Melinda’s Wedding…My Version

 The household got up at 7:30 this morning and we were all thrown into a flurry of preparing for the wedding.  Amber’s hem, a forgotten sleeve, some lace, and elastic work all fell into place.  Oops, Hannah forgot her serving frock, so I dug out a substitute and installed a new zipper for that.  White shirts all over the place…whose is whose?  Susan’s eyes were shiny with tears as she pressed for the finish line….”Everybody out!”  Frank’s eyes were still dewy as well, having been informed that her work outfit for the morning finishing touches of the arch was not appropriate. She quickly changed and met me at the bathroom door to apologize, leaving me with the feeling that I need to be a better mom long before a busy wedding morning.  Have you have ever gotten two families ready for a wedding in one small house?  Don’t be critical…it’s a feat. We’ve done it many a time and we’ll do it again.

Jube, the chicken pox baby keeping me home for the wedding, fell asleep for his morning nap while the house slowly emptied.  Last man out slammed the door and he woke.  So he went with me on my hip to hang out the laundry.  He investigated the bugs, grass, and a dead clothespin while I worked.   A happy, sociable baby; he is named appropriately, Jubilant.  Love that baby. While I grated potatoes, I kept a sharp eye on him as he sat on the counter, his mouth in a round, “Oh!”. 

About the time the bride and groom were walking up the aisle, I had most of the laundry hung out and the bread stirred up.  Jube and I settled for a bottle of mommy’s saved milk and some hugs and giggles.  I really enjoyed this part of the wedding.

Then back to the kitchen where Jube pulled out the vinegar bottle onto the floor spilling a bit…I wiped it up.  He found a pepper shaker on the floor and was eating the cracker I gave him. The shaker is a wooden apple so it rolls nicely.  Next minute I looked and the pepper had sprawled all over the floor and he was gagging on the taste of it.  I quickly offered him a drink of water, but he declined, choosing rather to suffer the afflictions of pepper.  How do you tell a nine month old baby that water will help?!  

The clothes dried quickly and that’s good because the clouds were rolling in.  Jube was getting ready  for his afternoon nap as the wedding party moved across town to the reception hall.  Elv, deciding that he’d rather skip the reception than go without me, walked in the door as I settled Jube down on his blanket for his afternoon nap.

 Dear Melinda,

   May God bless you abundantly in your married life. If I could wish anything special for you it would be that you can look back in 30 or 50 years and know that God did it all.  He is good.  

                                                                                      Love you, amg