I'll be leaving shortly for Wisconsin. My son David is getting married to Aly.
They both just graduated two weeks ago majoring in communications. This would be considered a perfect college Romance ending in a fairy tale wedding. In fact, she will be dancing with her dad to the song, Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman which is on the radio at least 10 times a day right now.
I sent a CD of the song I picked out for David and I when we have the mother and son dance. When her dad listened to it in his truck, he had to stop at the side of the road to cry. He got all emotional. It's a tear jerker for sure.
When we first dropped David off at Liberty University in Virginia in August of 2004 he was sullen and depressed. He certainly wasn't a happy camper. He really didn't want to go to Liberty but never came up with a suitable alternative plan so he reluctantly agreed to go. You should see those first pictures. He was not smiling. He looked pathetic.
So we drove off. I was in tears before I left the parking lot. I prayed alot for him.
Three months later he met and was dating Aly. They hit it off from the start. She followed him in her car while he was running. She threw him a bottle of water. It was love at first sight. She is as blonde as he is dark. They make a handsome couple many tell me. But I don't have to be told. They are both very cute...if I must say heh! They certainly could be the perfect image of wedding toppers. He told me over the course of these almost four years now they have grown incredibly close. He can't imagine dating another. In fact, Aly really was his first real girlfriend. We never pushed the boys in high school to date, preferring they wait.
A change started to take place almost immediately. He was happy. I was glad. He had a purpose. He had something to live for and he was maturing. Big time. I've never seen anyone change as much as David these last four years. He now loves Liberty and is so glad he went. He wasn't pleasant to be around his early teen years but now the young man he was becoming was like seeing a butterfly coming forth from its cocoon.
Every year David and Aly go and sit on Santa's lap and have their picture taken. Aly gets kind of embarrased but David insisits and there they stand, in line with all the two year olds.
So now they are getting married in Wisconsin. The reception will be in Chicago and I'm leaving shortly. It's going to be a huge event. It will be a great weekend. Some of our church family from back home are coming. We can't wait to see them and hug their necks. My own family cannot make it, the traveling is too great for them and with the exception of only my husbands brother and his wife all our side will be represented by friends outside of my other boys.
Ethan will be the ring bearer. He's only 19 months old and we'll probably have a story to tell about his first big coming out party. This is a big job for such a little guy.
Amanda will be there and being 8 months pregnant she'll make me, her m-i-l very nervous with the traveling and all. I haven't seen my son Brian for a year and a half. This will be a good time.
They are getting married in an old church which was profiled in the Robin William's movie "Licensed to Wed." My husband will be officiating. This will be his privilege of marrying his second son. Two now will be married and only one left. David has asked both of his brothers to be his best men. This ought to be good. When the three get together anything can happen. Aly's worried.
She should be.