Sharing the News

I had breakfast with my mom, sister, and grandmother a few days after the proposal. It was fun to show them the ring for the first time and tell them about the proposal. My mom teared up a bit and it was an emotional experience. It was a great moment of three generations of women celebrating!

Clayton and I wanted to tell my other grandmother in person that we got engaged so we planned a trip to the big town of Bowie, Texas. On the way, we stopped in Decatur and joined my parents at church and then lunch at Sweetie Pies on the Courthouse Square with my parents, brother and cousin Jared. It was the first time my Dad and brother had seen the ring and the first meal we had as an engaged couple with the family. I think this is always an interesting moment for brides. I think everyone knows a change is happening and there is happiness and sadness all in one emotion.

We got to my grandmother's house and it was so much fun sharing the news with her. She welcomed Clayton to the family and was so excited for us. She told us the story of her wedding day and all the things that went wrong. It was one of the biggest floods in Ft Worth and she barely made it to the church because of the rain! She wanted to call it off because of the weather but her mom said no! She told us that marriage was the best thing that happened to her and it was an amazing blessing. Hearing the story of her wedding day gone wrong but with a marriage that lasted over 50 years until my grandad passed away last year, was a great reminder of what a wedding day really is. A day of two lives joining to become husband and wife and the start a journey of life and love together. A reminder that in my world of extravagant cakes, luxurious linens, and over the top menus, it all ends with a marriage and that is what truly matters.

On the way home, we stopped by one more family members home to share the news! We enjoyed sitting and chatting with my Aunt Shelly and Uncle Johnny. I love how you can tell your engagement story to a hundred people and I still get excited to share the details! We were excited to share our story with them and they told us about their wedding too. They got married on a Tuesday at a small chapel in Denton. Yes! A Tuesday! It was the only day available for another year and my aunt really wanted to get married in that chapel. As most couples do, they both said they didn’t remember much of it. I was really young when they got married and don’t remember the wedding but I do remember playing house as a little girl and I was the beautiful bride Shelly and Russell, a cousin my same age, was uncle Johnny the groom! Even as young kids we dream of love and marriage! (Russell I wont tell anyone! I promise!)

The day was filled with love and sharing. Even though we were telling everyone about our engagement, I think we enjoyed hearing their stories even more. It was a great way to start our wedding planning with the reminder that it is just one day and at the end of it we will be married. I hope that we too, can one day tell our grandchildren and nieces about the wonderful day we got married, the things that went wrong and how most of the day was a blur but that marriage is a true blessing and we are grateful for each other and the life we have shared.