(As requested) Background and Wedding (long) 2/2

We woke up on Monday morning to the sounds of our two kittens meeuing at
the door, as the alarm clock sounded "time to wake!". When the cats hear
the alarm, they know that it's their cue to come to the door, scratch and
remind us that they have to be fed, loved on and said "good morning" to.

So that's what we did.

We then got dressed confortably, packed the car with the Christmas gifts,
made sure that the kittens had food to eat and a clean litter box, and
offlined and unplugged all of our computers. I made sure that the
coffeepot was turned off and that all of the burners were in the off
position. Jessica made sure that all of the windows were closed and that
the toilet seat was closed and the door to the bathroom was also closed.
One of our kittens loves water and he would come into the bathroom and
attempt to get into the toilet. Jess was afraid that he would drown.
So we close the door and placed the bathmat at the bottom of the doorway so
that they cannot crawl under and into the room. The bathmat replaced the
towel when one morning, she witnessed the two of them working together to
move the towel out of the way to get into the room.

Jessica does things on a "time schedule". She cannot do things "on the
spur of the momment", they have to be planned out and then done. She had
everything timed to the last minutes.

We were 30 minutes off of that "time schedule."

We then locked and closed the door, and got into the car on the way to
Richmond and picking up my kids. Outside of Oakland, nine miles from the
house, Jessica asked me to get something from her purse. I told her the
purse was not in the car. We pulled over and she searched for her purse,
with ALL of the money we were to spend on the ceremony and dinner
afterwards.

Crying, she turned the car around at the Oakland exit and we drove the nine
miles back to the house. "We're going to be so far off the schedule, and I
wanted to make sure that we're on time", she said. I told her that it
didn't matter, and that we would be there in time.

When we came back home, I discovered the front door wide open and the
screen door shut. I walked into the home, looked around to make sure that
nobody was hiding anywhere, and then grabbed Jessica's purse and told her
about the open door. "What do we do now?", she asked. "I'll call the
landlady", I responded after trying to fix the door myself.

Christi sent her husband Steve to fix the door. He only placed a piece of
cardboard against the lock opening, and it locks just fine now. We're
buying a deadbolt.

We were once again on own way. We were one and a half hours off of
"her schedule".

We arrived in Richmond, only to find that the kids and Mildred were on
campus, "visiting" with their friends there. I asked if the kids were
going to go with us. After a brief exchange of words, I wished my kids
"Merry Christmas" and told them that we would hold their Christmas presents
from everyone until their next visit with us.

So, with *that additional damper* on things, we drove to Paris, Kentucky
and was greeted by my new mother-in-law (without teeth: she had surgery
on her gums and as a result was fitted with false teeth). After eating our
last meal as "just a couple", we readied ourselves for the big event.

Jessica has been looking around for "something blue" before the wedding.
I told her that "she already had something blue", and this only drove her
nuts as she tried to find this "something blue". She settled on wearing a
small bit of blue ribbon under her dress. Then, before she went to change
into her wedding clothes, I gave her the blue APO service pin she earned
when she became my brother. "You forgot that one of APO's colors is blue,
didn't you? I TOLD you that you already had blue!", as I kissed her and
moved to Jessiann mother's bedroom to change into my suit and tie.

I didn't see her again until 7:10pm.

Jessica's older brother Jerry drove me to Lexington, following his
daughter and her boyfriend in her shiny new car. Our best man, subbing in
for my oldest son Andrew, was supposed to drive me to the wedding chapel.
He called three hours before the wedding to let us know that not all of his
family would be coming, the two oldest girls only with them, and that the
reason he couldn't come earlier was because the youngest girl was ill and
they wanted to spend a little more time with her before they left for
Lexington from Nicholasville.

When Jessica and I started to date, Jerry and I didn't hit it off well at
first. Jessica told me that he had a terrible experience with
a group of black guys in his home town when he was growing up, and that
experience tempered his feelings about the two of us being together.
He didn't want to give his sister away, and I respected that by not asking.
We drove most of the way, listening to the rock station that Jerry and I
both liked, not saying too much. My hands felt like they always feel
before I was to make an important speech: clammy and damp. Finally, Jerry
opened up a pack of mints and gave them to me, saying "Hey...help
yourself". I took one, told him "Thanks", and we started to talk about his
daughter Crystal and how proud he was of her (it didn't take me long for me
to realize that he was REALLY talking about his sister).

