After an argument over the dot-bomb era, when my husband’s bosses actually left a white board after a meeting that said “Fire Staff” came to pass, everything changed.
We were semi-engaged as he’d met my parents. We flew to his home town to introduce me to his parents. Then he immersed me into a pot of stew of 60 family members and friends and didn’t check on me for 12 hours.
We eloped a few weeks later. I didn’t want a small wedding with a now-divorced father and his gal in the same room, especially with my mother present.
When we registered we found out that we could hire a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a day. We paid for it and sought out Park friends, a Navy Captain and his wife, who we will call The Admiral, not through the ranks, above them as all know to be true.
We arranged an appointment with the Captain and said we wanted to elope four days ahead and will he marry us. He took a moment to think, and said yes, if he could write the vows. I said OK, I’ll type them up for you.
He’s been gone six years now and his wife died last month, she was also an honored guest in our party of eight and signed the papers.
Don’t worry, I made sure that the Captain only had the rights to marry us, not random strangers on the streets!
I would like to renew our vows and my husband is hesitant, defiant actually, not to do so. Thinking that the loss of two important people in our lives and the potential for allowing existing family to participate is very important to me. I was a daughter for the first time in my life. We kept in touch for over 20 years. All heaven hail J&J. Dee
Cooking with Dee 