It Could've Been 34 Years Today.

I just realized that had my first marriage lasted, I would have been married 34 years ago exactly today.  I wrote in an earlier blog about my meeting and falling in love with Les. http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2010/03/love-at-first-sight-december-5-1977.html

So in pictorial order here are some pictures heading up to the wedding that I've not printed before...

This was taken at my parent's home the day that I brought Les home to meet the family.  Yes, we were wearing matching t-shirts.

This picture was taken the night of our engagement party...

One of my bridal showers.  This one was held at Aunt Rachel's house.  That's me with Mom and Grandmother McGhee.  When people would ask me (before I met Les) when I was going to get married, Grandmother used to say "She'll get married when she wants to.  But, when she gets ready, you'd better pick up your feet because she'll run right over you."

Some of my loot from the shower.  I still have the blanket in the back which was made my Aunt Grace.  The yellow recipe holder was put together by Mom and Nancy and it's still used.

We had to get special permission to be married in the Tifton chapel by Bishop Flanders since we were members of a ward in Atlanta and not in Tifton.  So, we were quite surprised when we got a letter signed by the prophet, Spencer W. Kimball giving Gary permission to marry us.

This is the receipt for my wedding gown.  I was in Jonesboro, Arkansas and decided to purchase the gown there.  It seems unbelievable that I paid $5.00 to hold the gown and only paid $185.40 for it.  I missed out not having Mom or any family member or friend there while I tried on the various gowns.  And then, it arrived just a couple of weeks before the wedding which meant I hadn't tried it on for a couple of months.  Les and I paid for our entire wedding with the exception of the reception and our wedding pictures which were a gift from Mom and Dad.

Nancy and Susan.  Finally, I was the last daughter getting married.

The happy and excited groom.  While getting ready for the wedding that morning, while getting his shower, Les said he didn't realize until later that instead of using shampoo that morning, he used hair conditioner in its place.

After a shaky start, we got married.  The music I was using to walk down the aisle, had been left at the pianist's home and she had to run back and get it.  It was the music from the movie "Evergreen".

Then during the ceremony, a very good friend sang one of my favorite love songs.  It was "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce.

And here we are - the newly, married happy couple.

Removing the garter...

Getting ready to throw the bouquet...

And then there was our car...

When we got inside the car, the velour seats were covered with shaving cream and corn flakes which got all over my wedding gown and Les' suit.

Mom and Dad with Jennifer.  Les and I had bought her little outfit for the wedding.

A Western Union wedding wish from Mum and Dad McLean while they were living in the United Arab Emirates.

As far as a honeymoon, we didn't have one.  We visited with friends and family and then left to go back to Atlanta where we lived.  We had made plans to go and stay in the mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but the day we were leaving Les' car tore up.  We had the car towed from Atlanta to Tifton and wound up spending our honeymoon at Mom and Dad's and paying to have Les' car repaired.

Written For Corey...

I realize from time to time there are things that I want Corey to know about me, about his father and me, about our life together. They may not be profound things to anyone other than me, but they are part of who I am. There are moments I remember about my 23 years with Les that have made me who I am at this point in my life - some good moments and some bad moments. Without Les there would be no Corey and without Corey there would be no Derek. So, I've decided that there are things I want my son to know. I want him to know that I too was once young. (At this moment in his life, Corey is now the same age that I was when I married his father). I want him to know that I was truly in love with his father. I want him to know that I experienced the same feelings of love for Les that he feels for Nikki.

So, every once in a while, a blog will come along that says "Written For Corey". It's his mother relating something personal, maybe something deeply personal that I want him to know. Whether anyone else reads it, it matters not to me. However, others need to remember, this is my blog and my posting for and to my child.

This all came about this morning as I was cleaning off my desk and I came across an old piece of paper where I had written a song title on it. I sat down at the computer, googled the title, asking for the video and a rush of emotions came towards me. It was a song sung by Kathy Mattea in 1991. You were 9 years old at the time. Every time this song came on the radio, I had to stop and listen to it. The first time I ever saw the video, I thought it was one of the most beautifully choreographed dances and I thought it was so tender and loving. It always reminded me of your father and I for the first years of our marriage. Every time I heard the song, it made me think of one occasion when we had gone to Louisiana to visit your grandmother. It was in the winter time, because I can remember lying in your father's bed with crisp, clean white sheets and wrapped in your father's arms with the window slightly opened letting in the cool night air. I won't go into any more details, but suffice it to say that that is the night which always comes into my mind when I hear this song.

It also makes me think of the nights that your dad and I would sit in almost total darkness, holding hands or snuggling up together on the couch, and listen to some record on the stereo with the music turned up. It was almost as though you could actually feel the love between us.

Listening to this song again made me cry. It made me cry because of my loss of young, true real love. It made me cry for things that didn't work out. It made me cry because of some many unfulfilled dreams, needs and wants during the demise of my marriage. It made me cry because of a loss of youth and what could I have done differently?

So, when you listen and watch the video, you will most likely not have the same feelings as I do when watching it, but then, isn't that why music is so special? It makes persons react in different ways and it caters to our emotional needs.

Music Video:ASKING US TO DANCE (by Kathy Mattea)

(The picture is our engagement picture taken in the spring of 1978).