15 Years

Michael and Jennie Lou celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on October 2, 2008!

What I remember about their wedding day was waking up to their friends sleeping everywhere-- on the deck and all across the house on floors and couches. The day dawned unseasonably warm-- in the mid 90s, not unlike Oct 2 this year.

If I remember correctly, JL had spent the night at the yurt so she could have quiet contemplative time before the wedding while Michael stayed at our place amidst the social bedlam. Their friends had been cooking in our kitchen for two days, making delicious contributions for the pot-luck reception AND a gorgeous layered vegan carrot wedding cake.

At the church, my memory is mostly blurred by tears of happiness. I do remember that Michael's mom and I lit the unity candle and Raymond and I walked JL down the aisle. I remember the lovely dried flowers and apples decorating the pews, and JL and Michael kneeling before Father Ryan during the wedding mass. I remember that Culley drove in that morning from Santa Cruz and Raleigh rang the bell at St. Joseph's to announce the marriage.

At the reception, I remember Allen being the wedding "manager," making sure folks parked well on Linda Du's gravel road and driveway, that the food was arranged on tables on the covered car port, that the toast happened at the right time, and the musicians kept the music going. I remember the canopies all over Linda's lawn and my little sister taking care of my dad who wore plaid pants and was pretty shakey but smiling and joking. I remember that Mackenzie caught the bouquet.

I remember after the wedding, my friend Carol and I spent a very long time sorting through the garbage, dipping our hands into a mess of discarded cake and dripping punch cups to pull out the recyclable materials that had been mixed in with other garbage. We laughed and laughed as we worked, giggling about the marriage symbolism in digging through garbage for the recycling.

After 15 years, Michael and JL undoubtedly are conscious of huge amounts of recycled love amidst the discards of each day of married life. Congratulations dear ones!