From: ssalter@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (-=[SLS]=-)
Subject: Wedding and etcetera [Part 2]
Organization: OFSA
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 00:05:42 GMT

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		Saturday - September 19, 1992
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(as in the first post, my lines have a ">" in front - SLS)

> 
> 	Sunlight streams faintly in the bedroom window when I wake up
> Saturday morning. This is THE day! Coffee is already dripping through
> the new, automatic coffee maker we received as a shower present and I
> drive to the corner store to pick up some cinnamon rolls for
> breakfast. As people awake and kids wander about, the pace picks up
> and eventually Julie, her sister Susan, the girls and Ruthie leave to
> go to Julie's aunt's house to get ready. I give my fiancee one last
> kiss before they go...the last time I kiss this lovely single lady who
> has consented to be my wife.        

	It seemed like the morning went too quickly.  I hated to part from
Steven's strong arms and kisses, but knew that I had to leave to prepare
for our big moment.  I wanted to present myself to my husband as pretty as
I could - and I knew I needed some time to prepare for that.  My Aunt Norma
and sister Susan seemed a bit stressed.  I, on the other hand, was very calm.
I have never been so sure of anything in my life - ever.  I will always
remember that kiss before I left the house.  It was the last one as a single
woman, for only hours later, I would be kissing my husband that I will spend
the rest of my life with.

> 	After they leave I shower and shave and begin loading the
> truck with all the guys clothes and my tux. I also load all the stuff
> Julie and I are taking on the honeymoon along with the punchbowl and
> other miscellany. Zak and Kellen and I drive into town to pick up the
> rental car Julie and I will be using over the next week while John
> Turner stays behind to get himself ready.     

	I hated it that so much was left for Steven to do, while I just
went to my Aunt's to primp.  My thoughts were constantly on Steven and
hoping he wasn't stressing too much over everything to be done.....

> 	Avis Rental is out of compacts so they give me a Cutlass
> Supreme instead, at the compact price! The first of lucky things that
> happened... I run it through a car wash, much to the boys delight, and
> then stop by Kroger to pick up supplies to make the punch. We then
> pick up my oldest son, Josh, at his mother's house and go to the park.     
> 
> 	That morning we had created banners on the computer and
> printed them off and Josh is put in charge of tacking them up on the
> shelterhouse. Zak, my younger son, takes two others and goes to the
> entrance of the woods to put up the other two banners. Erin and Kathy
> arrive and we take about 30 chairs down to the woods and set them up.
> Then Julie's Dad arrives and then things just kind of get confusing to
> me. I am busy helping all the boys get their clothes on and then put
> my own tux on. Yeah, right, the Feral Knight in a stinkin' TUXEDO!!
> What a sight....*sigh* I hand out all the flowers to everyone and give
> Josh my ring and Lisa Dominique Julie's ring....remember that
> sentence.          

	Poor guy.  With all he had to do, it was no wonder he made that 
little mistake!  And let me tell you....the Feral Knight looked EXCELLENT
in that Tux!  The ladies at work drooled all over the photo album when
I brought it in....no kidding!

> 	It is about 15 minutes till 1:00 when I head down to the
> woods. A lot of people are already here and more arriving every
> moment. I talk to all the  kids who are our wedding party and remind
> them of this and that and all are excited. Joshua, my oldest, is the
> Best Man and will be walking down the aisle with Lisa Dominique, the
> Best Lady. Following them will be Zak and Carly, Julie's daughter.
> Then trailing all will be Kellen, Julie's son and Jessy,. my youngest.
> I check to make sure Lisa and Josh still have the rings and Lisa
> remarks "You must have awfully thin fingers. This ring fits fine on my
> hand." We compare notes quickly and realize I gave Lisa the ring that
> Josh is supposed to  be carrying! They switch and I walk down the path
> to the head of the clearing and wait there for the judge, Pam, to
> arrive. She walks in and at the right moment, I press PLAY on my CD
> player and the strains of Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers
> wafts through the woods. I see Josh and Lisa start slowly towards us
> and am vaguely aware of a lot of people sitting in all the chairs we
> hauled down. One by one the pairs of ladies and gentlemen come down
> the path and arrange themselves to the sides.                  

	Steven did a wonderful job of reassuring the nervous kids.  I arrived
at the park with 15 minutes to spare.  I TRIED to see him in his tux (he
hadn't let me see it in the tux shop), but alas, I never did.  I didn't
feel nervous waiting....just happy and light hearted.  My father had only
arrived the night before and I hadn't seen him until he got into the van
I was waiting in.  He looked into my eyes and said, "I don't think I could
be any happier for you."  That was a special moment for me.  I don't get
to see him much.....*sigh*

Suddenly, the music started.  Down the path, the children slowly walked.....
It was picture perfect.  And I got a glimps of Steven...standing there so
tall and handsome....it took my breath away for a moment.....

> 
> 	The sunlight streaming through the leaves of the surrounding
> trees dapples the entire assemblage and I hear a bird singing merrily
> deeper in the woods. I see the ivory sheen of Julie's gown far off at
> the end of the curving path and take a deep breath.   
> 
> 	Then, the song changes and Brian Adams begins singing "I do it
> for you" ( or whatever the title is!) and suddenly I am aware my heart
> is pounding. What is going on??!! I am not a bit nervous, am I? What
> for? I focus on a tree and take a couple slow breaths and my heart
> rate slows...I watch a vision of loveliness attired in an ivory gown
> walk towards me with her father on one side. My heart starts pounding
> AGAIN!! This is silly...I am not nervous...I am fine...I... I.....the
> song stops and Zak pushes the stop button.         

I didn't feel a bit nervous until I standing next to Steven.  My father had
whispered to me walking down the path, "its not too late to change your
mind!"  Then, when we arrived with the rest of the wedding party, he said,
"Too late."  No one but me heard that...he used to do that all the time
when I was a child...whispering things that only I could hear that would
make me giggle.  I'm sure that is why I wasn't nervous...until I was holding
Steven's arm and could feel him shake.  Suddenly...I realized that I
couldn't remember my vows....*gulp*

> 
> 	We stand there before the judge and she begins to speak. I
> really can't remember what all she says but it is all from the paper I
> wrote up. Pam had given us a sample of a wedding she had performed and
> I edited it lavishly...I should know what was said but I was mainly
> just aware of Julie standing there beside me, looking radiant.

	I tried to concentrate on what Pam was saying AND try to remember
my vows.  But mostly, I just kept seeing my handsome husband to be standing
there....looking so handsome....Ahhhhhhh.....in just a few minutes...we will
be wed......

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End of part 2....Part 3 is a direct continuation of this post.
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-S&J
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