~AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES...My Wedding Memories~

~TRULY...JUST A GIRL~

Today my Beloved and I celebrate thirty-two years of marriage.  Quite honestly...it's hard for me to take in how very fast those years have passed by.  When I first looked at the photo of me dressed all in pink (I told you I've always loved that color!) two very different thoughts came to my mind...  The first one of course was how crazy-young I looked.  Barely 18.  And the second one was how much I would I like to tell that very idealistic girl (who thought she knew everything about everything) a thing or two about life and the living of it...

The picture was taken inside my dorm room at SNU in Bethany, Oklahoma.  I can't tell you for certain who snapped the photo but I am positive the rose was given to me by the man I'd eventually spend my life with.  Taken in late Spring of 1977 the two of us had just said 'goodbye' for the long summer months ahead.  I didn't know it then but by December of the same year we'd be engaged.

~OUR WEDDING INVITATION~

On September 8, 1978 my Mr. AGPMan and I married in a small church ceremony attended by mostly close family members and a few college friends. 

~INSIDE INVITATION~

Between the two of us we managed to pull off a pretty little wedding and except for the absence of my grandparents the day couldn't have been more beautiful.  Somewhere amidst my pile of keepsakes I have the detailed list of exactly what we paid for everything.  I know my bridesmaid's bouquets were $14.00 each and my bridal bouquet was $45.  My dress was $125.00 and I'm quite sure that included my veil...

~MY BEAUTIFUL FATHER and I~

My dad was born in 1930 and that means in 1978 he was 48 years old.  I am now older than both my parents were on the day I said "I Do!" 

~MY BLUE 1975 CHEVY VEGA~

Now...here sits our infamous Sky Blue 1975 Vega.  No matter how much we cleaned her up or decorated her bones she was, without a doubt, a total piece of JUNK!  My guy drove a 1967 Chevy Impala at the time and BOY what I wouldn't give to have the cool car back in our possession today.

 Now...I show you this photo because this demon car (that caused me MORE MISERY than I can say) was always conking out on me and I hated to drive the silly thing !  She also played a part in me nearly being veil-less on my wedding day.  Here's what I remember...

~SWEET PORTRAIT~

On the morning of our wedding my Mr. AGPMan needed to drive from Bethany, Oklahoma to Yukon, Oklahoma (about 9 miles) to his bank to withdraw some money for our 'honeymoon'.  Now...this was before most banks had branches and certainly before ATMs.  Well...that stupid 1975 Sky Blue Vega didn't have air conditioning which made driving it nearly unbearable.

~MY VERY YOUNG BROTHER~

So...as my guy sped down old Hwy 66 to retrieve some cash he MANUALLY (can you imagine?) rolled down both the windows to cool off the inside of the car.  The Vega was full of wedding stuff and laying neatly on top (so it wouldn't get wrinkled) was my bridal veil.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

~MY FATHER OFFICIATED~

With the radio blaring and the pedal to the metal my guy thought it strange when he saw (out of the corner of his right eye) a flash of BRIGHT WHITE SOMETHING OR OTHER blow by his face and out the window.  As he peeked into his rear mirror he saw my wedding veil tumbling down the highway picking up dirt, hay, grit and sand along the way.

~MR. and MRS.~

Now...my hubbs has never been a 'freak-out kinda guy' (I do that enough for both of us).  But I dare say that on the very morning he was to be wed he was indeed flipping out!  He pulled the Vega to a stop and ran back to rescue my headpiece from the ditch.

It took him over an hour to pick out every speck of debris from the veil.  It had rolled itself into a tumbleweed-looking-ball and I suppose that saved it from being destroyed.

~SWEET MEMORIES~

Of course I was told NOTHING of this until after we were married.  What he didn't know was that I had found several teeny, tiny pieces of plant-type stuff clinging to a bit of the veil's lace and I thought it so strange that I hadn't noticed it before...

~I STILL LOVE THIS PRETTY CAKE~

~YUMMY GROOM'S CAKE~

~YOUNG HANDS and HEARTS~

~MY BROTHER'S WEDDING - 2006~

Over the years my beloved and I have participated in many wedding ceremonies.  In 2006 he was Best Man to my brother, Bill, when he married his own beautiful lady, Ginger (he's the same brother in the picture at the top).

So...here I sit thirty-two years later deeply grateful the young girl in the first photo chose a man of character, honesty, commitment and grace in which to place her trust.  What I know today is that being part of a long-lasting marriage, even when people are deeply in love, is incredibly hard work.

Today I remain profoundly blessed to be living out my life's  journey with the one who continues to hold my heart.

Thank-you, God!

(Happy Anniversary, Steven Kent...I love you!)

If you'd like to read my post from last year and see more of my wedding pictures just click HERE!

Blessings to you for a lovely day...