That day

The alarm sounded at 6, but he’d been awake for an hour already. For some reason, he wasn’t able to sleep very well last night, and then it hit him: Today was Saturday but not just any Saturday. Today was the day he had been looking forward to ever since the date had been set last year. Today was his wedding day.

When he first met his Princess, he was no real prince. He had wandered into a church just outside the base where he was assigned and the pastor invited him to a church dinner. It was at this dinner when he met a woman who invited him to join her and her daughter for dinner next some time at their house. This was to be the first of many such invitations. In fact, it quickly grew into a weekly habit. He’d go to the small church meeting in the school and then follow the woman and her daughter to their house for Sunday dinner. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to ask the recent high school graduate if she’d like to go to the movies with him.

She said yes.

For their fifth date, the 21 year old Marine took his 18 year old friend to the Marine Corps birthday ball.

When he turned 22, she took him to DisneyLand… his first visit ever.

That summer, he took her to the Grand Canyon to meet his family. They went there because his sister was working as a summer missionary there and it seemed like the perfect excuse for him to go to Arizona, and his folks to visit their kids in “neutral” territory. They camped and had a good vacation together. It was then that he knew (or at least strongly suspected) that she could be the one he’d been searching for without ever really realizing it.

That August, sitting under the stars in her backyard, he proposed. It wasn’t one of those glorious moments that he’d be proud of forever, but he couldn’t wait to ask. So, without even a ring, he whispered into her ear, “Marry me.” She looked at him like he’d suddenly grown a second nose or something until he said it again. “Marry me. Would you do me the honor of being my wife? I don’t ever want to lose you and I can’t think of a better way to do that.”

She said yes.

Now, almost a year later, the day was here. He wanted to rush out to the church, but his friend reminded him that the wedding wasn’t until 1 o’clock that afternoon. That meant there was time to do some things, like make sure he had the train and plane tickets for later that evening. Check. Hotel reservation confirmed in L.A.? Check. Waikiki? Check. Where’s your uniform? Right here… all the pieces accounted for. By the time he got to the small church rented out for the occasion, the clock had stopped moving. His parents arrived and everyone seemed ready to go. Time to begin. Where’s the pastor? What do you mean no one’s seen him yet? We were supposed to start 10 minutes ago. Call his house… okay, NOW he’s on his way. The young Marine sergeant and his friends take their places at the front of the church. Unfortunately, no one noticed that one of them had unplugged his dad’s video camera. There would be no video of this wedding. The music started and the bride’s maids came down the aisle. His sister was first. He motioned for her to hurry up, but she smiled and shook her head “no.” She was enjoying this! Finally, the Maid of Honor made her way through the six Marines posted along the aisle as honor guard and the music changed. The swords went up and she came around the corner, on the arm of her father, looking like the sun.

His heart stopped. Was it really happening? Was the vision of beauty coming down the aisle really coming to him? He couldn’t breath. He looked at his best man who smiled a huge smile and one of his groomsmen who gave him a thumbs-up and a look that said, “Now, wasn’t this moment worth the wait this morning?”

The pastor who had first welcomed him to that small church said some things… probably having to do with the sanctity of marriage, but he couldn’t hear anything. He couldn’t see anything. He didn’t want anything but to be with this woman for the rest of his life. What? Did you say something, Pastor? Oh, did you just ask if he wanted to be her husband? Didn’t he already say that? He had, but not out loud. He said yes. Same question to her.

She said yes.

There was a unity candle. There was a moment when he looked at his mother in the front row just as she wiped a tear from her eye. There was a prayer and there were vows exchanged as they placed rings on each others’ fingers. Finally, the pastor said that we were officially married and that he could now kiss the bride. He did so with enthusiasm tempered only by the fact that his mom was watching and they were in a church!

That couple walked arm in arm through the arch of swords ten years ago today.

Since then, the young woman has lived in seven different homes, graduated college, and given birth to two beautiful babies. He’s managed to get promoted once, start a new line of work in the Corps, and gone to war twice.

I don’t know if that couple who honeymooned in Hawaii together still exists, but I do know that the feeling is stronger than ever for him. I know because (as I’m sure you’ve guessed) I am that young man. Well, at least I used to be him.

Princess Jennie, today is a milestone that many couples don’t reach. I’m so very glad to have you in my life and I know that if it weren’t for your love and support I’d probably be a bum by now, or a truck driver. You are my everything and I love you very much. Though we’ve had our share of bumps in the road, I could not imagine taking this trip without you.

All my love for all my life,
Bill