Mental Wedding Snapshots

Hard to believe my baby girl has been married close to a month now....as she used to sing when she was a country music lover, "Time marches on....Time marches on...."

I keep meaning to get it down in writing some of the mental images of that special October 4th day in Wilmington, but have been too busy the last week or more, but I finally have a minute to re-engage as a blogger....

Cherished & unforgettable moments:
-seeing her "vintage" dress hanging on the armoire in the B&B we stayed in....it looked as if it should have come with the rental of the room

-running into The Limited with Blair to find her something to wear for the bridal luncheon & literally buying it with her wearing it as we ran out the door....late as usual and I'm the Mom of the bride! That Blair was present overshadowed any possible stress & negative emotions....so what if we were late....we were being late TOGETHER (along with T.J., of course)

-seeing the bridesmaids surrounding Haley on the B&B front porch as they covered her & Lee in prayer....what gifts Haley has in these many precious friendships! She is soooo blessed!

-seeing Haley & Lee dance at the reception....this is the same boy who swore he would NOT dance...ever....period! And yet, the love of his life wanted him to, so he initiated taking dancing lessons (of course me, the Mama lama, paid for them!). Still, he laid his preferences aside because he knew how much it meant to Haley. Good form, Leeroy!

-watching Lee demonstrate his love for Haley by doing something extraordinary...his second act as her husband (2nd only to taking communion with her)....washing her feet. He had called weeks before to ask me what I thought of his idea. My answer? who am I to discourage anything that the Lord has laid on your heart?! Haley was definitely caught off guard, but held her emotions together..surprisingly. It was so precious to watch them have this incredibly intimate conversation as the rest of us looked on in awe & with tears streaming down our cheeks. It was if God gave them the ability to forget everyone else, and just focus on the moment. What a gift!

-stooping down to bustle Haley's wedding dress was such a pleasure & joy for me ( all 22 ties!!!!)....most would think that odd, but for those who remember, I was too sick to do this for my Blair when she got married in June 2006. I had just had major surgery and barely made it to her wedding. I missed much of what a Mom of the Bride does in the last 2 weeks and the day of. Oh, I was and still am grateful for all that God did during that time and yet part of me yearns to be able to go back in time and "do" for Blair as I was able to do for Haley.

-watching Trent escort his precious Ali down the aisle and see him take her hand and kiss it as they parted to take their places on stage.....those two seemed to ease into marriage like a hand into a glove!

-hearing my son-in-law, James share great family memories as he performed the ceremony; he did such an unbelievable job and even managed to work our beloved but deceased pet, Lizzie (aka as a "warrior" to James!) into the script! James has an uncanny knack for evoking laughter & tears all in the same moment....he is a born writer and speaker and he made Haley & Lee's ceremony forever special....not just plain special when you talk about something for a few days or weeks and then forget, but "forever" special so that we will all remember it permanently.

-Brian Few opened the ceremony & has played an important role in both Haley & Lee's lives. Though he didn't get to share as much or for as long as James, he made an idelible imprint on my mind as he challenged Haley & Lee to have their home be known as a house of FORGIVENESS. What an amazing concept to charge this very passionate couple with. Such wisdom. He obviously knows them well. Like Haley has said repeated to me, "Mama, when it's good, it's great and when it's bad, it's reeeeeeally bad.!" Ah, the Haley apple doesn't fall too far from the Mama tree!

Oh Father, take this union of these 2 sinners just like You did with Neal & me and do something glorious for Your name sake! Amen & amen!