Foster wedding
Once upon a time, the Minter Lane parking lot was full, and it was still early. There was a queue to sign the guest book where Marissa sat, smiling prettily. We were deposited next to Jack and Jeanene Reese, in front of J.B. and Joanne. The lights were low, the music was quiet and solemn, there were flowers and candles. I'm always amazed at how handsome all the men look in tuxes. Mark seemed very grown-up escorting the ladies to their seats. Linda was, as always, graciously gorgeous. The bridesmaids, all neatly coifed and shimmery in long silky dresses, glided down the aisle. Then, a moment of silence. And the strains of a song by now unfamiliar from disuse: "Here Comes the Bride."
Doug and Mary appeared to genuinely enjoy their moment in the limelight. Calmly smiling, they looked from side to side, nodding at all the special guests as their eyes met. By the time they reached the front, it felt like a formal, but also an intimate family gathering. Mary's grandfather had been coached to ask precisely this question (and all four of us noticed, and instantly approved the change as an improvement): "Who brings this woman to be married?"
Mary took Derek's arm and walked up the steps: her maid of honor adjusted the train and the best man bent over to adjust Derek's trousers. Then there was a suitably serious, but calm and joyful sermon. There were several short prayers, and vows which were completely traditional except that Mary did not promise to obey Derek; instead she promised, just as he did, to protect. It struck me as immensely appropriate that a wife should protect her husband. After all, these days we aren't so much wrestling bears and robbers as sins, temptations, and excesses of all sorts. A married couple will need to protect each other's reputations and honor. Yes, "protect" sounded good.
When Doug asked if they had brought rings, Angela looked surprised for a moment and looked around, including down the front of her dress. But rings were produced fairly quickly before anyone fretted too much. After the kiss (which I thought embarrassed Doug :-) he presented to us the new couple: "Mr. and Mrs. Derek and Mary Riedel". We liked that, too!
At the end of the ceremony there was a video while the family went over to the reception to greet us upon our arrival there. It was good to see these adults grow up again before our very eyes.
At the reception there were tables with white cloths and flowers on them. Some of us sat. But some of us wandered around at the "Christian cocktail party" munching on chocolate-dipped fruit and sipping on punch or coffee, catching up with people we only see at these sorts of events. Minterites were there in abundance, as well as ACU folks.
Jose G. was there, but his wife and two children stayed home; they are in the Friendspeak program and read with Derek and Mary. I tried to find Spanish-speakers for him to visit with, since they are from Ecuador. Wish you had been there, for several reasons!! :-) I told Danny that Jose and his wife had mentioned wanting their children to be in a church, but had never worked up the courage to visit us. So I got Danny and Kirk Garrison and Krista Kellar and Nathan Zinck (in Portunol) to take turns welcoming him. The language really is a barrier here.
We blew bubbles at the couple as they came out to the car. Someone had written extremely appropriate things on the windows: "Man of God", "Righteous Woman", "HIS" (on the passenger side) and "HERS" (on the driver's side), and "JUST MARRIED" (on the back). There were running shoes tied to the back, and they looked as if an invisible Derek were chasing the car as they drove away, to begin their own ... happily ever after.
THE END
Doug and Mary appeared to genuinely enjoy their moment in the limelight. Calmly smiling, they looked from side to side, nodding at all the special guests as their eyes met. By the time they reached the front, it felt like a formal, but also an intimate family gathering. Mary's grandfather had been coached to ask precisely this question (and all four of us noticed, and instantly approved the change as an improvement): "Who brings this woman to be married?"
Mary took Derek's arm and walked up the steps: her maid of honor adjusted the train and the best man bent over to adjust Derek's trousers. Then there was a suitably serious, but calm and joyful sermon. There were several short prayers, and vows which were completely traditional except that Mary did not promise to obey Derek; instead she promised, just as he did, to protect. It struck me as immensely appropriate that a wife should protect her husband. After all, these days we aren't so much wrestling bears and robbers as sins, temptations, and excesses of all sorts. A married couple will need to protect each other's reputations and honor. Yes, "protect" sounded good.
When Doug asked if they had brought rings, Angela looked surprised for a moment and looked around, including down the front of her dress. But rings were produced fairly quickly before anyone fretted too much. After the kiss (which I thought embarrassed Doug :-) he presented to us the new couple: "Mr. and Mrs. Derek and Mary Riedel". We liked that, too!
At the end of the ceremony there was a video while the family went over to the reception to greet us upon our arrival there. It was good to see these adults grow up again before our very eyes.
At the reception there were tables with white cloths and flowers on them. Some of us sat. But some of us wandered around at the "Christian cocktail party" munching on chocolate-dipped fruit and sipping on punch or coffee, catching up with people we only see at these sorts of events. Minterites were there in abundance, as well as ACU folks.
Jose G. was there, but his wife and two children stayed home; they are in the Friendspeak program and read with Derek and Mary. I tried to find Spanish-speakers for him to visit with, since they are from Ecuador. Wish you had been there, for several reasons!! :-) I told Danny that Jose and his wife had mentioned wanting their children to be in a church, but had never worked up the courage to visit us. So I got Danny and Kirk Garrison and Krista Kellar and Nathan Zinck (in Portunol) to take turns welcoming him. The language really is a barrier here.
We blew bubbles at the couple as they came out to the car. Someone had written extremely appropriate things on the windows: "Man of God", "Righteous Woman", "HIS" (on the passenger side) and "HERS" (on the driver's side), and "JUST MARRIED" (on the back). There were running shoes tied to the back, and they looked as if an invisible Derek were chasing the car as they drove away, to begin their own ... happily ever after.
THE END
posted by Anonymous at 9:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home