We followed the directions to "Don's Wedding Chapel". It took us to the
south end of town, and into a business center. I was looking for a small
church or perhaps a small home. Instead, the lettering on the window of
the building read "Dons Weddin Chaple".

I KNEW I was in for a *great time* !!

I got out of Jerry's Bronco, and walked over to the car to place my
coffee mug into the front passenger floorboard. Then, locking the car, I
turned and walked back to the building. The first persons I saw there were
my two younger brothers, Shell and Mitch. I asked if Mom and Dad were
there (which I knew better, but I had to ask. Mom told me that she would
not be there because "it was not right for the children to see you two
getting married. It might confuse them more than they are now." As if
seeing the two of us together for the past two and a half years was "not
confusing them". [personal commentary] ).

"They couldn't make it, so she told Mitch to videotape it.", Shell told me.
We hugged and then I hugged Carla, his girlfriend of five years (and the
mother of Shell's daughter). I then told Shell "Hey bro, you're next!" as
I walked into the "chapel".

The small office was set up as a small church, with three rows of chairs
with eight chairs in each row, separated by a two-chair-wide aisle. I then
saw Rick Cox, my best man -in absentia (and our best friends. Until they
left Bowling Green, their family and our family would cook and work
together. We helped them move twice, the last time into a home that only
minutes before Rick arrived, would have been ours to rent. We teased them
constantly about that, and Rick even allowed me to place a couple of
coffeemugs on a shelf I had "staked out" for taht very use. We have had
many dinners for thirteen (their six, three boys and three girls and my
three) and watched endless ball games during the summer featuring their
oldest son. The youngest son, Adam, was in Jessiann's Cub Scout Den.)

He told me that "those girls back there are just giggling away" and that he
thought that Jessi looked "really pretty". I then met the "minister" of
the ceremony.

For the past two years since we've started planning our wedding, I've told
Jess that I'm getting Slim Whitman (a country and western singer whom is
following Boxcar Willy in fame and fortune by advertising on TV) and
Zamfir ("the man with the golden flute", another one of those TV
performers) to perform at the wedding.

Slim Whitman he wasn't, but he wasn't Parson Brown, either. "Howdy do.
Are you the best man or the groom?", he asked in a definate eastern
Kentucky accented speech.

"I'm Mike Walton. I'm the groom.", I shook his hand and he returned a
weakly grip. "Okay", he said, as he turned to walk down to the platform.
"Hees where you stand. That's where the best man stands. You just wait and
we'll start the music up. It'll just be a few minutes."

Rick and I made small talk, catching up on four months of time since we've
visited last. We talked about each child, starting with the sickly Shelby
whom they found out last month has diabetes and has to take shots. Next,
the redhaired Courtney, my favorite female child of their family. She's so
full of questions, which reminds me of my own Andrew. Then we talked about
Jonibelle, looking at her fliting from one person to another. Joni will be
one of those girls with a boyfriend a day, breaking their hearts before
moving on. Next, is Adam, Jessica's favorite. He's the sensitive one that
wants to protect the world. Then, there's Chase. Charles is the second
child, the "problem child", the one with learning disabilities. The one
that I like to play cards with, next to his mother. He reminds me of my
Aaron, the one that can't stand NOT to be doing something. Finally,
there's the oldest, Jordan (who, at 14, is already as tall as I am, 5 feet
seven). He's the ball player...not a good one, but one with lots of
enthusiam and energy. Jordan's also the protector of all of his younger
siblings. Just like my child Amanda. Finally, we talked about how Richard
and Marilyns were doing, about work, and their progress toward getting a new
home of their own in Nicholasville.

And then, the music started. My heart pounds with every beat of the
marital march. I stood almost at the parade rest position, beside Richard
Cox Jr., and wait for Jessica to come down wearing the dress that a few
hours ago she was crying about. I glanced at Rick's Mickey Mouse watch.
Mickey's left hand was over the seven; his right arm was over the two.
7:10pm.

Jessica invited her new friends from work: Consuelo, Julie and
"Strawberry". She wanted so much for them, her co-workers and after work
wind-down buddies, to come and witness her marriage to "her man, the person
whom drives me NUTS about computers and Geoworks! One of these days, he's
going to go GeoCrazy!", she would say to them over the phone about me.

They were not there as I looked at the small crowd there. I saw Jessica's
mom tuning up to cry. I looked at my two brothers, one with camcorder in
hand, finding the best place to record this special event, while the other
squeezes his lady's hand as he looks back at me. Then, I look at Jessica's
niece Crystal (I call her "Crystal-lite" after the soft drink) and her
boyfriend, also holding hands as they stood.

