THANKSGIVING ~ A Memory, An Anniversary, and Two Weddings

It all happened this week, 47 years ago.  So this is always my week to be thankful for memories I love to revisit, memories that now fill me with laughter (no longer tears) and joy (no longer sadness) and for this I am so very thankful. 

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I could be celebrating 47 years of marriage this week but will not because my husband has crossed his rainbow bridge.  But if he were here, we would reminisce over how my Mom wound up in the ICU on that day, thus missing her only daughters wedding, but how Dad insisted we carry on and he walked me down the aisle like a "drunken sailor" having been with her at hospital the entire night!  

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How Father Frank came to the altar in a wheel chair having fallen that morning, unable to walk and then slurring all his words for being on too many pain meds, we thought washed down with a gin and tonic.

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How we went from Holy Trinity in Georgetown (immediate family) direct to the hospital, to the ICU in our wedding-finery and the staff broke the rules of only allowing "one or two" in and permitted the whole party into ICU.  Mom barely opened her eyes long enough to see us, to shed a tear. 

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How by the time we reached our reception, nearly everyone had gone home and the only food left was a slip-sliding-away mushy un-cut cake.

A wedding to remember.

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 How we cancelled our honeymoon trip to Ocho Rios to stay at home in Arlington, so Dad could stay with us and visit with Mom ...  

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A week later, Dad drove home to Indiana.  Two weeks later, Mom was released from hospital, an allergy attack had caused a blood clot to break free resulting in a pulmonary embolism.  She flew home.  

Meanwhile, Dad had been planning his own wedding-reception at their church for Christmas week, so Mom could have the pleasure of "attending".  She would be Mother of the Bride ... I would wear my gown, Vic to dress up ... all their long time friends in the community would attend!  He would have it catered, there would be a cake!  Mom would not miss her only daughters wedding after all.  

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Love you, Daddy!  

(though for unknown reasons, he didn't toss in a honeymoon trip ...) 

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We were young and poor, couldn't afford to fly, and short of time off from our jobs.  We drove all night in a blizzard, from DC to Indiana, but made it for our "second wedding and reception" attended by people we didn't know, but people who gifted us with joy and love and memories

and it was a another wedding to remember.

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Mom and Dad and Vic are all together in heaven now,

wonder if they're reminiscing about this as well?

Have a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving,

share memories, create new ones.