Love and Marriage
I got married today. It was a magical day, filled with love and laughter of our family. We decided to make the celebration a small gathering, with only our parents, siblings and grandparents present as we exchanged vows. The day before the wedding, our families drove to our home, each bringing a contribution to the festivities. My mother brought a trunk full of flowers from the farmers market, which we placed in vases and made a bouquet for me to carry. My mother-in-law brought cedar benches for our guests to sit on during the ceremony and for lunch. My sister brought the cakes - both a wedding cake and a groom's cake, decorated with a Green Bay Packer logo! My dad brought the drinks and my stepdad made a beautiful cedar archway for the ceremony.
Everyone helped us chop vegetables, grill tenderloin and arrange all the food. It was a fun memory for me, being with everyone and having an active role in getting ready for the wedding, versus hiring someone else to do all those tasks. Many times over the weekend, I paused to soak in all of the joy in each moment. We had planned on eating outside, but when the rain started we all decided it was a more comfortable option to rearrange the living room!
Yes, for the record, I did cry. I tried so hard not to! But when I saw him for the first time, waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase, I couldn't help it. I cried through my vows, too. It was a very, very special day and I wouldn't have changed anything about it.
It's amazing how many obstacles there were at our little wedding for some of our guests who have some physical disabilities. The car ride alone for my grandparents was over two hours, which was challenging for my grandfather who has recently developed a lumbar disc bulge. The slight down slope to our backyard was difficult for everyone - ladies in high heels and with the rain, everyone was trying to stay upright! We have six or seven stairs from the back porch to the backyard, and twice I glanced at my grandmother with her single point cane, noticing how much attention she gave to each foot placement and how much time it took for her to carefully negotiate them.
Once your patients go home, are they able to negotiate some of the real-world obstacles? Can they tackle all of the little challenges that come up at an afternoon wedding?