's Dr. McDreamy to you!

more coming soon!  The moment of truth, glances stolen from the top of the stairs.  Thanks for writing!

Welcome aboard! Thank you for you kind words... You are coming in at a great place...there are quite a few chapters posted and you can read it as it was intended: as a novel.

Thanks for reading and writing.  Let me know what you think.  And be sure to check out the Ascension forum for backstory info and tidbits!

I too am eager to get to the juicy bits...because we haven't had one in a while...but just like Edward, I believe anticipation and imagination are the spice of lovemaking.  Maybe we can make it through since there is only one chapter before we hear the clock strike 6, but it is a much anticipated one in which we will discover just how complicated a mother/daughter relationship can be for two women such as Renee and Bella.  Regarding the power of a woman's midlife crisis...I can see both points you make as logical arguements to understand Renee's folly.

If she be pregnant, reconciling a span of 19 years is virtually impossible.  I have a sister who is 19 years younger than I am...born to my parents the year I went to college...the first of my family to ever do so.  More a factor of genes than choice, as my grandmother and great grandmother had a child in their 40's, it was still an earth shattering event...a good one, but shattering the old for something entirely new. There is little we share in common as we are more like separate generations than sisters. If pregnancy is the answer, generation gap would certainly be a problem...but would it be enough to justify her actions against Bella?

I think there are many ways to express this emptiness of a woman's midlife challenges...selfishness and denial are certainly at the top of the list. And if there were two words in the English language best suited to Renee...I can think of none other.

Thanks for writing!

Oh, my...that Charlie!  Even if Bella could turn her back on his for his own protection, do you think he would stand for that?  Would Charlie not chase her to the end of the earth...as Emmett said...to basque in the mystery that is Isabella Swan now Isabella Cullen?  Somehow, after this big moment of revelation, I doubt he would live with himself if he made the same mistake twice.

On the flip side, if I were Bella, I don't know that I could turn my back on him no matter HOW good it would be for him, so I guess that makes ME a selfish bastard, too.

Could there be a moment more important, one that requires more confidence, and has the potential to ease the fears of many...Poor pixie psychic! When Alice is blind, Alice is crazy with fear.  We see that all over the place in saga. Blind and afraid is just like being locked up in a padded cell with a sadistic vampire.

Some readers screamed that  the family expressing their concerns was a sign they'd lost faith in Edward.  The truth is far from laying inadequacy at his bedroom door!  Their paranoia comes from the idea of an accident that would throw any positive vision out the window.  Bella asks if Alice's vision has chaned and she says it hasn't... She sees it working out fine, but she is afraid that it won't because something beyond her control could cause an accident and it is too late by the time she gets the message.  But when the family came seeking reassurance that her vision is solid, our little pixie is in an exitential crisis. 

Alice's hesistation is just our girl having a human moment...of self confidence lost in the face of the unknown.  WHy is that so hard to accept?  First off, we don't offen see her lose that polished confidence.  Mistakes in the past from visions have put Bella's life in peril...mostly from unforeseen circumstances and last minute decisions.  Could it be possible that her 'solid' vision would be suspect to accident?  Of course, it could.  The problem is the family isn't willing to take the risk, even if Bella and Edward have made peace with it.  The family has no vested interest in the calendar of their consumation, only of her survivability of it.

Everyone accepts Alice's vision of Bella the vampire.  Nobody wants to take the risk of an accident causing transformation on her wedding night.  Yet, that is not the worst case scenario!  An unvisionable accident could take her life before transformation could be complete and it is that tragedy putting the fear in their hearts.  If she gets changed a little early, no harm, no foul.  They could decide to keep their mouths shut, but if she dies a mortal death in Edward's arms...the pantry will be stocked with seven flavors of vampire immolation pie.

You crack me up...Ascension FanFiction!  What a concept!

This is a great question that I never got to explore but I did have a backstory for...like my chapters need to be any longer for exposition, right?!!

I think the use of ceremonial ritual would certainly fit in the crevices in the cannon.  There are too many opportunities for it not to be possible.  Certainly, Carlisle's human life brought a sprituality that would endure; afterall, he has reconciled himself to the notion of God and his place in the universe, the theology of soul, and the morality of the will to choose right over wrong.  That's a spiritual guy if ever there was one.

The Cullen's have left the mainstream of vampire life and created their own world.  The creation of group ritual experiences would cement that bond and create their identity.  They do have a family crest that they share.  I believe they would create structures of that world that a feral vampire pair would not.  We are told that there are no other 'covens' outside of the Volturi in Italy, and perhaps those houses of power in Romania, etc.  that are as large as the Cullen's.  BTW, the true term for a 'family' of vampires is a 'kiss' not 'coven' which is rightly used by Wiccan followers to describe their groups of worship. 

Here's something to munch on...is it possible that Carlisle adopted the surname "Cullen" for the obvious reason that they choose to life by culling the abundance of wild life...just a thought.

I believe to create this world specific ceremonies would be devised for accepting the vow of dedication to the lifestyle and dedication to the family.  Certainly, everyone would have to pledge themselves to accept the discipline, aliegence to the group, and to each other.  Lapses, slips, and failure certainly were part of everyone's adaptation to Carlisle's principles.  THere had to be an expression of fidelity to the community of 'believers'.

