J's Cafe Nette

Archive for December 16th, 2007

The wreath laying ceremony took place yesterday at Arlington.

It began with an 8:30 a.m. report to duty Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery where we heard Morrill Worcester’s remarks about those we would soon remember and honor with Christmas wreaths.

Much more including many wonderful photographs at The Radio Patriot.

*Original link, Lorie Byrd at Wizbang.

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Forty years ago today I was very busy getting ready for my wedding that evening.

Our apartment was all set up for us and I had to finish moving some things into it. I knew where the rings were and I had tried mine on several times, admiring how it looked on my left ring finger.

I had to get my hair done and all the other running around that goes with a wedding day.

Our wedding was to be held in my home church about 12 or 13 miles from where we would be living and we both already lived in that city. I lived at home and Don lived in his frat house.

Guests were arriving, but most were his friends so he got to be the host while I hung around with my maid of honor, chewing my nails.

At the appointed time my maid of honor and her boyfriend loaded me into her car and proceeded to the church where I would meet my grandfather so he could give me away.

I went to the parsonage at the church as the people filed in and had a spy checking to see when Don arrived.

The wedding was set for 7:30 PM and we should have the ceremony over by 8, get our pictures taken and go back to my mother’s house for one reception and to our apartment for another with just our friends.

The groomsmen and the bridesmaids were there on time while I was still in the upstairs of the parsonage. Not a sign of Don. I paced, I got sick, I was worried. I thought I had been stood up at the altar and would have to face all the people in that church to tell them the wedding was off.

Finally, at 7:45 someone, I don’t remember who, told me Don had arrived. I was furious at Don by now.

I managed to walk down the aisle with a smile on my face as I saw his beaming smile looking at me. The first chance I got I whispered, “Where were you?”

The minister was obviously nervous too, as he said, “Repeat after me, I David take this man…” and I gave him an Irish whisper Donald!,woman!

He said his vows and I can remember thinking he was married to me but I wasn’t married to him. Would this marriage work? I loved him, but who knows? I could refuse to take the vows. Then I heard myself take my vows and looking into his eyes as he did mine when he repeated his vows, slipping on his ring as he had slipped on mine and being told I was now a married woman and he could now kiss me. It wasn’t a lingering kiss as we were both too shy.

Then we turned to face the guests and family and were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Donald —.

We walked down the aisle and then came back in later to get the photos done.

He was finally able to tell me why he was late. His best man had decided to take him to dinner at an out of the way expensive restaurant. Finally Don told him it was time to leave so they could get to the church on time, but on the way up, about half-way, the best man told him he had forgotten the rings.

Don thought he was joking and didn’t think much of it until his best man finally convinced him he had forgotten the rings. They went back to get them and that’s what made them late. Remember, there were no cell phones then.

We’ve been together through the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.

I was making a whopping $70 per week and he was working part time until he graduated from college later that month. Our furnished apartment was $60 a month plus heat and utilities.

We had three pregnancies, one ending in miscarriage, a year separation due to the Viet Nam War, although he never served in theater, but was in support in Thailand.

Our oldest child survived a dog attack and our second was born a little over a year after that.

We were dirt poor and we gradually made our way up so we could afford to send our children to college and buy one home, sell it, move to another city for a better job and build this home.

It has not all been sunshine and roses for him because I’m the one with the short fuse, but it has been for me. God gave me the most wonderful man in the world to be my husband, lifemate, lover, friend, father to our children and grandfather to our grandchildren. He has never disappointed me or let me down.

He has less hair now, and we’ve both turned gray. I looked at him one day and wondered when he got old. I suppose he’s done the same with me.

We aren’t quite as fast as we once were and we take a handful of pills in the mornings to keep us going, but we’re still young at heart.

I still remember how he looked that night and how proud he looked when our children were born.

We’ve loved and lost a lot of pets. Our parents are now gone. He has no family left other than us and my family before marriage is down to an aunt and uncle, a sister, a special cousin and several other cousins.

I have since met my father’s family and have gained four new aunts and uncles and nine brothers and sisters.

It’s been quite a ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Here’s to you, Honey, and may we have forty more years together.

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