Beauty and the Marine

I have taken THOUSANDS of photographs over the years...but this is one of my favorites. We attended the wedding of the subjects of this photograph yesterday. It was the joining of a young Marine to his beautiful bride in the simplest of ceremonies.

We have known the young man for close to five years now. At the time of our meeting he was a funny, energetic, smart-mouthed, barista at the coffee shop where I too was employed. I soon realized that he knew our eldest from high school and thus the connection grew stronger. He never failed to make me smile with his talk of music, film school and his youthful take on the world....or cringe at his youthful shenanigans!

During this same time our eldest had come to know his future bride. They sang together in choir and we heard her name often in our home.

And then, one day, as we celebrated the high school graduation of our eldest, these two....this head turning beauty and this future Marine...renewed an acquaintance recently made.

From then until now, in our home at least, their names were spoken as one.

Some time has past since then. My fellow barista went to school for a while, then joined the Marines, and as it so often happens, time and circumstances made it harder and harder for us to connect.

But whether it is known to this young couple or not, they have never been far from our thoughts or our hearts. And we must have remained in their hearts and minds as well because in the middle of the hub and bub of the holidays we received a beautiful, elegant invitation to their wedding.

And so Sunday, January 16th, we were honored to witness the union of one of our favorite young men and his sweet bride, in one of the nicest, purest ceremonies I have ever been to.

The setting was a new event center nestled in the foothills of the Rockies and located not fifteen minutes from our home. As we entered the hall we signed the mat surrounding a photograph of the young couple. As a family we commented on how much more practical this was. A photograph, surrounded by the signatures of those who attended your wedding, framed, and placed on a wall will bring MUCH more enjoyment than a guest book stuck in a box somewhere.

We seated ourselves facing a large fireplace. Behind us was a lovely courtyard which contained a waterfall surrounded by snow. After the parents had seated themselves our young Marine took his place beside the pastor...and I burst into tears! It was the first time I had seen the young friend who had stolen part of my heart so long ago,in his dress uniform... and the sight of him standing there, so straight and proud, combined with my memories of a teenager making his way toward manhood, unleashed a flood of tears I hadn't expected.

Next came the groomsmen in the their tuxes and red Converse, a few cherubs attending to their flower petal and ring duties, bridesmaids in their red strapless dresses carrying yellow Gerbera daisies tied with red and yellow ribbons...and as the father of the bride placed himself at the bottom of a winding stair case...the blond,fair skinned beauty descended the stairs in her strapless gown...as her own athletic shoes peaked from beneath her dress.

The scripture chosen for the ceremony was from Ephesians...Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior...and the pastor elaborated on these scriptures, gently guiding us to understand the selfless nature of each point held within.

The vows,written by the couple,were direct, to the point, yet full of the type of pledges all young couples should speak to one another as they begin their lives together. Love, laughter and support through good and bad. Foundations on which to build a long and lasting marriage. These vows were followed by the exchange of rings,his wrought by his own hand, then the kiss, and a final prayer of blessing.

Our one regret was that we had to leave before the newly wedded couple returned from having their pictures taken. I pray the note, hastily written on a cocktail napkin with borrowed pen and entrusted to another wedding guest, made it to our friends. It was a poor substitute for the hugs and love we had wished to bestow upon them. But know this Brandon and Kendra,we do love you, and pray God bless you in unimaginable ways as you move forward in this grand adventure we call marriage!

It so happens that our hasty exit was prompted by our need to make our way to another party. This one a going away party for another young friend who will also become a Marine very shortly. Pizza and chocolate cake seem such a meager offering for one willing to offer the next few years of his life in service of his country. I ask God's protection over one willing to serve...and that this future Marine understand that he takes with him our love and gratitude as well as our prayers.

We have lived a lot of life in this first 17 days of 2011. I have celebrated a couple of birthdays, witnessed the joining of a Marine to his beauty fair,held a newborn baby in my arms, felt the love of our friends and a little of the pain a mother must feel as she prepares to send her son off to serve his country. All of this as we prepare to welcome the first of a new generation.

And yet...in the 72 days between today and the expected date of our grandson's arrival...there will be even MORE life to live. More celebrations....ones of days dedicated solely to love, of birthdays spanning three generations, of marriages lasting more than two decades...and celebrations of the new life we so long to meet.

May we all remember to give thanks to the one who makes these reasons to celebrate possible.