Wedding Program

A few people have asked for a copy of the wedding program to be posted. Since it was in print format I have included the two files here but you will have to use your imagination to see the front/back/inside in the right order as it was when printed and folded. You should be able to click on each image to make it bigger.

The Chuppies: And Then I Started Crying

This is a reprint of a post written about attending our wedding by a wonderful friend. You can find the original here:

http://thechuppies.blogspot.com/2012/03/and-then-i-started-crying.html

And Then I Started Crying...

Well...
Really there was no
Then.

I started crying even before the wedding started.

Because he, the groom...
He is special to us for many reasons.
First--he was our lawyer for both adoptions.
But with Selah's,
He cleared the courts and had her adoption finalized--
On the day she died.
He cleared the courts and had her adoption finalized--
And had the papers delivered to the hospital just minutes before...
And so she died with our last name--
Officially our baby.

And because he, the groom...
We knew him when his youngest daughter battled cancer.
We knew him when his house burned down.
We knew him when his sweet wife Frances died.
We wept with him at her memorial.
As he held his two girls hurting...

Though we don't know him deeply,
We've felt his hurting deeply--
This man whose heart has carried much pain.
Who was there with us--
When our hearts were drowning in love-pain-love-lost.

And because her, his bride...
I remember the first time I met her,
She was wearing a beautiful hat,
And she told me of her young husband's death,
As she held the hands of her two sweet girls...
One just only four years and the other not even two.

She moved to our area and to our church and in the seven years I've barely known her,
Not a mention of a man.
Just a mama trying to live godly--
Clinging to the only Father
She could offer to her girls.

And in the fall...
When the pain was still so deep,
He, the groom, was praying for God's guidance.
And she, the bride, was seeking God's wisdom.
And he met her.
And though the timing defied everything sensible from the world's dictation,
God often chooses His time--
Over ours.
So it made sense.
So much sense.

And it was just this Saturday--
When they were wed...
Two hearts knowing hurt.
Two hearts knowing grief.
Two hearts knowing what 1 Corinthians love really is...
They were married by the pastor.
And then their four girls were joined in family by the adoption judge who is our judge.
Our Selah and Lydia judge.
And I wept.
And it was beautiful.

Because only God can draw such beauty
From a pool of pain.
And God's goodness is so evident in this union--
A union of love's redemption.
Because only He can make things this beautiful...
And only--
In His time.

*Scott and Tia...thank you for letting me share your beautiful-God-written-story-of-love.

A Day Like One Other

Today I awoke in a house empty except for me and my emotions. In retrospect it is a very full house. Today is my wedding day. I have only ever said that one time before in my life and I can't help but compare the days. Although they do not seem specific, it is pretty clear where my emotions are coming from.

Like today, I woke early 21 years ago with a strong burning to get to the church to take care of those last minute touches so my beautiful bride could have a perfect wedding. This time the players have changed, most of them anyway, but the feelings are remarkably similar. 21 years ago Daryl stood by my side and his wife Ginger took care of me. Today Blair will be standing by my side and his wife Jenelle has taken care of us so well for so long. Yet Daryl and Ginger are still there and I cherish seeing their name on the RSVP list. My new brother in law Chuck stood on the altar with me then and he will be ushering people in today. My new mother in law Betty lit candles on the bride's side then and she will be lighting candles on my side today while my second new mother in law Terri lights them on the bride's side. Pastor Mike married me 21 years ago and today he and Marilyn will be traveling all the way across the state to join us; two more names I cherished to see on the list.

There are many similarities between today, yet there are obviously many differences.

What I can't decide is which category the most important lady of the day falls into. 21 years ago I married my best friend and a woman who would obviously be a wonderful Godly wife. And today I am doing the same. God gave me the most wonderful gift a man could ever have with Frances and we had 20 years of joyful marriage together before ALS took her away. She gave me two beautiful little girls who mean the world to me. Today I am marrying Tia who is also the most wonderful gift a man could ever have. She is also giving me two beautiful little girls who mean the world to me. And with her I look forward to as many joyful years of marriage as God will allow.

Throughout our marriage I believed that there was no way there could be anyone as wonderful for me as Frances. After her death I did not believe it could be possible to find someone who melded with me so well to complete one whole. Since God brought Tia into my life I cannot imagine what life would be like without her. I am a different me than I was 21 years ago and I am a different part of the whole. Tia melds so well with the different me, creating a different whole. Different but the same.

I can't believe how blessed I have been in my life. I can't believe what a wonderful life God has given. Please be rejoicing in prayer for me, Tia, Sydney, Rebekah, Katey and Sarah as we make this... a day like one other...