wedding2

I have to say I was a bit shocked: Brian was actually at a loss for words, AND he was shaking! We really did a turnabout there. For about 2 weeks in May, I had a really bad case of �cold feet�. It finally passed, but all through it, Brian was cool as a cucumber; said he wasn�t nervous at all, and was completely sure. Once mine passed, I was pretty calm too, but I was sure surprised to see Brian tongue-tied and shaky. We had talked about writing our own vows, and I�d done so. I knew that as of 2 days before the wedding, Brian hadn�t but he said he�d try to get it done. I didn�t know till Pastor John went on with the regular ceremony that we weren�t doing our own. Oh well, it was still lovely. I know Brian was nervous about that, because he�s not a �writer�. I told him he should just say some of the lovely things he says to me every day, but, well...

PJ (as we call Pastor John) gave a beautiful service, short, sweet and to the point. Besides the usual �do ya�s� he read the story of the wedding at Cana. The whole thing took only about 15 minutes. That was as well since it was so early everyone was eager to get breakfast and coffee!

Now, the embarrassing. Just before we started (though we were all in place) I realized that I�d forgotten to take off my engagement ring. So, I slipped it off to put on my right hand till the wedding was over...and I dropped it!! Now, you have to realize, we were standing on a deck which extended over a pond with quite a bit of undergrowth. And of course, there were spaces between the boards of the deck. Not big enough to be a problem with heels, they were surely big enough for a ring to slip through!

As it slid from my fingers, time seemed to slow. I could see the gleam as it turned over and over, falling down...down...down. In my mind�s eye, I could just see it falling through a crack and my having to send folks down in the muck and underbrush in their good clothes while I sat and bawled, both at losing the ring and at ruining my wedding.

My reaction was pure instinct. I yelled �Sh*******t�!!

The ring hit a board...and bounced. I held my breath. It hit another board and came to a rest. Whew! I bent over and snatched it so fast I think I created a mini sonic boom. I think I also flashed the audience when I bent over, but...I got my ring. Only on my way back to an upright position did it come to me: I�d just bawled an obscenity at the top of my lungs, with a preacher standing not 2 feet away, at my own wedding!

Sigh. Brian tells me I turned a rather lovely shade of red, from the part in my hair down. Fortunately, everyone decided to play �let�s be nice to the bride, after all it�s her special day� and chose not to mention it. Aren�t they sweet??

I didn�t notice too many tears. I got a little blurry, and think a couple others did too, but the only one I saw needing a tissue was Darlene, my (sorta) new mother-in-law. Guess I should explain that. Darlene lives next to us and, being Kris� mother, was Brian�s mother-in-law. Kris, of course, was Brian�s wife for over 25 years, and passed away 2 years before our own wedding.

Anyway, Darlene is a terrific lady, and since Brian was going to get a new mother-in-law and his own mother is gone, I suggested adopting Darlene so he could have a mom, and I�d have a simply wonderful Mom-in-law.

Oh, I guess I should also confess that we jumped the gun just a little. The ceremony
seemed to be all over, so we smooched. A bit later, Darrell (Brian�s best man)
suggested that PJ should give the orders. I suspect PJ hadn�t had enough coffee and we
just got the poor man out of bed way too early that day. More about that later, too. Anyway,
once we got the orders, we did it again. Heck, I�m not going to complain about too many
kisses (IS there such a thing??)

So, ceremony over, we all moseyed back down to the park area for many pictures and a bit of visiting, and had our convoy headed back to town by about 8:30. I�m pleased to report that no one got lost on the trip, and by 9:00 we were all seated having our breakfast.

Well, all except Mom and our friend Betty. Mom did well through the ceremony, but was still feeling pretty rough (recovering from radiation therapy for throat cancer) and wasn�t up to coming into the restaurant. We knew she wouldn�t be able to eat, but had at least hoped she�d be up for visiting and meeting everyone. She was rather shaky, so Betty, bless her heart, took her home and stayed with her.

Say what you will about the earliness of the hour, but it was great! The food was good and plentiful, and nobody interrupted us with clinking glasses. We hadn�t asked for nor expected any gifts, but got a few lovely ones anyway. Darlene is quite the embroiderer; she�s won awards and teaches and all sorts of things. She made us a wall hanging commemorating the day.

Darrell and Pam, two of Brian�s best friends and all around wonderful folks, gave us a couple beautiful picture frames and a small album in which Pam had placed our announcement and a title page.

Betty and her daughter Deni gave us a gift certificate to Bed, Bath and Beyond (what a FUN store!). Mom, bless her heart, gave me her old Camry (I�ve always loved that car). Shirley, another of Brian�s good friends, gave us our honeymoon...2 nights at a beautiful resort up in Estes Park. My uncle Bob and aunt Andrea, gave us our wedding supper (prime rib...yum, my favorite!). Brian�s sister Debbie (yay, I finally have a sister!) and her husband Max and daughter Nicole; my grandparents and my good friend Rick (the photographer) all also donated cash gifts.

We were very touched and appreciate it very muchly. We used it to purchase some much needed housewares. Brian wasn�t your �typical� bachelor, but...well the house hadn�t had a woman�s touch for a while and, silly me, I like stuff that matches and looks nice as well as being utile. We got some new bedding, bathroom accessories, canisters, and all that �girl� stuff, mostly.