The True Nightmare of the Empty Nest: The Wedding

It's been a long time coming. As they said in their announcement:

"Daniel & Hillary

are getting...

married! Finally."

They've known each other for more than seven years. They were planning on getting married two years ago, broke it off, and then got back together around Christmas time last year and made the final decision which culminated in a wonderful celebration on Friday, the 23rd of September, 2011.

We had it in our back yard which seemed roomy and large to us at the time, us being the only two people living at this address right now, but became downright cozy, if not cramped, when we set up 92 chairs on Friday morning for the wedding ceremony that afternoon. I could just kick myself for not taking pictures. I meant to. I had every intention of doing so, but for some reason it didn't happen. Steven extracted some stills from his video footage so I could have something. I'm hoping we can have access to the digital photos that the photographer took.

Of all the pictures that were taken on that day there is one that was taken, with my eyes only, that I'll never forget. I doubt the photographer got it. In fact I'm sure she didn't for her camera was focused elsewhere, as were most everyone's eyes. It's tradition for everyone to stand and look towards the bride when she walks down the isle with her father, glorious in her finery. It's her day. It's her right. I glanced, but I did not follow her with my eyes. Not because she wasn't beautiful, she was breathtaking. And not because I didn't love her, I do. I was looking at someone else. I wanted to see something else, and I wasn't disappointed.

My favorite part of the whole day was my son's face when he saw his bride for the first time in her wedding dress walking down the isle towards him. If he has ever been my Sunshine Boy it was in that moment. It wasn't the dress...no. It was her, and more importantly, her choice to make this commitment to him, and only him. His eyes held all the love I have ever wished for him. I wanted to see that. I wanted to be a witness to that moment and see that devotion, that caring, that commitment. I'm so happy for him. Truly and deeply happy for him.