Memories of Andi's Wedding

The kids and I helped decorate a reception hall this morning for a wedding tomorrow. My good friend, Thelma, is the mother of the bride. Her beautiful daughter, Becky and Jeff will get married tomorrow afternoon, in an outdoor ceremony. Afterwards will be the reception, with a catered dinner for several hundred people and dancing to follow.

Just looking at all the last minute details and expense made me feel like coming home and giving Andi a big kiss and several thousand dollars for deciding against that and opting for the small wedding by the river. Luckily by the time I hit town, I had given up that foolish idea about the money and will just tell her here how glad I am we did it her way.

Andi and Jacob started off with a long list of invitees, but every time someone said something to her along the lines of "aren't you awfully young to be getting married?" or "is Jacob even old enough to get married?" or her personal favorite, "you don't HAVE to get married, do you?" she would assure them she wasn't, he was, and they didn't need to - and then cross them off her guest list.
As the slashing continued, I quickly learned to keep my mouth closed. Her initial guest list of about 200 people dwindled down to about 30 by the time the invitations went out nine months later.

We were a select little group - but she and Jacob were surrounded by people who were truly happy for them.

The bride was walked across the park by her five year old brother, Jacob. She was dressed in a simple white gown, wearing daisies in her hair -- and she was barefoot. She sobbed through the entire ceremony, which was performed by our very good friend and minister, Ron, who just happens to be Becky's daddy.

I should be good at reception planning actually. Andi and I planned (and arranged for, reserved for and paid deposits on) THREE of them, before they made a final decision. They ended up having a cook out at the state park, complete with pinatas in the trees for bashing. It was a lot of fun.

Jacob and Andi were engaged all through his senior year of high school, which I'm sure was strange to some people. Andi had graduated the year before. They were married one week after Jacob turned 18. When people would ask me what I thought about them getting married so young, I would tell them that I believed in 50 years, Jacob and Andi would be celebrating their 50th anniversary. I truly believed it then, and I believe it even more today.
I couldn't ask for a better son-in-law. He loves my daughter more than he loves anything in the world. He is going to be an awesome daddy to my grandchildren. He is honest, hardworking and faithful. He is respectful, kind and one of the funniest people I know. He loves my little guys like they were his own. He is a man of God and in a world that sorely needs them, a great role model. He is someone I am proud and honored to call family. The more time passes, the more I know that when Andi married Jacob almost 4 years ago - we were all immeasurably blessed.