The last two weeks have been very busy. But it was a good kind of busy. This past weekend was the culmination of almost two years of planning. Last weekend, my oldest daughter got married! The weather held off so that she had a warm, and mostly sunny day. She was a beautiful bride. Her father would have been proud. I am sure that he was smiling down on her.
At times like these, it is wonderful to have family and friends around to share in the joy of a young couple starting their lives out together. There is nothing better for the bride or the mother of the bride to see than to come into the sanctuary and see all the family and friends that have come to be a part of celebrating something very special. I know that many people rearranged plans to be a part of this special day. I know that we tease our children that they should elope, but I would not want to miss out on seeing any of my children say their vows. Having a front row seat allows me privy to much of the discussion between the bride and groom during songs or small interludes.
Throughout life, there are pivotal moments when a parent realizes that their children are capable and can handle life. This past weekend was one of those moments for me. There have been other times, but all my daughters have shown me that they have learned how to handle life and the different curve balls that life can throw at them. What I observed was how well my daughter did planning her wedding. She did a wonderful job. Everything went off without a hitch. The bridesmaids and groomsmen knew where they were to be. The family knew when to be there for pictures. Food and cakes where there when they were supposed to be. My daughter and I had conversations about various items about her wedding, but for the most part, she handled this on her own. My part of the whole affair was listening to her ideas and giving her the confidence to go with them. The other part I helped with was protocol. Even with that we both had to reference outside sources.
Katie and Craig started their new life together and the rest of us went back to our lives. As a mother, I know need to get used to calling her by a different name, but not much can replace the smile I saw on her face after I called her by her new last name.
At times like these, it is wonderful to have family and friends around to share in the joy of a young couple starting their lives out together. There is nothing better for the bride or the mother of the bride to see than to come into the sanctuary and see all the family and friends that have come to be a part of celebrating something very special. I know that many people rearranged plans to be a part of this special day. I know that we tease our children that they should elope, but I would not want to miss out on seeing any of my children say their vows. Having a front row seat allows me privy to much of the discussion between the bride and groom during songs or small interludes.
Throughout life, there are pivotal moments when a parent realizes that their children are capable and can handle life. This past weekend was one of those moments for me. There have been other times, but all my daughters have shown me that they have learned how to handle life and the different curve balls that life can throw at them. What I observed was how well my daughter did planning her wedding. She did a wonderful job. Everything went off without a hitch. The bridesmaids and groomsmen knew where they were to be. The family knew when to be there for pictures. Food and cakes where there when they were supposed to be. My daughter and I had conversations about various items about her wedding, but for the most part, she handled this on her own. My part of the whole affair was listening to her ideas and giving her the confidence to go with them. The other part I helped with was protocol. Even with that we both had to reference outside sources.
Katie and Craig started their new life together and the rest of us went back to our lives. As a mother, I know need to get used to calling her by a different name, but not much can replace the smile I saw on her face after I called her by her new last name.