17 years ago on this day.........

17 years ago, we had the start of the biggest storm  of 1993 and I married the boy I fell in love with in 7th grade. 

 When we were planning this day ,we really wanted a Christmas wedding but we had relatives who would need to travel. We wanted to avoid bad weather so we decided to go with Oct. since we both love the Fall so much. Oct. 30th was the only Sat. available at the VFW. No, we did not choose Halloween. LOL I will never forget walking out from my sister in laws, after getting my hair done and seeing the snow falling. I knew that the Lord was blessing me w/ a very special gift. He was washing our day, cleansing it ,making it pure. A day before rehearsal  we found out some heartbreaking news and had to find another minister to marry us. It was a very difficult situation but thankfully Guy David's Uncle graciously not only agreed but did the ceremony exactly like we had already planned. That was so very important to us. We had recently done a bible studyw/ Uncle Tom and Aunt Cindy on the covenant. It was so cool to us when we understood why certain things happened during a wedding ceremony. It all meant so much to us and I am still so glad we did it the way we did despite it being a very long ceremony. LOL It did not feel long to us. :0)

Guy David was not picky about anything when it came to planning the wedding but there were some things that he requested. Most of what I was thrilled about . There was only one that I questioned and that is this song. The first song you hear today when you start to read this post is the song he insisted on. It was not  a song that was popular. He just heard it on the radio one day  and knew it was the one. I loved it of course because he did. Now, years later, I know that this was definitely ,w/out a doubt, meant to be our song. The storm of 93  was not the only storm we have experienced along the way. It is only by the grace of God and his love that flows through us that has gotten us through.Guy David did not know what we would experience when he picked this song on that day  but God did. Every year on this day , I play this song and we remember. It is true, God never gives us more than we can handle through His strength.

 Oh, and look at that Wedding Party!!!!  We chose to keep it simple. I have so many friends and just love everyone. Guy David said I could not have 10 bridesmaids. LOL. So we chose his brother and my sister.Well, I never had a sister and then God gave me Dana. :0) They were  2 steadfast people in our lives.We knew they would alwyas be there and we would always be able to count on them.  

 My heart melts every time I look at those little ones!!! I would have liked to pick 10 c hildren as well.  I would have never thought of having an adult reception.

Another of Guy David's picks ( and mine) was to have these beauties in the wedding as well. ** sigh ** There is his white car. She is sitting outside and needs some attention. He decided that time w/ his family and meeting his family's needs were more important. I wish I had alot of money to give to him to get this baby on the road again. That's Rusty's Mustang and Dougie's Panel car. I can only imagine what they were feeling when they saw the snow start to fall.

Guy David's pick here too. A mighty good one!! Chocolate cake w/ peanut butter icing. YUMMO!!!!! It was even yummy a year later.

Here is our family! we are very blessed w/ so many that love us. In some of these pics my  Mom and Terry were not smiling. The kids asked today," Why were Grammy and Papa not smiling in this one?" Guy David joked w/ them and said, "Because your Mommy was marrying me."  We laughed. Don't worry, Mom! You looked beautiful and we know that you were both happy.

Awwe, I love this!! Ryan gave me roses on my Wedding Day. Even back then , he was doing what he could to make a bride feel special. I will never forget this.

And this, my friends, is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about and love photography. This is my Uncle Tommy.  He died from Cancer in '96' soon after Alayna. This picture is of great worth to me!!! Our wedding was filled w/ music. " Music speaks what cannot be expressed,soothes the mind and gives it rest,heals the heart and makes it whole,flows from heaven to the soul...." God has always used music in big ways in my life and I definitely needed it to be part of my wedding day. One of the greatest memories from my wedding day was when my Uncle Tommy, Aunt Cindy and their children sang the Wedding Song. They were in the balcony w/ their guitars and their voices. They would break in between stanzas and Uncle Tommy would read scripture. I can still hear him... 

"  Where you go I will go.,and where you stay ,I will stay.Your people will be my people and your God will be my God." No one could see them and I had friends later who told me when he spoke, that they felt like they were hearing the voice of God. 

It was so powerful !!

Thanks for sharing this day w/ me. Now to watch the wedding video. lol My scanner is not working so I took pics of these pics. Certainly does not do them justice. Thanks to Aunt Evie and Jessie for the gift of these shots. I am learning more and more what an awesome gift this was!!!!