Wedding bells rang out all across the land (or at least in our little part of it) last weekend for our granddaughter, Mica's, nuptials. She married her best friend since high school, Bryson. Not too many couples get the chance to do that.
Anyway, how can this be? In my mind and heart, she is still the sweet baby Papa and I've had the privilege of spending the last 22 years with as we watched her grow into an amazing young woman. Her baby sister came along soon after, so we had two of the sweetest, cutest babies in the world to watch almost every day.
I learned a lot while they were growing up. One thing I learned was if we didn't hear it or see it announced on 'The Wiggles' or 'LazyTown' it didn't happen in this household.
Even all these years later I can still sing most of the songs from 'The Wiggles' catalog from memory. Who can forget 'Hot Potato,' 'Captain Feathersword,' or 'Toot, Too, Chugga, Chugga, Big Red Car”? Everyone a classic.
But I reminisce too much.
Twenty-two years! It just can't be possible. Anyway, that's what I tell myself daily.
It's also hard to believe we've been in our present home almost as long. We moved here when she was just a few months old, which made it easier to take care of her and her sister every day and get me off the road. Driving back and forth two hours one way was getting hard on this old gal and her car even though I was much younger then. It's been such an amazing journey that came to an end WAY too soon.
This girl, I mean woman, is the most organized person I've ever met. She planned the whole thing, even making an exact timeline of what needed to be done and when. She made her own flower arrangements and planned all the decoration of the reception hall.
Did I say she is amazing? Well, she is.
I was a little concerned when I found out she was planning on wedding her fiancé in the garden of the venue where the reception was being held. I was worried about the weather cooperating because we all know about Mother Nature and Oklahoma weather. As the famous Oklahoman Will Rogers once said, 'If you don't like Oklahoma weather, just wait a minute.' Ain't that the truth?
Just to be safe I spent a few days ordering Mother Nature to behave herself at least until after the ceremony. The weekend threatened stormy weather, but I wasn't having any of it.
On the day of the wedding, every time I'd feel a sprinkle of rain, I'd raise my fist to the sky and threaten Mother Nature if she dared rain on my...er, my granddaughter's perfect day.
I'm sure I got more than a few weird looks from the other wedding guests but you know what? Nature actually cooperated and gave us a wonderful weekend–not too hot, not too cold, not too windy, etc. It was just right.
Just right except for my nerves. The way I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs you'd think I had something to do with the actual planning, decorating and execution, which I didn't. Papa and I were in charge of getting the ring bearer, or ring bear as Zane liked to call himself, to the wedding all slicked up in his nice white shirt, black slacks, black patent leather shoes, suspenders and bow tie. He especially liked the bow tie and shoes which he said looked like tap shoes to him. We also brought along one of his brothers to help keep him company until it was time to dress and get to the wedding. Some guys have all the luck. He had not one, but two flower girls to escort back down the aisle. I think he liked that part a lot since both girls were the cutest.
But back to the bride. After a honeymoon in Mexico, the couple will be settling into their new home with their puppy, Ryder, and their cats Lucy and Binx. Mica has already started her new job as the world's, or at least this town's, best nurse. She's an amazing no-nonsense, organized, by-the-book girl with a take-no-guff personality. In other words, she makes the perfect nurse. At least in my eyes.
Baby girl number two caught her sister's bouquet, so I guess there's a good chance we'll be doing this again in a year or two.
Wedding bells are ringing!