James and I at Table Rock in November 1997, one month after our engagment - it was my first time in Boise and the first time meeting his family. What crazy kids, at the age of 19 and 21, respectively, on only their second date (but after copious letters, cards, and hundreds of dollars worth of long-distance calls), make a lifelong committment? Us, that's who.
Our first (and, alas, last - James it not much of a dancer, and I'm not really either, but I don't mind looking foolish on the floor) dance, to Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Waltz.
The happy couple and our families on May 23rd, 1998 (grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings)
I decided to dig deeper and get the scrapbook my mom made for us - thank goodness she did because I certainly wasn't going to get around to it (the pictures she didn't put in are inside the same box they've been in since we moved to Idaho 13.5 years ago). This picture was taken outside the Wausau Club, between the ceremony and the reception, and I love it because it shows off my massive bouquet, which was inspired by a clipping I saved out of a Victoria magazine when I was a young teen (it was mostly lilacs, which had a special meaning to my mother and then to me as well).
Dad walking me down the aisle at the church I grew up in, went to school until 8th grade at, and was confirmed into, Trinity Lutheran, to Rachmaninoff's Rhapsodie on a Theme of Paganini
My wedding party (yes, all participants were quite young - the oldest person there was my cousin Courtney who was 20)
James and I and Uncle Bill, who officiated for the ceremony
My mom and dad look like pups themselves (they were!)
I loved my cake - it was nothing fancy and probably not "good enough" by today's standards, but I thought the fresh flowers were just gorgeous. And no smashing of the cake in each other's faces. Not in a million.
Wow, today I've been married to my soulmate for 14 years. That seems like a long time, but it's gone by so fast. I feel so inordinately blessed that God's plan for my life was to meet the man who completes me at an early age, and I pray that we will be granted four more 14 year spans together, at least (I think that means we would make it to our 70th anniversary, although my math skills are notoriously lacking, so don't quote me on that). I love and adore you, James, and thank you for every moment of the past years - the good, the bad, the peaceful, the chaotic, the fun, the sober, the trying, and the uplifting. You are my earthly rock and I am privileged to call myself your companion on this journey. It's funny - as I write this, all the phrases that come to mind to describe you are very similar to the same ones I would use to describe God. You must be doing a wonderful job following the scriptural dictate to love your wife as Christ loves the church. Thank you for all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will be.