TWO WEDDINGS

TWO WEDDINGS

LAST MONTH I WAS ABLE TO GO TO TENNESSEE FOR THE WEDDINGS OF TWO OF MY GREAT NIECES AND NEPHEWS. HEATHER AND ADAM. THEY ARE THE CHILDREN OF ROBIN AND MARK, AND GRANDCHILDREN OF MY SISTER RUTH AND HER HUSBAND JERRY.
I FLEW TO OMAHA, NEBRASKA, WHERE RUTHIE AND JERRY PICKED ME UP AT THE AIRPORT. WE THEN DROVE TO LINCOLN, WHERE I STAYED OVERNIGHT AND THEN LEFT THE NEXT DAY FOR THE LONG DRIVE TO KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE. I KNEW THAT ONCE WE ARRIVED IN KNOXVILLE THE WHOLE TIME WOULD BE SPENT CONCENTRATING ON THE WEDDINGS, SO IT WAS NICE TO HAVE 2 DAYS TO REMINISCE AND JUST HAVE FUN TALKING AND LAUGHING WITH RUTHIE AND JERRY.
I WAS RIGHT. ONCE WE ARRIVED IN KNOXVILLE ALL THE EMPHASIS WAS ON GETTING READY FOR HEATHER'S WEDDING. WE HAD 4 DAYS BEGORE WEDDING TIME AND THERE WAS STILL A LOT TO DO, AS HEATHER HAD JUST BEEN HOME FROM COLLEGE FOR 2 WEEKS. (BOTH HEATHER AND CRAIG, HER FUTURE HUSBAND, HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM TRINITY BIBLE COLLEGE, IN ELLENDALE, SOUTH DAKOTA. OR WAS IT NORTH DAKOTA? I CAN'T REMEMBER. ANYWAY IT WAS FAR AWAY)
FRIDAY NIGHT WAS THE REHEARSAL. I WENT TO IT EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T NEED TO...JUST BECAUSE I'M NOSEY AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT ALL WAS HAPPENING BEFOREHAND AND ALSO TAKE A FEW PICTURES AND A VIDEO.
CRAIG'S DAD MADE THE REHEARSAL DINNER AND IT WAS DELICIOUS. (HE CAN COME TO MY HOUSE AND COOK ANYTIME.) MY NEPHERW, MARK AND HIS KIDS, MYLES, AUSTEN, CHANDLER, AND THE TWINS, BROOKE AND BAILEY, CAME IN FROM CINCINATTI, SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM AGAIN AFTER ALMOST 1 YEAR. (JENNIFER, HIS WIFE, DIDN'T GET TO COME, AS SHE HAD LANDED AT THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE HOSPITAL, THE NIGHT BEFORE. SHE WAS OK THE NEXT DAY,
BUT NOT QUITE UP TO THE 5 HOUR DRIVE.)
MY SISTER, MARTHA AND HER SON, DAVID AND GRANDSON, LUCAS, (JEEVAN) ARRIVED FROM WASHINGTON D.C. SHORTLY BEFORE REHEARSAL TIME. DAVID'S WIFE, SUSAN, WASN'T ABLE TO COME IN TIME FOR THIS WEDDING, AS SHE WAS FINISHING UP A BUSINESS TRIP TO THE COUNTRY OF GEORGIA. SHE DID HOWEVER ARRIVE THE NEXT NIGHT, AFTER THE WEDDING WAS ALL OVER. (IT IS SO MUCH FUN WHEN THE FAMILY GETS TOGETHER FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. I SURE DO LOVE MY FAMILY.)
ON SATURDAY MORNING MARTHA AND DAVID PICKED UP MY NIECE, MARTHA-DALE, AT THE AIRPORT, JUST IN TIME TO GET READY FOR THE WEDDING. (SHE'S A TEACHER AND WASN'T ABLE TO LEAVE LOS ANGELES UNTIL AFTER HER CLASSES WERE OVER ON FRIDAY.(SUCH DEDICATION!) I'M GLAD SHE WAS ABLE TO COME AND STAY A WEEK UNTIL THE NEXT WEDDING.)
JUST BEFORE THE WEDDING, MY NIECE, ANGIE AND HER FIANCE, RAZ, ARRIVED AT THE CHURCH. THEY CAME FROM LOS ANGELES. (PRACTICALLY EVERYONE WAS THERE NOW, EXCEPT MY NEPHEW, TIM'S FAMILY, WHO LIVE IN OKLAHOMA. THEY WERE UNABLE TO COME. WE MISSED YOU, TIM!)
