Anniversary

My husband and I celebrated our nineteen year anniversary this week. August 16, 1986 at 4:00pm. It was held at my church, Union Hill, a church nestled between the hills, formed with rocks from the earth. A simple place that could not house the amount of guest who came to see. It rained that day, earlier, forcing me to change my plans from a lattice work reception under the huge oak trees to a crowded basement with paneled walls. I remember the beauty of my dress, hand made by my mother for the last six months and finally completed the week before. Thousands of single beads sown on with her hands and love. Hours upon hours spent laboring with a train that was 12 feet long. Lace ordered from Italy and carefully placed on the satin. My veil covered with small pink roses. Young and innocent. Ready for the world of love. Overwhelmed at the gifts, parties, friends, and events preceding. I remember someone asking me if I was nervous. No, I was not. I was naive. A prince on a horse kind of thing. I had waited for this kind of love. To actually want to spent my life with someone. A concept I had not thought of before. Ready. No I was not. The world was hard. Work was hard. There were bills to pay. College far behind. Being responsible. Depending on someone. Needing someone. Having goals and knowing disappointment. Nineteen years. What have I learned? To never forget that beautiful day. To close my eyes and see the look on my mother's face when she saw me in my dress. To feel my brothers hug me close. To watch the tears of my dad as we waited to walk the aisle. To hear my sister as she sang a love song. To know of the people who stood beside us as we said our vows. To know what has been hard, what has been easy, what has caused us hurt, what has made us strong, and what has kept us together. Anniversary. The day, that day, when our worlds came together in a butter colored church, nestled in the heat of the early afternoon rain, before God, family, friends...... before us.