January 10, 2010

• WE WENT TO A WEDDING

  You all know the story of one of Ken’s younger brothers who died almost 3 yrs. ago.  Eugene was a year younger than I was, and had a stroke at age 60 (If I remember correctly).  He was in a nursing home for 3 yrs. before he died.  His wife still lives behind us.
  They have two children.
  Wendy was married and divorced many years ago.  She has raised her two beautiful daughters pretty much alone.  She went to college part time, and just graduated last May—a couple weeks before her oldest daughter graduated from high school.  We couldn’t go to her graduation or party because it was the same day our granddaughter and her new hubby graduated from Concordia Univ. down near Milwaukee.
  While in college in Green Bay, she got a job at the NBC TV station there, working the assignment desk part time.
  When she graduated college, she became an on-screen news reporter for the station. 
  But, while she was on the assignment desk, one of her duties was to call the Green Bay police department to check if there were any stories.  She always talked to the “Captain”, who was the “media” person.  After a loooong while, Wendy got an e-mail from the Captain, giving her his personal e-mail address, and asking her to meet him for coffee sometime.  She did, and a meeting they both thought might last a 1/2 hour, turned into a 3-hour coffee “break”.  They clicked right away.  Wendy said that even before she met him in person, she knew he was “special”.  The Captain was also divorced with three daughters, two of whom were older and out of the house already.  Wendy’s girls really liked him!
  They took it very slowly, and this fall he asked her to marry him.
  The wedding was on Friday.
  To backtrack a bit—when Eugene died, Judy, his wife, gave boxes of clothes to Ken.  Ken and Eugene both loved wearing western clothing.  One of the things Ken received was a beautiful black western suit.  Ken hasn’t worn a suit in at least 20 yrs., so he never wore it—–until Friday.  He wore it in honor of his brother at his brother’s daughter’s wedding.
  The wedding was held at the small Lutheran church just a couple blocks away.  Wendy wanted the wedding where her dad and grandparents went to church.  It was a small group—only about 60 people—the people she and the Captain were the closest to. 
  We arrived there early, and the wedding party was practicing their march down the aisle.  Ken went up to Wendy and gave her a hug, and whispered in her ear that he was wearing her dad’s suit.  She hugged him so tightly and started crying.  Her best friend said not to worry, Wendy had been crying at every little thing all day!  We know it meant a lot to her—and Ken looked smashing!!
  Her daughters were her attendants, and the Captain had his brother-in-law and a co-worker friend as his attendants.
  Wendy is such a sweet, upbeat gal anyway, but I think her face muscles must have hurt the next day, because that huge smile almost never left her face.
  Everyone looked beautiful.  Even the mother-of-the-bride—who couldn’t decide what to wear until that morning!  Loved her outfit.
  The reception was at the resort in the small town to the north of us.  I had worked in the accounting dept. there for about 2 1/2 yrs, back in the mid-80′s, The resort did a lot of expanding at that time—adding on a small convention center, and many time-share condominiums.  Ken did a good part of the rock work (and other mason work)on all these buildings.  So, it was like “going home” again.  Ken was pointing out his work to anyone who would listen!  lol
  Normally, the weddings around here are huge, because the families are so large.  This was so nice to have a small group, where you knew a lot of the people, and got to know those you didn’t know before. 
  We left the party kind of early—around 9:30—because Ken had been up before 4 a.m. clearing the snow that had fallen overnight. 
  We managed a couple slow dances—my knee wouldn’t allow much of anything else.  But it was fun watching the others.
  Now, for the pictures.  Most of these are swiped from other family members.  My camera setting was wrong, and most of mine turned out blurry.  Thanks everyone!!
  The church before the ceremony.  We belonged here for almost 30 yrs—Ken helped build it before I knew him.  But when we moved to the next town 13 yrs. ago, we joined a large church there, and have stayed there even after moving back here.  I am in the red on the left, with Ken to my right.
  

  Wendy’s Uncle Roy escorting her down the aisle.  He is married to one of Ken’s sisters.
  

  The newlyweds
  

  The newlyweds and Wendy’s daughters. (Their dresses are not blue, but purple—nobody’s camera seemed to get the color right.)

  

  The newlyweds with both sets of daughters—-5 girls!!!!
  

  Wendy’s grandmother on her mother, Judy’s, side is in a nursing home, but was able to come to the wedding and reception.  Great opportunity for a 4 generation picture.
   

  The wedding party
  

  Ken and I in the back of church.  Doesn’t Ken look great in a suit??  He cleans up well!!  And we are so color-coordinated, too!! lol  I had to borrow a pair of flats from my daughter-in-law.  I haven’t worn a skirt in years, and all I had were casual shoes to wear with slacks.
  

  On to the reception:
  The pretty cake
  

  For some reason, I took mostly videos of the reception—which mostly turned out kind of dark.  But I did get this one picture of Ken dancing with another of our nieces, Sarah.  Sarah is my hairdresser, and when we were by her salon on Wed. to get my haircut, she told Ken to be sure to save a dance for her.
  I love this picture, with cousins Sarah and Wendy both with their heads thrown back, laughing.  It really shows the happy atmosphere that permeated the place all evening!!
  

  We are so happy that Wendy found her “special” soulmate after all these years.
  May the two of them have many, many wonderful years together—full of God’s richest blessings.

  • 9:13 pm
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