Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my better half!

Look at this happy, young couple! WE WERE BABIES!

It seems like only yesterday but there has been a lot of years, a lot miles, a lot of kids, a lot of trials, a lot of laughs and smiles, some tears, much joy, and much love since that day thirty-six years ago.There’s no place I’d rather be than where I am today, at this time, in this place, with this man. For years and years now I’ve felt sorry for anyone who isn’t me. I know how haughty and arrogant that sounds, but believe me, I am not that vain, I know my shortcomings. I’m not beautiful by any means, I’m not smart, I don’t have a nice body, I don’t have any talents to speak of, I’m not rich, I’m not famous, I haven’t attained any great accomplishments that I can brag about, I’ve had anguish and sorrow and trials in my life, I possess many, many negatives, so I am not being egotistical when I say this ~ I feel sorry for anyone who is not me, for I am loved disproportionately, it feels like gluttony, it feels like greed to have love in such excess.
I know how Blessed we are, there aren’t many couples that have discovered this gift of love excessive that we are fortunate to have found.


Wedding Day Memories ~

We were married at an 11:00 A.M. Mass on Saturday, May 26, 1973.
I did not arise from bed until sometime after 8:30 that morning! No jitters, no nervousness. Cool, calm, collected.
Happy! Happy! Happy!
No professional hairdresser, no professional make-up artist, no professional manicure.
My little brother asking if my white bathrobe was my wedding dress.
Mom made me tea and toast.
I remember hearing Cat Stevens singing ‘Morning Has Broken’ in the background as the bridesmaids and I got dressed.
Lace from my Aunt Margie’s slip was sewn onto my slip by my mother (Margie was my Mom’s sister, she had passed away when I was a little girl).
Mom helping me attach my Juliet cap/veil to my hair.
I had the florist attach my bouquet (a bouquet of stephanotis) to my Aunt Florence’s Prayer Book.
The photographer was a pest!
Walked out the door on my Dad’s arm at 10:40 A.M.
Happy! Happy! Happy!
My sister Diane outside of church leaning on the altar boy’s back to sign as a witness on the official Church Marriage Certificate.
My Mom looked so beautiful standing outside the church all dressed in blue.
Bridesmaids pretty in pink.
Handsome groom at the end of the aisle dressed in a morning suit.
Happy! Happy! Happy!
Vows and rings exchanged.
‘Mother At Thy Feet Is Kneeling (one who loves you, ‘tis your child)’ was sung in church as I left a bouquet at Mary’s altar (I was going to have Ave Maria sung, but this other song was a request from my Mom and I’m glad I obliged, it was beautiful).
Uncle Tom filming outside of church.
Happy! Happy! Happy!
Our Wedding song was ‘Unchained Melody’.
The rest of the reception celebration is a blur.
Ray drove us to my house after, changed clothes, kissed Mom and Dad good-bye.
Drove off on our way to honeymoon in Sea Island, Georgia.
All the planning for the day now behind us and just a happy memory.
Started life as man and wife.
Happy! Happy! Happy!

My bridesmaids ~ Back Row: My girlfriend Laurie (a childhood friend, she passed away from cancer a few years ago) & my sister Diane, and my sister-in-law Ann (my brother Tom's ex-wife).
Seated on chair: My girlfriend Susan.
Seated on floor: My girlfriend Donna.
Kneeling up: My sister-in-law Susie (Ray's sister).



Charlotte (in the blue dress) & Frank (my Mom & Dad)
Helena (in the green dress) & Harry (Ray's Mom & Dad)




11 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary!!! Exactly a week before you got married I met my first husband. We would have been married 35 years this December but he passed away in 1996. I enjoyed reading about your day. And seeing all those pictures!! Unchained Melody was my husband's most favorite song.
    You are right...you are so blessed to have such a love that lasted all these years..all that history together! And you really don't look much different now that you did 36 years ago!

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  2. My beautiful wife does still look the same. I always tell her that and she always says "Love is blind". So I am glad she can hear someone else say it.
    Thank you for 36 beautiful years!

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  3. Oh Eileen what beautiful photos and beautiful memories you have! You were a very cute couple and still are a very cute couple! Congratulations on your blessed union.

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  4. Well, I most vehemently disagree with you Eileen!! You WERE and ARE a very attractive, lovely woman and if anything, you have gotten even prettier with age!! You also have PLENTY of talents (one of many is your ability to write so well) and are definitely intelligent! Whew...I'm worn out from all that refuting!!

    So sweet of you to share such a wonderful uniting of souls wedding with us...I savored each word and enlarged each photo. This is the way God meant for the union of man and woman to be.

    blessings on you both and for many, many more,

    marcy

    CONGRATULATIONS EILEEN AND RAY!!!

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  5. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!
    Love to you both,
    Diane

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  6. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY EILEEN... Thank you for your visit and comment...which was exceptionally kind...I'm just lucky the photos turn out good sometimes...I'm a stay at home mom/gramma that likes to take photos...You have a lovely family...Mia reminds me of my g/daughter Katie at that age...She's now 16.

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  7. Wow, how truly blessed you are to have such wonderful memories and wonderful photo's to treasure. Congratulations.

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  8. Thanks to everyone for all your good wishes!
    We had a wonderful weekend, and later in the week I'll take you on a little 'picture tour' of the Cliff Walk in Rhode Island.
    Yesterday was great too, just a 'normal, nothing' day, the kind I like best, dropping Jayden at school, we went for a little lunch at a local restaurant, shopped at Toys R Us for the grandkids, took Jayden to the playground after school, just a normal day but extra special because Ray was home to do it all with me!

    Love visiting everybody's blogs too! Thanks for sharing all your good ideas, all your wonderful 'finds', all your recipes, and most of all thanks for sharing your lives!

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  9. What a wonderful post with so many happy memories. Congratulations on your anniversary. I think your beautiful :>)

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  10. Eileen, what beautiful pictures!! What a gorgeous bride you were!!! And, what a beautiful woman you are now!!! Thank you for sharing such meaningful and special pictures..Love, Jerelene

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  11. Jerelene, how sweet of you!

    I'm so glad you've been posting again, I really enjoy reading about your family and your life! And I'm glad I was working on another post just now and happened to notice a new comment! Thanks for visiting!

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