June 6th

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary - I was married on June 6, 1998! I decided to entertain myself (and you!) with some photos from my wedding...we were SO COOL in the late 90's. A is fascinated by these pictures and wants to watch my wedding video, too...maybe I'm going too deep here, but it seems to give her a sense of who she is and who her family is...

Anyway, I was thinking about my wedding day - how there were SO many things that just went wrong that day (umm, the flowers came in the WRONG color, the greenery caught fire at the front of the church, the limo was an hour and 1/2 late picking us up, need I go on?) but I was not nervous, I wasn't anxious, I felt amazingly calm and peaceful. Nothing got to me on my actual wedding day. The worst was the Thursday before...:) But there were so many people who I loved so much there that day - pitching in to help in whatever way they could....

My Ma was there, giving us all directions and keeping us sane...it happens to be her anniversary, too. I chose that day as a way to honor her. I mean, what are the chances of it being a Saturday? It was fate. She and my Pa got married on June 6, 1944 - D-day and smack in the middle of WWII. My Pa was on a short-leave from serving in the U.S. Army infantry. He would end up marching across Europe and seeing lots of things he chose to not speak about ever again. This is the first time in my married life I haven't been able to call Ma and tell her happy anniversary today to hear her say "Happy Anniversary to you, Gayle!" right back...I miss her.

My uncle Stephen was there...he served as the baker and caterer and all around entertainment for all of us. He made both the bride's cake and the groom's cake...and he took care of all of the food for the reception - we dipped strawberries in chocolate, we cut out melon balls, we made little sandwiches, we made meatballs, we did alot...but, you see, June 6th is also my uncle Stephen's birthday!!!! He was born June 6th, 1965. He spent his birthday doing all of these amazing things for me....My uncle Stephen died on June 1, 2001. I miss him so much.

My mom and dad were there...doing the things required of moms and dads at their daughter's wedding...but doing it exceptionally!! I am sure there were a few tears shed, but my parents never do anything half-way and this was no exception...they worked hard...and they celebrated with me. My husband tells me my dad caught him alone before the wedding and told him that he was giving him his treasure, and he'd dang sure better take good care of me. That's my dad. My parents were engaged on June 6th, 1965...my mom came home to tell her mom that she was engaged to find she was at the hospital giving birth to her youngest brother...my mom was 18, my dad was 19. They were married on Sept. 11, 1965 and have now been married 42+ years....

So June 6th has lots of significance for me...and it's pretty emotionally overwhelming...so enough of that and on to the funny stuff...the pictures!!!