30 years ago at this time...

... I was seated in the front pew at the cathedral, having watched three of my children process up the aisle, with our newest family member.  A very happy anniversary to Mike & Kerry, who were married on April 4, 1970.

It seems not that long ago that Mike told us about a girl he had met on the ship he took from Australia to America, that he was more than casually interested - he was engaged.  I thought it could be just a shipboard romance - intense but short lived.  Now, here we are, 30 years later.

Mike was coming back to the USA after months of rambling Australia's sunny shores.  Kerry was headed to Banff on the first leg of what she intended to be an around-the-world trip;  because she was from a Commonwealth nation, she could get nursing positions in other Commonwealth countries without going through a lot of red tape.  

She got as far as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

As it turned out, the wedding turned into a bit of a thriller.   Kerry came down to spend Christmas 1969 with us without a hitch, but when she headed due south for the wedding, she was turned back at the border for some ridiculous red tape reason.  We pulled every string we could down here and she finally made it through.

Then there was the fashion drama on The Day, when Mike opened up the shirt he'd had pressed at the cleaners - it was a pale blue shirt, not his dress shirt ...and time was marching onward.  It was late afternoon and most of the family was at Diane Coffin's, "Aunt Di" having put out an early supper spread for us. Mim had the bright idea of calling Lach Pitcairn, who saved all of his dress clothes - he might have something from his long, ultra-lean days.  Sure enough, he did.

Image getting married a world away from your family & friends.  When Kimberly and Scott married this past January, her brothers were groomsmen and her parents and her grandmother were in attendance.   

Imagine - none of Kerry's friends or relatives were able to attend.   

Bryn Athyn's Australian contingent closed ranks around her and Gay Pendleton was delighted to take on the role of surrogate Mom, but it is not the same.  

Talking to her mother on the phone from the party at our house after the church reception, I mentioned to Jean how difficult it must be, so far away.  She answered that she could not have come to the wedding and then parted again from her Kerry.  My heart went out to her and to Kerry.

That was a bittersweet moment in an otherwise wonderful wonderful day.  I hope all my friends will join me in sending Mike & Kerry best wishes on this very special day.

Love to you all, but especially Mike & Kerry.  May there be a blessing  - MUM