We all stood as we waited for the new bride to come marching in, along with
her maid of honor, Rick's wife Marilyn. Marilyn came in, but where was
Jessica? I stood, looking at the open doorway for my new wife.

Did she stand me up at the altar? Is she sick? I knew that she was really
nervous about being married early...getting married period.

My mind instantly backtracks to the first time we even talked about getting
married. To our visit to the Castner-Knott department store to register our
original wedding date. To the evening where we talked with my mom and with
Jessica's mom about getting married.

To the day where my children, Jessica and I sat and talked about divorce.
How it wasn't their fault. How sometimes Mommies and Daddies don't just
get along anymore and how it is better that they live apart instead of
continuing on living together, even if it is "just for the children".
I remembered Andrew asking "Are you and Phyll...Jessica going to get
married?", to the two of us looking at each other, slightly embarassed and
very unconfortable. "We might, someday. Or we might not. We're not sure,
so that's why we're together...to be sure".

"Can we come to your wedding, Daddy?", Amanda --my oldest -- asked. "I
would want you there", I told all three, "even Aaron. Even Jessica."
They all giggled, and Jessica said "I had *better* be there!"

The march started again, and after the end of the third line, finally, I
started to see Jessiann coming closer to the doorway. "It's about time!",
I whispered to her as I held her hands and faced "Parson Don".

Don went on, explaining the sanctity of marriage. It was hard to understand
him at first, as he was missing several teeth and he was half hissing the
words. After a short time, I was aware enough to understand him, as he
asked the obligatory questions of "ya want him? he wants you. Ya want her?
she wants you. Is there anyone here that objects to the two of them
getting hitched?" (no, that's NOT the way he said it, but as he was
talking, both Jessica and were holding back our laughter at this "preachin'
man").

A couple came in and sat down on the couch at the rear of the "chapel".
I looked at them to see if they were Jessica's missing friends. Nope.
Both were dressed in jeans and teeshirts, with the girl wearing a jean
jacket over her teeshirt.

Then, Don asked who had the rings and Rick gave the rings to the preacher.
Don then asked me if I would wed Jessica in "sickness and in health, for
richer or poorer..." I said "I do". Then, he looked at Jessica and as he
started the same phrase, he got this look on his face that public speakers
recognize as a "lost train of thought" look.

He couldn't remember "in sickness and in health..." and repeated "for
richer or poorer.." again. Jessica still said "I do".

So she don't have to take care of me if I get sick, folks.

With all of the verbage finished, we finally got to wear those rings which
sat in boxes in the hallway drawer, and we finally got to do that wedding
kiss that Jessiann was scared that I would mess up just to be funny. Then,
after we kissed, Don yelled "Aw come on, Mike....Give her a BIG Kiss!" (we
still think that ol' Don was either high or drunk!), so I turned back and
kissed her again.

Then, the photo session started, arranged by Don. We stood there and took
pictures after pictures for a good 20 minutes! Finally, Rick thanked and
paid him, and we all started on own ways home. Jessica and I thanked
everyone for being there (including the couple in the jeans that sat
through most of the ceremony), and we went onward to eat dinner with the
"best couple" at our favorite Chinese resturant.

After dinner, we drove down to Rick's parents' home to see the other kids
(and to see Shelby laying in the bed so contently). From there, we took
the long drive back home by way of the Cumberland Parkway. Like we do
anytime we take a trip anyplace, we spend more than half of the time
finding a radio station and the other half talking each other's ears off.
We talked about Don, and how we would always remember our wedding evening.
We talked about how Jessica spilled sauce from Chicken Velvet all over the
front of her wedding dress. We talked about how Jerry and I got there and
what we talked about. We talked about computers and hard drives, about
selling Jessi's copy of Wedding Workshop for Windows, since she doesn't
have a machine that runs Windows right now. We talked about going back to
work and what I would say to the "list" about our wedding day.

We did the same things going to the chapel as we did coming out from the
chapel: we talked. Someone said that 80 percent of all marriages fail
because the two have stopped talking and listening with each other.

As my mother told us coming back from my grandfather's funeral last spring,
"You found the right one...you two don't EVER shut up!" *hehehe*

Sorry so long, but as I stated in the first part, we wanted you to share in
the day, since we've moved it up some eleven weeks earlier than announced.

Settummanque!

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