This is what had formed my ritual.

Regarding the robes.  Esme has made all the robes.  Certainly, there is a tradition of ceremonial robing in almost all rituals, whether it be clothing, paint, blood, jewels, etc.  The fact that she endevored to make them will all serious craftswomanship seems logical.  I suspect it was when Alice and Jasper joined them, making the family complete.  I am sure the robes were used for special occasions, like reaffirming their vows of marriage or concecration of a new home, or milestones of life (anniversary of milestone events--biggies, not like birthdays...maybe the day they became a unit)  I think the tradition of these ceremonies would predate the robes...because she chose the color wheel and it's fixed number of colors to represent the individuals.  I don't think she would have chosen the wheel not knowing that more people were coming.  I think it would have been one of those aha! moments when she realized how the personalites of the families correlated to the colors of the wheel.  It is then quite logical that white is the final color left...one that could have been left out of the wheel...but one that is the culmination of everything in Isabella Swan....and that small fact alone is important.  Bella is the culmination of everything...on more than one level. (hint!)

Esme says from 'before the first day.'  I think that means before they met her...we don't have (I don't have...though I could/should look it up) information about when Alice first saw the vision of Bella.  We know in cannon that Alice had a vision of Bella and Edward long before Bella came to Forks.  Perhaps she shared that with Esme and she certainly shared it with Carlisle.  Perhaps, Esme, as dedicated mother to Edward, would have taken the sign as marching orders and she began to make the robes in the hope that Alice's vision would come to fruition.  Certainly, after Bella appeared on the scene and Alice had visions of her future as a member of the family and finally as a vampire, Esme would have taken on her task with great earnestness.  On the robes the tone on tone embroidery may have been a palate which evolved over time.  Perhaps, images of experiences and hopes were added as the existence moved through time.  LOL  LIke a Girl Scout badges vest! 

This really was a great question and I thank you for your attention and thought to such detail.  Although many of these types of things, like the blanket, the ritual and others to come, have real backstory it is almost impossible to get that all in a chapter...because for the most part, as you say, it is not necessary to plot.  However, they are interesting tidbits that only deepen the story.

I have a list for a series of moments not in Ascension but related to the action.  I will be sure to put this idea on that list!  Thanks!

WELL, I am sure that Alice is a waxing kinda girl, don't you think?  Much more girl!  Certainly for an extended honeymoon, there is no way she was gonna let that go by her girlie rituals!

I also think it's great that Rose's prediction comes true about that dirty talk.  They say (somewhere in the cannon documents) that Edward likes to curse...but who knows...I'd kinda dig it, myself!

No kidding, right!  I'd let that black AMEX wear out if I was in their charge!

I am in the same situation with a little melncholy for their relationships.  Although I have four sisters and few life-long friends, we never discussed anything close to this...  Until recently, we'd never even touched on first sexual encounters!  WE are all in our forties and had consumed copious amounts of alcohol! 

I think, however, Bella has learned more of the lessons than she might consciously realize....

I blush, I bite my lip at you, and I thank you.

I would send Bella and Carlisle cross country if I could listen in on their conversations and take notes.  And yeah, Bella is learning how to work that boy, hah?  She's ready for marriage, no problem!  Know what he needs, get what she needs.  AInt' marriage grand? 

There is absolutely NOT going to be any child named Renesmee here...I can't spell it and it's stupid, too.  But read that sentence very, very carefully.

Sometimes, if someone tells me they have a registry, I will look it up and purposely NOT buy anything on it!  I hate them!  And that invitation thing?  Don't get me started! I was lucky and put my foot down about who I was going to invite, but my poor sisters paid for that...eveyrone who didn't get invited to mine were so insulted they could not help but be invited to the other weddings to follow!

Bella deserves every hissy fit she can get, but you are right, she is growing up nicely and learning to be diplomatic without being a wimp.  My theory is that the more real time she spends with the Cullens, not jumping off cliffs of agnst or fighting other mythical creature drama, the more she is able to see them as individuals, and not just as the cookie cutter images we hear about: the pixie, the jock, the soldier, the beauty.  They are not on such a high pedestal anymore because she is seeing new sides of them...familiarity breeds contempt, right?  But on the otherhand, they too are seeing other sides of her personality.  YEAh!

Certainly not a great place for a bride...to think her groom's boundary crossings are only to shut her up.  YIKES< right?  Well, as You will see...there is hope for the old boy yet.  Once he learns to ride this bicycle...he will do a good job of it!

I love this chapter.  I cry and I cringe.  I shake and I scream.  I think the idea Carlisle has about Edwards fears is really interesting...it take the whole idea of integration into light as being part of his troubles.  It is so pedestrian to just say he is emo because he was made too early.  Yeah, but he had a 100 years to get over that...and well, he is too self absorbed for that to be the only thing at stake.  Emo chicken-ward indeed!

It is a funny thing what can happen when two souls agree the best way is the straight way.  I think there could have been no way in heaven, earth, or hell that Edward would have gotten Charlie to roll so easily without this conversation.  Even better is that this connection now affords them a relationship upto themselves...not based on anyone else.  This will offer unique opportunities for us to see more of them in the future.  Especially, Charlie.  This conversation seems to be a bit of a catalyst for him.  You'll see!

Thanks for writing!