Tag Archives: WeddingAnniversary

Anxiety, family, gardening, Grandparenting, Lifestyle, Love, marriage, Motherhood, Summer

Before the Wedding: M.O.B. Diaries

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My daughter’s wedding is on Saturday. Mr. NOA and I had our wedding anniversary to celebrate and grandsons to love on last weekend. Summer is now here and I’m filled with joy about beautifying our outdoor space. Life is just humming along for us here in Minnesconsin.

Here’s a few pics of what we have going on thus far.

As mother-of-the-bride, I’ve got a bit of anxiety about how this whole shindig is going to unfold. I’m worried about what state the farm where the ceremony is taking place is going to be in. I haven’t seen it in person yet, only a few pictures. I’m worried that accessing the precise spot where the ceremony is will be difficult because as I understand it, there’s a little hill to get down to it. I’m worried baby will cry his head off as he’s being pulled in his bedazzled-by-Grandma-and-Grandpa-wagon by his oldest brother. I’m worried it’ll be pouring rain and not everyone will fit into the barn for the ceremony.

For months now, my brain has been tuned into the wedding.com channel, so to speak. More recently I’m zigzagging between being super stoked for this momentous occasion to yearning for the time when it’s over and I can relax. It’s quite the rollercoaster.

I have a few small things to put together and remember to not forget, as there are grandkids I, along with Mr. NOA, are responsible for (not that we won’t have volunteers pitching in). And there are chin hairs to pluck and nails to trim and legs to shave. Cards and checks to sign, framed photos of loved ones to gather for the memorial display, and no doubt lists to make.

So many things could go wrong. Or go completely different than expected. So many things could go right, too. And probably will. Both wrong and right.

Yikes! I’m so wound up.

Worrying isn’t going to get me anywhere. Intellectually, I know it’s best for me to surrender and focus on what I can do, what I can control (which is not as much as I’d like it to be).

Because this is going to be a beautiful day, no matter how it all pans out. Beautiful because my daughter found her one and only who treats her with the care she deserves. Beautiful because two families are coming together as one in support of both of them and their future. Beautiful because we are all pitching in here and there, doing our parts to make it a wonderful day.

Wish us all luck and I’ll check in when I’m on the other side of this.

For your musical enjoyment, here’s a song I find terribly romantic and sent to my daughter as a possible bride/groom song to dance to but I didn’t tell her that directly because I didn’t want to sound like my mother, who was the architect of our wedding, when Mr. NOA and I were but babes. Our daughter is 10 years older than I was when we got married, has an established career and 3 kids so even if I was okay with sounding like my mother in this scenario, it wouldn’t get me very far.

And I couldn’t be prouder of my daughter for that.

Alphabet Soup Challenge, Celebrate, Happiness, Joy, Life, Love, marriage, Positivity, Romance

Alphabet Soup Challenge: M is for Marriage

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Next Tuesday will be our 30th wedding anniversary.

Obviously, with the Covid-19 pandemic and recently rolled out “Safer at Home” orders, Hubs and I will not be getting out of dodge to celebrate, like we typically do. I’m guessing the most I can count on is an invigorating hike and a picnic. Which is fine by me.

It’s fine by me because our marriage is bigger than that.

Our pairing began as a summer fling. Hubs seduced me one night by giving me what was the only foot rub I ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I was 21 and he was 18. I was taking summer courses at college to ensure I would graduate in 4 years. I was bored and starting to come to terms with the notion that I may not find someone to marry in college after all.

The truth is, I entered my freshman year of college as a romantic. While I was determined to obtain my degree in that 4 years, I was equally determined to meet my future husband during that time.

I was such a silly girl back then.

The romantic relationships I had up until that point were lopsided. Either I was more into him or he was more into me. It never felt equal.

But with the Hubs, it was different. Our conversations flowed. He made me laugh. He made me feel good about myself. He encouraged me in my studies. He was thoughtful and mature beyond his years (I actually thought he was at least a couple of years older the first couple of times I met him because of this).

Over the course of that summer, we fell in love.

Hubs proposed to me in the basement of my sorority house one evening. It was November and starting to get chilly out. He presented me with a new pair of gloves and requested, with a big grin on his dimpled face, that I try them on. Inside the left glove there was an engagement ring.

I did not hesitate for a second, responding with a resounding “Yes!”.

I graduated with my BS in Social Work that spring. Hubs and I moved into our first apartment in the summer, where we slept on a mattress donated by his parents, sans boxspring and frame. I spent the next year working in a customer service job while he continued working and going to school. During this year, my mom and I planned our wedding.

We got married in the church I grew up in one year to the day after I graduated from college. It was Pastor Reppe’s last wedding before he retired.

Wedding party 5/26/90

Years later, while milling about with friends and family at that same church following my Godfather’s funeral, Hubs found himself in a conversation with Pastor Reppe. The good pastor had of course been retired for a number of years by then and he asked Hubs how the two of us were faring. Hubs gave him a solemn look and said “We actually didn’t make it. Haven’t been married to that woman for a few years now”. Hubs recounted that the look of shock and sadness on Pastor Reppe’s face was priceless. Then Hubs let out his hearty, loud laugh and told him he was teasing; we actually were still together. Still happy and busy working full time and parenting our two kids.

Now, as with any long term marriage, we’ve gone through a lot together. Raised our two kids, adopted a few dogs, moved 6 times, laid both of my parents to rest, enjoyed a few epic vacations (with and without kids), changed jobs, mourned the loss of friends and family members, became grandparents, and much more. Good and bad. Happy and sad.

I wouldn’t change a damn thing. And I’m eager to see what the next 30 years might bring.