There is going to be a wedding

Not quite two weeks ago I was sitting in the serenity room working while on the phone with Mel. From the window I saw Harley, Becky and John's Norwegian elkhound, followed by John Wallace. I rang off with Mel and waited to see Becky, but she was not in attendance. I thought it was quite curious and, when John, John Wallace and Harley came downstairs, I exclaimed at the nice surprise. I asked John W. if he just happened to be in Fredericksburg and he told me no. He sat down and the three of us engaged in some small talk for a few minutes and then my daughter's boyfriend said that he, while not always very traditional, wanted to be traditional at this time and asked us for permission to marry our daughter. My mouth is not big enough to support the smile that was trying to break around my face. John is a good man and he loves my daughter. And my daughter loves him. Naturally he received permission.

They went to New England on vacation the Saturday before last and came back today, stopping at our house around 2 PM. From my room I could see Becky walking toward the house with her left hand hidden behind her back. Jenny was helping me post-shower and made me sit down so I wouldn't fall. When Becky came into my room she, Jenny, and I were typical silly girls, laughing and crying and oohing and aahing over her perfectly exquisite diamond ring. Becky did not know that John came to see us before their vacation and was misty eyed when she heard the story.

Becky does not wear jewelry. Never has. Does not even have pierced ears. She seems a different person with this ring on her finger -- it's as though her hand grew up and the rest of her along with it.

One of the items on my bucket list was to gather my sister and niece, Lynne and her daughter, all three of my daughters, several bottles of champagne, some caviar and other treats, and head to a bridal salon where I would sit, sipping champagne, while all the young girls tried on bridal gowns. I wanted to make sure I saw my girls in wedding dresses before I died. We are still going to have our salon party, but now we will actually buy a dress.

Happy sighs...