"On this day, August 16, 2010 . . . " (as told by the groom's mother)

     One day, last week, my son called during lunch and said he had some big news. I wasn't thinking big enough. Knowing that Chelsea's college graduation would take place on Friday, August 13, I suspected that Joseph had finally bought the ring and popped the question. So, I asked, "Is it what I think?" Joseph said that there was really no way to lead up to it, and then told me that he and Chelsea would get a marriage license and get married at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville one day the next week. Monday, as it turned out.
     We headed for Clarksville around noon on Sunday and met Joseph, Chelsea and Chelsea's 17-month-old nephew Justin at Governor's Square Mall a little before 6:00 EST. Fortunately, that meant a little before 5:00 in the Central Time Zone. Chelsea still needed to find a dress, and she knew exactly where she wanted to look. Between three women going through the racks of dresses at Debs, 14 dresses emerged as finalists for the big event. Joseph said she'd never have time to try them all on. Chelsea said, "watch me."

  

Joseph didn't care much for the ruching (no, he didn't know the word for it) on this one.

This one's kinda nice, but just doesn't seem special enough. Constance, peeking over the door of the next dressing room, agrees.

This could be it. No?

Chelsea expresses definite dislike for this one. Looked fine when someone held it up, but not on (according to Chelsea).

Close, but not.

This one! 

Sometime during all the quick-changing, Chelsea's parents and sister arrive. Joseph introduces me to Daryl, Lana and Ashley. Momma Lana and sister Ashley help pick out the shoes. Mission accomplished.

After speed-shopping, we meet at the Olive Garden nearby for a celebratory dinner. Chelsea's Uncle Mike and Aunt Michele meet us there with their son and daughters. Chelsea orders the Black Tie Mousse Cake for dessert, and someone tells the waiter the happy news. When he brings the dessert to the table, it's heart-shaped with a candle burning in the center. We tease that it's both their wedding cake and their unity candle.

After dinner, we all go to Daryl and Lana's, sit on the back patio and chat. Parents of the bride and parents of the groom tell each other how happy they are about their son/daughter's decision to marry "this one." Watching Uncle Joseph with little Justin, I think "grandkids, oh grandkids!"

Later, Chelsea, Joseph, Ashley, Constance and I go to Wal-Mart. Constance and Chelsea want quick nail-fixes and Chelsea, we all agree, needs a bouquet. Before we all get where we were going to sleep, we ask Joseph what time all this would happen the next day. He says that he will have to call the courthouse first thing in the morning and find out. Whoosh. That was my head spinning.

So I try to plan as if it might happen as early as 9:00a.m.. Thankfully, Joseph calls earlier than that to let us know that we all need to meet at the courthouse at 10:30. I'm not sure what time Constance and Chelsea finish getting ready, but I can tell Joseph thinks they are pushing it. I guess this whole story doesn't illustrate Joseph's patient side very well. Or maybe he just feels like when the time comes, it's time.

We all (myself, Cliff, Daryl, Lana, Ashley and Justin) watch Constance, Chelsea & Joseph arrive at the courthouse, take a number and wait for someone to call them to a desk where they would get the license.

They get it, and we all go to a room equipped with a table in the front and 4 rows of two chairs on each side of a middle aisle. JP Creek (Justice of the Peace, not the first letters of his first and middle name, at least not that I know of) performs the ceremony. I don't know how old JP Creek is, but age has not affected his faculty of memorization. He begins while donning his black robe, and, throughout the proceedings, never refers to any book, bible or notes. He incorporates almost, if not all, of the paraphrased version of I Corinthians 13, quoting the first part as he begins, then using other parts of it to aptly reinforce the significance of each step in the vows, and in his exhortations to the bride and groom. He also kept repeating "on this day, August 16, 2010. . ."  I think he wants to make sure Joseph would never forget an anniversary.

After the exchanging of rings, JP Creek says "You may kiss your bride" and Chelsea yanks Joseph's tie to make sure he follows this instruction immediately.

Joseph happily obliges.