28 Years

 


Today marks my (our) 28th wedding anniversary! How can that be?  Like many things it was so long ago and yet (in my mind) so recent.)  How did we get here?

In the 28 years, so much has changed.  Some for the better (the birth of our son) and some not.  As I reflect on that evening (with its rain and then sunshine and then rain and then sunshine), I think about all the people who were part of that special day that are no longer here.  People who made the day what it was.

  • My Mother:  who ran the whole show.  We were together when I bought my wedding dress (on sale at Arlene's Bridal Salon, which still exists) and how we had to pool our money to come up with enough cash to pay for it since it was on sale and they would only accept cash.  She found the caterer and threatened to cut off parts of his manhood if he poisoned me on my wedding day.  (He didn't, but then again neither my husband or I ate much that night...I think we enjoyed the food much more the next day when we were cleaning up the Normandy Beach Yacht Club and actually got to enjoy the leftovers.)

  • My Father:  Who coordinated the day.  He hung handmade signs along the highway directing people to the yacht club.  (This was way before Google maps.)  He made a sign so that only our car could park in one specific spot nearest to the entryway.

  • My Brother:  Who was one of two ushers that day.  We danced together at least once that night.  And after everything was over, the story goes, went skinny dipping in the neighbors pool.  Rumor also has it that another couple who were neighbors of my parents (and have since moved away and I have no way of contacting them to find out if this is true) also did the same thing that night.  Neither saw each other.

  • My Husband's Grandmother:  She flew up from FL to attend.  (Steve's grandfather did not and that's another story.)  She always made me feel so welcome.  She had wonderful hugs.  Her being  there was so important as my maternal grandparents had passed away and my paternal grandmother was not well enough to attend.

  • Aunts & Uncles:  Aunt Sally & Uncle Bob who gave us a unique painting that hangs in our kitchen done by an artist that my aunt knew.  (Can't recall his name, but he was a theater director by trade and my aunt had worked with him on a production at one point.)  Uncle Jimmy, who flew in from Colorado and ended up dancing with his high school girlfriend (who was there with her husband; both of whom were friends with my parents.)  "Big John," (a nickname to differentiate him from my brother), my aunt's husband, who was always larger than life.

  • My Great Uncle Harold,  who "discovered" Normandy Beach years before and built one of the first homes in town. If it weren't for him, would the wedding have actually happened as it did?  He came from California with his son (who I have to text and thank again today as he stepped in and video taped the ceremony) and his daughter-in-law (who had an incredible sense of dry humor and was an amazing artist) and brought the sunshine.  He promised me the rain would go away and all would be well  Of course he was right.  My Great Uncle deserves his own post (actually many) because he lived an amazing life (and I probably don't even know the half of it) and he was a wonderful storyteller.

  • Various friends of my parents:  Mr. F who for years said that the food at the wedding was incredible including the wedding cake.  (We didn't have a wedding cake.)  Mr. & Mrs. C, Mr. & Mrs G who were Normandy Beach family friends that really were more like extended family.  Mr. R, who was another wonderful storyteller and made/gave me a copper bracelet that I still have.  Lenny C, who had worked with my dad and they became lifelong friends, living only a few miles away from each other until they both died (only a few days apart).

  • Our friends:  Diane, who shared a room with two other of our friends and complained the whole time about Ed's snoring.  And of course, Ed, who had the biggest heart of anyone I've ever had the pleasure to have known.  We miss him so much.

And then there are friends that we have (sadly) lost touch with.  I'm saddened to say that I have no idea where my maid of honor is and my husband hasn't heard from his best man in several years.  Friends that I had from my place of work, I have lost track of.  If any of you happen to come across this blog; know that we miss you and would love to hear from you.

After 28 years, I suppose the above is inevitable, but I don't want to dwell on the sad.  I want to remember the fun that we had with everyone all those years ago.  And tonight, for the first time in MANY years, my husband and I will go out to dinner and celebrate this "accomplishment."  (We gave up celebrations when our son was  born.)  We'll have a drink (okay, I will have a drink) and toast this day and the people that made it so special.  (Including those who I have not mentioned like my amazing in-laws, my father's sister, my "Aunt" Julie, Pastor Erik...the list goes on.)  This day continues to be special because of every single person who helped make it so.

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