Signed Up for Another 25 Years!

This past week Brian surprised me with the most thought out, well played surprise EVER...A beautiful ceremony of renewal of our wedding vows.  After being married for 25 years he says I am still a mystery to him, that he hasn't "figured me out"...but after a gift like this I think he "knows" me more than he thinks.  This ceremony was so beautiful, so special and we got to share it with so many of the people that are MOST important in our lives. I could NOT have planned it any better myself.  I'm writing this blog to not only share with YOU the deceitful measures "sneakiness" that my family went thru to pull this off but I'm writing so that I won't forget all the details!! Grab a cup of tea and a comfy seat..it's gonna be a long one!  :)

A text came early in the day that it was going to be "date night".  Supposedly our friend, Tony Bye (who officiated the ceremony), had given Brian tickets to the movies at Jefferson Point.  They expired that day so we HAD to use them that night!  We were leaving the house at 6:30 pm, dinner was planned and movie picked out (Star Trek).  Since it was a special, unexpected date night Brian said he was dressing up, maybe even wearing a tie!  That set the precedent for me to forgo the jeans I had planned on wearing and bump it up a notch!!  Looking back I now know why he was so concerned that the heels I was wearing made me so much taller than him!! :)

Brian's sister, Bette, popped in for an "unexpected" visit.  Bette lives in New York but she was on a retreat in Northern Indiana so having her show up really wasn't too strange...little did I know she was all part of the master plan! :)  I spent the afternoon visiting with her while Brian was at the church setting up for the wedding! One thing she said has stuck with me.  I joked about how that day was going so great, I got to see her and Brian and I had an unexpected date night planned!  She laughed, "Wow, your day can't get any better than that!"  ....she knew...she knew all along!! :)

The kids all loaded up and left to go to the "park and hang out"...but not before asking for pizza $.  Later Wes said he had a hard time keeping a straight face as I handed him $20 so they could eat dinner...while Brian and I were on our "date".  They were actually heading to the church to get things set up for the ceremony.

6:30 came and it was time for Brian and I to head to out. On the way down the road I told Brian that the van had actually overheated earlier that day.  He said we should probably stop by the church to add some water to it.  For those that don't know our church, Mt Etna Wesleyan, is on the way to Ft Wayne.  See, even I had a role to play in deceiving myself!! :)-  He didn't even have to "make up" a reason to stop by the church!

As we pulled up to the church the neighbors flowers caught my eye, fortunately they were in the opposite direction of the church parking lot full of cars.  I did, however, notice Joseph standing in the doorway of the church, and take off running as our van pulled in the parking space.  No sooner than the words, "What's going on?" were uttered from my mouth...Brian was on his knee proposing to me...once again.  *sigh*

....and THAT began the whirlwind as I floated up to cloud 9.  Details?  I can't remember...my brother was there so I thought maybe it was a small, family thing.  As he took my arm to walk me down the aisle I remember asking if there were a lot of people in the sanctuary (the doors were closed).  Jim in his calm demeanor said, "Eh, just a few".  As he walked me down the aisle my tears were flowing and I was in amazement at the number of people standing and clapping!  Thankfully, Brian had a box of kleenex for me as soon as I walked in...see he knows me!! :)

Now to let the pictures do the talking...

The look of surprise!!

Nearly a hundred people filled that sanctuary.  

All secretly invited by my most wonderful hubby! 

Reading of scripture and family prayer by Bette

Lighting the candles representing our family

Brian played the same song that was played at our wedding 25 years earlier.

"Security" by Leon Patillo 

Serving communion to our kids :)

Vowing for another 25+ years...sealed with a KISS :)

Brian wrote his own vows...which I have read and re-read!! :)

Jessica and Krista wrote my vows.  They did an excellent job of saying all that 

I would have said if I wrote my own!

We laughed at the decorations at our original reception...balloons and crepe paper.

Brian HAD to recreate that!! :)

Thanks for sharing with us this beautiful step in our journey together.  I praise God that he brought Brian and I together.  I could NOT imagine spending my life with anyone else.  He always says that he married "up"...but I know he is way out of MY league.  Together we make a great team as long as we keep HIM first in our marriage.  "He is before ALL things and in HIM ALL things hold together." Col. 1:17