Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Wedding Day


I was thinking back this morning to our wedding day so many years ago. We were both in graduate school and couldn't afford much. We decided to get married at my parents home in Virginia. There were just a few people, mostly family, who came to the wedding. My grandmother was there which was special as she was well up in her 90's at the time. We were married in the parlor in front of the fireplace.

The minister was going through the vows, and the biscuit timer went off in the kitchen. I chuckle at remembering that. The biscuits were for the little ham sandwiches that were made for the dinner after the wedding. It was a cold day and there was a fire going in the fireplace. We all trouped out to the front yard for photos. I look at those photos now and realize how young we were and in some ways naive.

We didn't go on a honeymoon. After the wedding, we went back to the little cinderblock house where we lived. It was near the laboratory where we worked as graduate students. The house had very little heat. We had to wrap blankets around ourselves to keep warm in the winter. And later that evening, we went out to dinner with my wife's parents and their relatives. There were a lot of cocktails drunk by my wife and the relatives. For some reason, it all seems a bit sad to write about this now.

Just after Christmas which was about a month after we were married, my wife left to take a position at a lab down south, and I stayed on in that little house to finish up my dissertation. I missed her terribly. That was a tough time.

My father gave us money for a down payment on our first house as a wedding gift. It helped get us started. About 5 months after we were married, I moved everything that we owned to join my wife. I got a job at the same lab where she worked. We at last had completed our doctorates, moved, gotten jobs, and were newly weds. I think that's a list of some of the most stressful things that people do.

Over these years, we've been battered around a bit. We've had our share of ups and downs. But we've got a lot of memories stored up as well. And I don't think that either of us really doubted that we'd still be together after the biscuit timer went off all those years ago.

21 comments:

  1. What a wonderful reflection of your committment to your wife and to life.

    I hope you have a Thanksgiving full of peace.

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  2. Happy Anniversary!

    I wanted to pop in before the holiday and wish you Joy, Love and Peace this holiday!

    You are a special part of my day as I participate in the blogosphere and I am grateful to God for your ESH (experience, strength and hope)

    Happy Thanksgiving! I hope it brings you Love, Peace and Joy!

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  3. Thanks Syd for sharing those memories. It brings me hope.

    Happy Turkey Day! I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

    Peace and Serenity,
    Kristen

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  4. the biscuit timer... the little things one remembers. makes it special.

    happy anniversary you two!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your memories. After my ex passed away this summer, I was grateful to be able to share the good times with our kids. We divorced when they were young and I was an angry and hurt person for a long time. My favorite is how we couldn't afford a honeymoon but we did live in Miami so we went to the Keys for a week and bridge fished every day. We had a kitchenette and I cleaned and cooked grouper and dolfin for dinner each nite. Thanks for the smiles!

    Happy turkey day, Syd.

    Namaste

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  6. Those are beautiful memories, the stuff a long life together is made of. Even the sad parts because from those sad parts look at who you have become! You touch people daily with your words of wisdom and I am personally very grateful to be allowed to read you each morning.

    And Dr. Syd....I had no idea!! :o)

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  7. beautiful post reflecting on where you have been and where you are now.

    Have a Happy Anniversary and a Happy Thanksgiving as well!

    Cat

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  8. that is a very romantic story, Happy Anniversary and happy Thanksgiving Day EVE ☺

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  9. what a great post...and that picture is BEAUTIFUL.

    Happy Anniversary!

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  10. Congratulations to both of you for not jumping overboard when the seas got rough.

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  11. Happy Anniversary!

    And Happy Thanksgiving!

    JO

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  12. What a great story, thank you for sharing it before the holiday starts! I always love to hear the wedding stories of others.

    Happy Holiday!!!
    G

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  13. Isn't that just the way life is?

    Excellent, good, not-so-good, down right bad, and everything in between. Guess that's what makes it a life.

    Wonderful memories. I've learned to place my focus on the good. I don't deny the bad like I used to, but I choose to think mostly of the lovely.

    Happy Anniversary, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Life to you and your wife,
    Prayer Girl

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  14. omg Syd!You have got to go buy her a spiffy little diamnond number now..you are feeling something so special about her and I am touched you shared it with us! Thank you.

    xo

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  15. I will never forget our wedding day, how it felt, what my wife looked like, the people. I need to remember why we got married that day, because that was all about the good. There was no bad or could be better. I have not forgot that yet and I hope I never will. Thanks Syd for sharing your wedding day.

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  16. wow! lovely, happy anniversary :)

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  17. What a beautiful, serene rendering of where it all began. I truly hope she gets to read this, it's filled with love. I've found the humblest beginnings beget the most endurance.

    Have a wonderful Anniversary and Thanksgiving tomorrow dear one, filled with love and peace. (Hugs)Indigo

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  18. Hi Syd! A wonderful reflection of your wedding day! It's funny that today would have been MY 37th wedding anniversary...so we have that in common too! I wrote an entry about it today, but not nearly as sweet as yours! Blessings to you both for many more happy years! Happy Thanksgiving! Lisa

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  19. Do you eat celebratory biscuits on your anniversary? Maybe a good strawberry shortcake?

    Lovely memories, Syd. In some ways, they remind me of my marriage. Although we had champaign corks popping rather than a timer dinging at the end of the vows. That too has mixed emotions for me in the recall give my alcoholism.

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  20. I'm a day behind. Great story. I admire that you've stayed married through the good and the bad, which is what a marraige should be. jeNN

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  21. That was lovely. Thanks so much for sharing. When I look at photos of my wedding, I'm struck by how young we look, how much we've been through and how grateful I am to still be here.

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