April wedding.....

We were in Galveston this weekend for the wedding of our friend V's daughter MC. After watching V's two daughters growing up next door to us (in our old house in Clear Lake), I thought I'd be teary-eyed throughout the church ceremony. Same church in Galveston where MC's parents and grandparents were married, so that alone added a special touch to the day.  On a table in the vestibule of the church, and also in the reception room at nearby Ashton Villa, there were nostalgic photos of V&B's wedding day, and V's parents on their wedding day.... and their wedding keepsake books with guest lists and wedding cards.

When we got seated in the church (along with Miss C, who met us there after her working day on Galveston Island) I opened my purse and was ready with tissue in hand, which I was sure to need when MC and her dad walked up the aisle.  But there came the bride and her father...... and bride MC was glowing with unrelenting joy..... she was a beautiful sight to behold as she nearly danced up the aisle on the arm of her dad..... and that joyful song coming from inside MC's heart filled the church with happiness that you could feel. No tissues needed....... everyone was just soaking up that glow from MC, who was bursting with 'joyful silent noise' as the ceremony progressed from "Who gives this woman to this man?" to "I now pronounce you husband and wife."  And then MC and Z nearly danced down that aisle.

MC's gown was magical........ a sparkling delicately-jeweled ivory fabric that was perfectly suited to her tall and elegant frame, with those sparkles going right down to the hem of her train..... long veil for the church, which she removed for the reception..... and the train was bustled up after the church ceremony to make the gown more comfortable for dancing.  Three cheers to MC, for  not changing out of her wedding gown and into a party gown.  My feeling is that when you've found the perfect dress for your wedding day, it's for 'the whole day,' not just the church ceremony.

A special surprise for us was that V invited our Miss C to join us all at the reception after the church. Miss C was dressed in jeans and western boots, just coming from work, so she drove home to her little Galveston house, quickly showered and changed, and came to the reception in a pretty lace dress with (of course) dressy western boots.  C is a cowgirl at heart, through and through.  We saved her a seat at our table and the three of us got to talk and visit during the reception...... a special treat for us because C will be working in Yellowstone National Park this summer, as a trail guide (on horseback!)........ perfect opportunity for Miss C.  My guess is that she's not going to want to leave Yellowstone at the end of the summer.

But....... the wedding.........   The reception at Ashton Villa was very nicely done..... catered foods brought in and served buffet style..... two beautiful cakes (the wedding cake and the groom's cake--- both delicious and beautifully decorated)...... gorgeous crystal beaded centerpieces on the tables (Miss C and I looked at them and said "We can make these!")   The joy and happiness that surrounded us in the church was right there at the reception...... everyone just so happy to be there, to share in MC and Z's wedding day.

MC's younger sister S flew in from Germany to be MC's maid of honor...... she came with her boyfriend O, who is a very special young man who seems perfect for S. (Another wedding in the near future maybe?)  It was just so very nice to see MC and S in the same room at the same time....... both sisters were in and our of our old house....... they came for tea, for ice cream, to play with Gracie and our cats, to have grilled cheese sandwiches made by my husband, to show us their Halloween costumes....... the memories with those two sisters are just all so sweet and so precious to remember.

And the girls remembered all the little things from years ago, and we talked about some of them at the wedding....... When the night was over, I made sure to give both girls extra hugs, extra smiles..... and it was when I was saying goodnight to S (for the 4th time) that I nearly lost it and reached for the tissues in my purse.  To know that she was going back to Germany within a couple of days..... I told her to come up here to see us, and bring O with her, the next time she's home visiting her parents.

Our friend V has always, always been a good neighbor and friend to us, back in Clear Lake and still now, with us living two hours apart.  We used to listen to her singing to her cats in the morning..... I remember my blue-eyed AngelBoy scrunching up his face when V started singing (that cat didn't even like to hear Barry Manilow singing, so V didn't have a chance).............. and when V was stressful over raising two teen-aged girls, we would find her pulling up weeds--- not only in her garden, but in ours as well.  V & B raised two wonderful, thoughtful, good-mannered girls...... and now the older one is married and the younger one could be following her sister down the aisle sooner rather than later. Time flies, big-time.

It was a beautiful wedding, a beautiful day, made even more special because Miss C got to share it with us..... sitting between my husband and I at the church, oohing and aahing over the centerpieces and the brides-maids' dresses with me, and then the three of us having C's special 'group hugs' a few times during the night.

Weddings are like newborn babies............. they give such hope and promise for the days ahead.