WELL, THE WEDDING WENT OFF BEAUTIFULLY. WHEN CRAIG AND THE GROOMSMEN CAME OUT AND STOOD IN FRONT OF THE PLATFORM, A SLIDE SHOW OF CRAIG'S LIFE WAS SHOWN ON TWO TV SCREENS, AS HEATHER'S BROTHER, ADAM SANG AND PLAYED A SONG THAT HE HAD WRITTEN ESPECIALLY TO GO ALONG WITH THE SLIDE SHOW. AFTER HEATHER CAME DOWN THE AISLE ON HER FATHER, MARK'S ARM, THEY STOOD AT THE END OF THE AISLE AND WERE JOINED BY HER MOM, ROBIN, TO VIEW A BEAUTIFUL SLIDE SHOW OF HEATHER'S LIFE, AS THE SONG, 'BUTTERFLY KISSES' WAS SUNG. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE. INCLUDING HER MOM AND DAD, WHO WERE TRYING TO BE SO BRAVE. MARK KEPT WHISPERING 'FUNNIES' IN HER EAR TO KEEP HIMSELF FROM CRYING TOO MUCH AND DISGRACING HIMSELF. HEARHER'S BROTHER, ANDREW, SANG A BEAUTIFUL JOSH GROBAN SONG, 'WHEN YOU SAY YOU LOVE ME'. (I HEARD SOMEONE SAY HE SHOULD GO ON 'AMERICAN IDOL') HEATHER AND CRAIG SANG 'THE PRAYER' (RECORDED BY CELINE DION AND ANDREA BOCCELLI - ALSO BY LAUREN TALLEY AND DAVID PHELPS) TO EACH OTHER. THEY DID A GREAT JOB. I HAD NEVER HEARD CRAIG SING BEFORE, SO I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS FOR HIM, AS IT IS A DIFFICULT SONG. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T NEED TO BE. HE ALSO DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
HEATHER'S GRANDPA, JERRY, PERFORMED THE WEDDING. HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB, EXCEPT WHEN HE STARTED 'BLUBBERING'. I'M NOT USED TO SEEING JERRY CRY, SO IT WAS A SURPRIZE. SERIOUSLY, IT WAS VERY SWEET AND 'HUMAN'. UNFORTUNATELY, IT MADE THE REST OF US CRY AGAIN. TOWARDS THE END OF THE CEREMONY, THE COUPLE'S PARENTS CAME UP AND STOOD BY THEM AND BOTH FATHERS PRAYED FOR THEM. VERY MOVING. WITH THAT, THEY BECAME OFFICIALLY REV. AND MRS. CRAIG WILLIAM. AFTER A NICE RECEPTION, THE COUPLE LEFT TO SPEND THEIR HONEYMOON IN MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T GET TO SPEND TOO LONG THERE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BE BACK ON FRIDAY FOR HEATHER'S BROTHER, ADAM'S WEDDING TO AMOND.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE ALL GOT UP (TOO EARLY) (EXCEPT FOR THE CINCINATTI FAMILY WHO HAD TO BE INVOLVED AT CHURCH IN CINN. THE NEXT MORNING..SO THEY LEFT AFTER THE WEDDING...THEY ALSO WOULD BE BACK IN A WEEK FOR THE 2ND WEDDING) AND WENT TO CHURCH AT CURT'S CHURCH. (MARK'S BROTHER, WHO PASTORS AN ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH) MY NEPHEW ANDREW AND MY NIECE HANNAH SANG A DUET IN CHURCH. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! (CAN YOU TELL I'M PROUD OF THEM?) AFTER CHURCH DAVID AND SUSAN TREATED US ALL TO A MEXICAN LUNCH BEFORE THEY HEADED BACK TO D.C. (THEY CAME BACK IN ONE WEEK FOR THE NEXT WEDDING)
(IN CASE YOU'RE CONFUSED WE HAVE TWO MARKS IN THE FAMILY. RUTHIE'S SON, MARK, AND RUTHIE'S SON-IN-LAW, MARK. ITS EASY TO GET CONFUSED.)
AFTER HEATHER'S WEDDING WAS OVER WE HAD A WEEK TO GET READY FOR HER BROTHER, ADAM'S WEDDING TO AMOND. THEY WERE GETTING MARRIED IN A LITTLE TOWN OUTSIDE OF NASHVILLE, CALLLED ERIN.
WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO TO GET READY FOR ADAM'S WEDDING, BECAUSE THE BRIDE'S FAMILY GETS TO DO EVERYTHING. ROBIN SAID SHE DIDN'T THINK SHE COULD HAVE HANDLED 2 DAUGHTERS GETTING MARRIED A WEEK APART.
WE GOT TO VISIT AND JUST HAVE FUN THAT WEEK. WE WENT TO THE NATIONAL PARK (SMOKY MOUNTAIN) A COUPLE OF DAYS. SOMEONE, WHO WILL GO UNAMED, WAS NOT VERY GRACEFUL AND FELL IN THE RIVER WHILE TRYING TO CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE AND HAD TO BORROW A PAIR OF SLACKS FROM MARTHA-DALE. SOME OF US GOT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME AT A CHRISTMAS STORE DOING SOME SHOPPING. (I NEED MORE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LIKE I NEED A HOLE IN THE HEAD.....BUT ALAS, I'M ADDICTED TO CHRISTMAS)
BY FRIDAY WE ALL HEADED FOR ERIN,TN. TO ATTEND ADAM'S WEDDING.
