Remembering My Wedding Day

Morning of My Wedding

In celebrating four years of marriage as of yesterday (July 15th), I'm sharing memories of Jim's and my wedding day, published originally on myspace July 24, 2007.

***

On the morning of my wedding, my brother picked me up in his noisy Dodge Ram around 5:15.  We stopped at our Uncle Bernie's house, and UB climbed into the truck with us.  The three of us met Cory (my sister-in-law's brother) at Norris Lake, and we all dressed in waders, grabbed our fishing poles and salmon eggs, and walked into the water, where we stayed for several hours.  The men caught their limit, but I was less interested in catching fish than watching the others, watching the birds, and taking photos.

The thing about trout fishing is that--if you wait until you feel the tug of the fish under your finger--the fish has already eaten your salmon egg and swum away.  You must keep your eye on the line and raise your pole, quickly, the moment the line grows taut.  I caught one fish but fed at least fifty more!

At last the horn sounded, which meant we had fifteen minutes to get out of the lake before the release of the water.  I turned to walk toward shore and, for whatever reason, slipped and fell into the lake, which was only about 40 degrees.  I went completely under except for one ponytail and came up gasping.  I wasn't hurt, and the camera was in its bag and survived its submersion.  (Thank goodness!)

I changed into UB's flannel shirt, and the rest of my clothes dried while I slept in my parents' yard; they had taken Cade to church and accidentally locked me out of the house.  When they returned, I took a saddle from inside the house and went horseback riding.  It was about 4 o'clock before I started getting ready for the wedding.

The wedding itself was very simple and sweet.  Only the immediate families and my sister-in-law's family were in attendance.  (My sister-in-law's father was the officiating minister.)  Dad and Cade walked me, together, to Jimmy. Jimmy and I read vows we'd written and also repeated more traditional vows.  We ate and sang karaoke with the family after the ceremony.  At the end of the night, we retreated to an 1860's cabin in Norris.

My wedding day was very long and very beautiful, and I am so thankful to Jimmy's and my family for helping to make it what it was.  I am deeply excited, of course, to be married to the great love of my life!  I know I am blessed because I have bad dreams, sometimes, that my real life isn't real.  Then I awaken and find myself folded in Jimmy's arms like a velveteen rabbit.  He never, ever lets go.