Monday, December 13, 2010

23 Years and One Day Ago

Suzy and Barry celebrated their anniversary yesterday.  (Congratulations, you two!)

I must tell my recollection of the events surrounding their wedding day.

I was the maid of honor.  (Actually, I was the matron of honor, but that's another story.)  Suzy was living in California at the time, so on the Thursday before the wedding I flew coast to coast.

I have never been a good traveller.

I was pretty exhausted by the time I rolled into bed Thursday night.  But I felt pretty good the next day.  That was fortunate, because we had lots of "day before the wedding" stuff to get accomplished -- final (and only!) bridesmaid dress fittings, brunches, luncheons, wedding rehearsal, etcetera, etcetera.  Did I mention that I sang a duet with Barry's brother at the wedding?  We had a separate practice for that, too.  :)

The morning of the wedding was filled with hair appointments, make-up application, dressing for the ceremony, etcetera, etcetera.

I started to feel pretty queasy while we were at the hairdresser.  So queasy that I was sprawled over several adjacent chairs.  I remember looking over at Suzy.  She was looking at me, too, with her hand up to her chin in a contemplative pose.  I wondered what she was thinking.  Actually, that's not true.  I knew what she was thinking!

I was flinging prayers up to God to please, please, please give me the strength to make it through the wedding.  And, HE did!  I bounced back and got through the ceremony.

Now, I wish I could say that I enjoyed the reception and the rest of the weekend's festivities.  But shortly after the wedding, I pretty much lost it.  I was violently ill for about three days.  I did manage to fly home to Maine on Sunday, but I still pity the poor passengers that had to sit next to me as I barfed all the way across the country.

I once told Suzy and Barry that they had to get married again so that I could enjoy the entire event this time.  Hmmm...I still like that idea!

1 comment:

Suzy and Barry Gaeddert said...

Tracy! Isn't it amazing to think that this is TWENTY THREE YEARS ago? And we are still so young that it doesn't seem possible! I didn't remember you being ill that well until I read your blog and it brought that memory back. You are are my memory in so many VAGUE ways of the time we shared together in Maine and Kansas. Just reading what you wrote to Jen under the photo of you holding the huge snow glob in our dorm room was incredible--you remembered she was in a certain class with you at a certain time! And now to hear about my wedding 23 years ago was a gift as well, even though it was not a good story from your experience. But you survived! Yeah God! I still feel like I need to thank you for coming all the way out to CA again to be there for us. Love all the things we have shared. I just need to be reminded of the details. Wish I could get to Maine and eat lobster with you and your frozen chicken pot pie. You haven't gotten to England yet. Should I start praying? Love to you! Suzy XXXOOO