3 days later…Wedding Reflections

I don't know if I have words to fully express my feelings and emotions of this past week, and especially Saturday.  I mean, how does one say "this was one of the highlights of my life" in a way that shows how incredibly overflowing with love, pride and joy I am feeling? I am not sure I can. At least not adequately.

Let's just say that 3 days later, I am doing just as a wise woman told me to do.

She said, "Marinate in it."

I am doing just this as I let the feelings just be what they want to be, and enjoying them. This wedding day of my eldest son is one I want to remember always. That being said, I am so thankful to all the unofficial photographers that day that have shared their pictures on Facebook. I did not want to carry a camera or phone that day; I wanted to just be the mother of the groom.


The groom.
So handsome.
So nervous, so afraid he'd pass out or throw up in front of everybody, but yet so brave doing this thing that he so wanted to do with his whole heart and being, but wasn't so keen on all the eyes on him and his bride.
His commitment to God and his commitment to his bride go hand-in-hand. As he spoke his vows to her, I was blown away but his passion and his love for both.
This boy, now man, of mine is a man I am proud of.
I thought my buttons would pop off my dress, I was that proud of the man he has become.

He stood and waited for her, his lovely bride that he was seeing for the first time as his bride. Any tears were not ones of sadness, but of sweet love and overwhelming inexpressible emotion. 

His bride. She was beyond beautiful in my eyes, both inside and out; I can't even imagine what Aaron was feeling at that moment.

Before that moment, I was pretty cool. Happy, but not teary; that had all been happening the day before. Then Anita, Lisa-Anna's mother, and I lit the candles on either side of the unity candle. She was emotional. We hugged and somehow ended up sitting together.

But I think it was meant to be. I will never forget the moment as we sat watching our children commit their lives together, when she leaned over and whispered, " Your son really loves my daughter." Not a question, but a statement. Whatever doubts both families had in the beginning about this young couple who came from completely different backgrounds and had to learn about each other, many times from 6 hours apart, were completely dispelled once and for all. To see it that day, it was undeniable that these two were meant to be. 

You saw it as they went about Lighting the Unity Candle...

It was undeniable as they washed each other's feet as a symbol of serving one another as Christ serves the Church...

It was there when they laughed together when the groom's shoe wouldn't go back on after the foot-washing, leaving him shoeless, but not really caring...

It was there as they spoke their personal vows to each other, then as they recited the formal vows, saying "I do."...

Then the moment came when they looked at each other, barely containing their joy as Pastor Joe, by the power invested in him, pronounced them husband and wife and they turned to face their family and friends, all there to support them this day.

 Time to celebrate! Off to the reception, down the road in Meyersdale where all awaited the arrival of Mr & Mrs Maust. For the first time, appearing as a married couple...

Before even getting seated, they had their first dance. Be still my mother's heart. Could this be my son out there dancing? One word. Beautiful. Okay, two words. Touching. Maybe three. Romantic.

All too soon and moving too quickly for this Mother Bear who wanted to absorb every moment, and not soon enough for the groom and his bride, the cake was cut, the bouquet was tossed, the toasts were made….

…and they were headed off, as the newly wed Mr & Mrs Maust to their honeymoon. Awwwww.
May they live, if not always happily ever after, but in grace as they learn to live, to love, to laugh, to cry, always together.

Sigh. I still can't adequately say what I feel. But, what a day it was. It was better than I ever imagined it to be. A day to remember.

Love,
Dianne, aka Mother of the Groom