Happy Father's Day! Hopefully, you are all doing well and doting on all the fathers in your lives.
My father has been on my mind this week for several reasons. He taught high school math for many years, and so I often run into former students and colleagues who have stories and memories to share with me. And then. There are also times when I tell a story that causes memories of Ed to bubble to the surface. Piano. That is the word that caused me to think of my father more often this week. I mentioned my father played piano. Most often he played gospel music. He would sing along, and the melodies would stay with me. I have one particular memory of my father playing piano that means more to me than any other. My wedding.
The day was mostly like any other day. Ed's cell phone was glued to his hand, and we were all laughing about it. The jokes about his cell phone needing to be surgically attached to his hand were so rampant and hilarious. Every time I see this picture, it makes me smile.
This was literally moments before he had to walk me down the isle. I was only slightly concerned that there would be a ringing cell phone during the ceremony. :) In all honesty, it probably would have caused such laughter that it might have made the whole thing even more fun. We had a very small ceremony with only family and one or two other folks in attendance. Neither J nor I wanted to have an actual wedding. We would have much preferred to just zip by the courthouse one day and take care of business. My dad and J's mom...that's why we had a ceremony, and even though it wasn't what we wanted, it was a beautiful day.
This is my favorite picture from my wedding. It's an outtake. A blurry photo that was tossed aside and not meant to be seen or displayed, but it's my absolute favorite. We were in a small room in a small, country church, and he was about to give me away. He put a penny in my shoe and held me tighter than he ever had.
My father has been on my mind this week for several reasons. He taught high school math for many years, and so I often run into former students and colleagues who have stories and memories to share with me. And then. There are also times when I tell a story that causes memories of Ed to bubble to the surface. Piano. That is the word that caused me to think of my father more often this week. I mentioned my father played piano. Most often he played gospel music. He would sing along, and the melodies would stay with me. I have one particular memory of my father playing piano that means more to me than any other. My wedding.
The day was mostly like any other day. Ed's cell phone was glued to his hand, and we were all laughing about it. The jokes about his cell phone needing to be surgically attached to his hand were so rampant and hilarious. Every time I see this picture, it makes me smile.
This was literally moments before he had to walk me down the isle. I was only slightly concerned that there would be a ringing cell phone during the ceremony. :) In all honesty, it probably would have caused such laughter that it might have made the whole thing even more fun. We had a very small ceremony with only family and one or two other folks in attendance. Neither J nor I wanted to have an actual wedding. We would have much preferred to just zip by the courthouse one day and take care of business. My dad and J's mom...that's why we had a ceremony, and even though it wasn't what we wanted, it was a beautiful day.
This is my favorite picture from my wedding. It's an outtake. A blurry photo that was tossed aside and not meant to be seen or displayed, but it's my absolute favorite. We were in a small room in a small, country church, and he was about to give me away. He put a penny in my shoe and held me tighter than he ever had.
For years Ed played the piano during Sunday services in the small church where J and I were married. And, on the day he gave me away, he played one last time inside Nebo Presbyterian Church. He played the recessional as J and I left the church. He gave me away at the alter, and instead of watching me leave, he moved to the piano and played. For me. For J. It was perfect.
And....just because no blog post is complete without me embarrassing myself...here's a picture of J and me at our wedding...I'm not sure our wedding was legal because I'm pretty sure that J was 12, or maybe he just looked that way....and I'm a scary looking hag as usual....
