mother of the groom

Well, Dale and Jessica are married now.  It was a simple ceremony performed by a justice of the peace, but it had its touching moments.  Like when Jess was consumed with tears and couldn't repeat her vows for a minute.  My ears perked a little when that happened. Uh oh.  Was she having second thoughts?  She had turned her head away because she was so emotional, but when she looked up again at my son, her face was so full of love, there was no doubt in my mind that she will never have a second thought.  Except, perhaps, when he leaves his clothes all over the living room sofa.  And when he teases her mercilessly, or when he's being his grumpy self - but that's natural and expected.

And so they have begun a brand new life together.  It's exciting, and makes me remember how new everything once was, how the words "my husband" felt alien to my tongue, the words "our house" evoked a kind of thrilled wonder, and how conscious I was of making Sunday breakfast in my kitchen - the clatter of spatulas and pans, the scents of bacon frying and toast, the sight of the table adorned with two coffee mugs and the Sunday paper...and, of course, grits popping out of the pot and hitting my arm.  A person quickly learns- you don't boil grits on high.

They have a lot of new to get used to, but I hope with all my heart they feel the same wonder that embeds itself in memory - minus grits blisters, of course, and that they will be safe and happy, and know the kind of love that only deepens with time.