ERIN IS A VERY SMALL TOWN SO WE HAD TO GET A MOTEL IN A TOWN CALLED CLARKSVILLE WHICH WAS ABOUT 35 MINUTES AWAY FROM ERIN. WE ALL STAYED IN THE SAME MOTEL. THAT WAS FUN.
EVERYONE GOT LOST TRYING TO GET FROM CLARKSVILLE TO ERIN. I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE GAVE US BAD DIRECTIONS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, OR IF SOMEONE WAS PLAYING A JOKE ON US. WHATEVER IT WAS, WE WERE OUT IN THE 'BOONIES' FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, WE ALL FINALLY FOUND THE PLACE AND THE REHEARSAL WAS JUST A FEW MINUTES LATE IN GETTING STARTED.
ADAM'S PARENTS, MARK AND ROBIN, MADE A WONDERFUL ENCHILADA DINNER WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS, TO ENJOY AFTER THE REHEARSAL. RUTHIE AND MARTHA HELPED THEM. (IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT I'M DOING ALL THIS TIME, WHILE EVERYONE ELSE IS WORKING,........NOTHING. I FIGURED MY 'WORK DAYS' ARE OVER. THE 'YOUNG PEOPLE' CAN DO IT ALL NOW)
ADAM AND AMOND GOT MARRIED OUTDOORS. AMOND'S PARENTS OWN 23 ACRES WHERE THEIR HOUSE IS BUILT AND HER DAD BUILT A SPECIAL GAZEBO ESPECIALLY FOR THE WEDDING. THEY HAD WHITE, ROUND TABLES AND WHITE CHAIRS WHERE THE AUDIENCE WAS TO SIT FOR THE CEREMONY AND FOR A DINNER AFTER THE WEDDING. AS THE DAY OF THE WEDDING ARRIVED IT DIDN'T RAIN...WHICH WAS NICE. HOWEVER, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 125 DEGREES WITH 150 HUMIDITY. (AT LEAST IT FELT THAT WAY) AT THAT POINT A LITTLE RAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOMED! IF YOU WEREN'T SWEATING ENOUGH YOURSELF, BY THE TIME THE USHER WALKED YOU TO YOUR SPOT, YOU WERE SATURATED WITH HIS SWEAT! SERIOUSLY, THE WEDDING SETTING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE CEREMONY WAS CONTEMPORARY, IN CONTRAST TO HEATHER'S MORE TRADITIONAL. (AFTER THE WEDDING THEY PLAYED 'ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST')
ANDREW AGAIN SANG BEAUTIFULLY, (SAME SONG,...HE MUST BE LAZY) AND AMOND AND ADAM EACH SANG A SONG TO EACH OTHER. (LOTS OF TEARS AGAIN) DINNER WAS WONDERFUL.
THE COUPLE WAS ONLY GOING AWAY FOR ONE NIGHT, AS AMOND IS A TEACHER AND SHE HAD TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THEY THEN WENT TO OHIO A WEEK LATER TO SPEND A FEW DAYS AT CEDAR POINT, WHICH, I AM TOLD IS ONE OF THE GREAT AMUSEMENT PARKS OF THE U.S.

AFTER THE WEDDING, AS EVERYONE STARTED TO DRIVE DOWN THE LONG, DARK, WINDING DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD GET US OUT TO THE MAIN ROAD, SOMEONE CAME RUNNING AND SAID, 'YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET, BECAUSE --------DROVE INTO THE LAKE.' (I'M SO NICE TO NOT NAME NAMES) IT TOOK ALL THE GUYS ABOUT 1/2 AND HOUR TO FISH THE 'RENTAL' CAR OUT OF THE LAKE. POOR ---- WAS EMBARASSED AND PROBABLY WILL NOT LIVE THAT DOWN....EVER. I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE DARK, THE LAKE LOOKED LIKE A PARKING LOT.
THE NEXT DAY WE ALL SPENT SOME WONDERFUL TIME TOGETHER (JENNIFER AND SUSAN INCLUDED THIS TIME) BEFORE HEADING HOME TO OUR RESPECTIVE STATES.
APPARENTLY NEXT SUMMER WE WILL BE ATTENDING ANOTHER WEDDING. THIS TIME IN CALIFORNIA.
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. I HAVE A GREAT FAMILY. I HOPE YOU MAKE THE TIME TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY WHENEVER POSSIBLE. ITS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO SO.
FOLLOWING ARE PHOTOS TAKEN ON MY TRIP TO TENNESSEE.
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
JUDITH