A Very Special Moment

Across the Fence #307

Where does the time go? Where has the summer gone? What happened to the past year? Time marches on and it seems like the older I get, the faster the hands on the clock seem to go around. I guess I should expect it. I’ve been over the hill for many years now, and we all know an object picks up speed when rolling downhill.

I realized how fast the time has gone when I walked our daughter, Amy, down the aisle this past Saturday. It seems like only yesterday when I was there as she was born and got to carry her from the delivery room to the nursery. That was a memorable experience in fatherhood. Saturday I got to experience another of the great moments of being a parent. All you fathers who have walked your daughter down the aisle know what I mean. It’s a moment I’ll always remember.

Some friends asked if I was nervous or shed a few tears. I said no, I wasn’t nervous, and was very happy for Amy and Tim. Parents want only the best for their children and want them to be happy. This was a happy, wonderful day.

An outdoor ceremony was planned and the rehearsal late Friday afternoon became an unforgettable experience too. It was cold and very windy. It had rained almost every day of the week. Amy’s new in-laws from Mississippi must have thought they were in the middle of a Wisconsin winter. Saturday, it was cool and cloudy, but the wind and rain stayed away. I like to think all those ancestors who have entered the great unknown, were there in spirit and blocked the wind and rain from dampening the ceremony. The Force was definitely with us.

Tim’s best friend, Kevin, was the Best Man. He was also the officiating minister. Amy and Tim wanted him to handle both jobs and he did great. It’s not easy being in two roles. When it came to the ring part of the ceremony, he held the notebook containing the ceremony in one hand, while fishing in his pocket for Amy’s ring. As he pulled it out and handed it to Tim, he realized it was Tim’s ring. He smiled and said, “Not that ring,” put it back in his pocket and pulled out the other one. It was one of those great moments where everyone laughed and it added to the feeling of one big family celebrating the union of these two people.

Another interesting sidelight, Tim and his father are die-hard Arkansas fans. Kevin on the other hand, is an Alabama fan. They just happened to be playing each other in football as the ceremony was going on.

Our son, Erik, and Tim’s friend, Patrick, also had dual roles as Groomsmen and ushers. Amy’s best friend since first grade, Genny, was the Maid of Honor. Her cousin, Erin, and a college friend, Tracy, were Bridesmaids. I should note that all three of them had babies within the last five months. That must have made for an interesting time fitting the dresses.

Tradition has the father of the bride giving a toast at the reception. I’ve carved many Norwegian ale bowls for other weddings around the country, and wanted to give one to Amy and Tim too. I’ve had very little time for wood carving since moving to Westby, but wanted to get one carved in time for their wedding. I completed it three days before the wedding. Nothing like putting a little pressure on myself. I surprised them with the ale bowl at the reception, and drank the wedding toast from it. They also drank a toast from it. Luckily, none of us spilled any on our clothes. Linda was a little worried about that. It’s one thing for an old Viking to slobber all over himself while tipping up an ale bowl, but it wouldn’t do much for a wedding dress or tux.

Now the wedding of our daughter is history. We came away from it with a wonderful weekend of memories with family and friends. Every parent hopes their children will find someone to spend the rest of their life with and share experiences with, someone who will treat them good and love them unconditionally. Linda and I are happy for Amy and Tim. We wish them a long, happy life together. We also welcome his southern family into our northern family, but I don’t think they’ll be making many visits up here to the frozen tundra during the winter months.

Now we’re dog sitting while they’re on their honeymoon in Ireland. Sweeney should give me a lot of good material for future columns. She’s a great dog, but I don’t think I can keep up to her level of energy. Stay tuned.

Yes, time does fly. Life is filled with adventures and special moments. As I look back on life with Erik and Amy, I wonder where the time went. My advice to young parents is to enjoy every moment. It goes so fast. I don’t usually write about our kids because I want to respect their privacy. However, it’s not every day you have a child get married. I’m glad I’ve had the privilege of watching Amy blossom into a beautiful, young woman, and got to walk her down the aisle. It was a very special moment.