Today, Grandpère and I celebrate 48 years of marriage. The picture above shows the flowers from GP in honor of the occasion. Not shown is the bottle of wine that came with them.
For months I've been saying that today will be our 49th anniversary, and then I did the math and discovered that I was wrong. We married in 1961 in Charleston, South Carolina at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John in the bishop's small private chapel, which was a perfect spot for our wedding, because only a very few were in attendance. Fr. Francis Friend blessed our marriage, and he was a true friend, because we could not find another Roman Catholic priest to do the honors, because we were not members of their parishes. We wanted to do the right thing, but we could not find a priest to make an honest woman out of me until I discovered Fr. Friend after a number of priests refused.
Fr. Friend worked at the Cathedral office of the Marriage Tribunal, which generally handled annulment cases, but he blessed our coming together. Present were my sister, Gayle, my brother-in-law, Frank, my niece Donna, Frank's sister, Chally and her two children, Cindy and Don. After the ceremony, my sister had a surprise champagne and cake party for our small group. It was lovely, and I would not change a thing.
GP went to church with me today, (a rare occurrence!) and the rector and congregation prayed a blessing for us. Afterward, we went out to eat, just the two of us.
Thanks be to God for 48 years together!
The beautiful vase in the picture was a gift from my daughter some years ago. The baskets in the center and on the left are pine needle baskets woven by African-American craftswomen in south Louisiana, and the small basket on the right, made of palmetto strips, is from Panama (Padre Mickey, take note!). Caminante led me to the booth in the exhibit hall at GC09, where I purchased the basket. She bought two gorgeous priest's stoles from Panama. She was to model them and post pictures, but I don't believe she ever did, unless I missed the posts.
Mosel Tov!
ReplyDelete48 years is quite an achievement, both in love and longevity.
Keep on!
FWIW
jimB
Mimi, I love your story and I congratulate you and GP for your 48 years together. It sounds like a perfectly wonderful wedding. I'm not much for the big, expensive extravaganzas that so many couples seem to favor now-a-days.
ReplyDeleteGreat bunches of fresh happiness...sweet, sweet smelling and colorful too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary Mimi and Grandpere! The flowers are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteamyj
Forty-eight is mighty great! Congratulations to you and GP.
ReplyDeleteOf all the blessings in the world, a long and happy marriage is surely one of the best. Love and hugs to you both!
ReplyDeleteMany blessings on your anniversary and many more!
ReplyDeleteNo, you haven't missed any photos. I will eventually get someone to photograph me in them or I will take some photos (in the sacristy mirror). I wore the green one this morning.
Congratulations. We were married in 1963 so have a bit to catch up!
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the good wishes.
ReplyDeleteOrmonde, I love your romantic poem.
Tim, tonight, I will play your song "Finest of Wine" for GP and me. Do you remember that you sent it to us last year as an anniversary gift?
Happy Blessed Anniversary chere Mimi
ReplyDeletewishing you and Grandpere every blessing
love
David@Montreal
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary Mimi and GP. May you have many more happy years together
ReplyDeleteRudo
I could envy you if I weren't so busy sending you both love and good wishes!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 48 years of marriage. Wishing you many more.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, Mimi and GP. May you have many, many happy returns of the day.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely story! A Happy and Blessed Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful and how blessed by God you both are. May you have many more.
ReplyDeleteA happy and blessed anniversary, may you have many more. My sister and BIL were married in October 1961 (I was in my final year at school)
ReplyDeleteMany, many blessings Gm & MP! Happy Anniversary!!
ReplyDeleteI am obviously rather tardy getting here but my wishes are no less sincere. Many blessings on you and GP as you celebrate your Anniversary. May the years ahead be even better! Love to you both.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Mimi and GP! And many many more!
ReplyDeleteOh my! What lovely words from all of you. I'm overwhelmed. Truly. Thank you all from my heart.
ReplyDeleteWell I am late but here with congratulations and love!
ReplyDelete48 years, whoo boy!!!
Love to you and GP!
I do remember sending that song and I'm flattered and gratified that you enjoyed it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary!
ReplyDeletesorry to be so late with my good wishes for your anniversary!
ReplyDeleteBlessings on you both.
Grandmere, I don't have a song of my own, but here's a song about durable relationships.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrGDoDloD1M
A belated but no less heartfelt congratulations!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Grandmère!
ReplyDeleteOur belated but heartfelt congratulations to you both. Hubby and I celebrate 23 years next Sunday -mere beginners compared to you and GP. x
ReplyDelete¡Felicidades!
ReplyDeleteA very late but heartfelt congratulations. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThanks again to all of you for your beautiful and kind words. Malcolm, I listened to your song, too, luv.
ReplyDeleteWe had a lovely, quiet day.
Joining the chorus, many best wishes to you and Grandpère!
ReplyDeleteMANY MANY congratulations!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI regret that demographics indicate that BP and I are unlikely to reach this milestone.... so we'll celebrate extra hard for you as our surrogates! :-)
Belated Happy anniversary, Grandmere and Grandpere! I'm sorry I missed this.
ReplyDeleteI have been in recovery from our trip!
My Tom and I were away last week celebrating our 37th and my 5 year cancer-versary.
Love to both of you! And joy and all bliss for years to come!
ReplyDeleteSusan, congratulations on your two anniversaries. I wish you joy and blessings and many more years together.
ReplyDeleteAll the lovely words keep a-comin'. Thank you and love and kisses to all of you.
IT, you never know. I can see you and BP aged, but still beautiful, and still enjoying your life together.
I just saw your remark about GP going to church with you! Tom goes on the Sunday closest to ours. We go forward to the 'Healing Station,' for our prayer, (it would take too much time to have that kind of prayer inserted into the service, don'cha know..snark off). We get the healing prayer,,, maybe that's why we have actually stayed married, :-)
ReplyDelete