...and "I" became "We"

I realize it has been a while since there was regular updating, here on Ye Olde Blog.  As noted in a previous post, sometimes the actual living requires all of the available energies…  Such is life.

I also realize that this blog has inadvertently become a verbal shrine to What Was.  In order for that to change, I need to get back in the groove – return to the reporting of  What Is, and What I Hope Will Be.  With that in mind, I am here to share a pretty big chunk of What Is…

As of April 28^th, in the year of our toilet paper scarcity, 2020, I became Penny L. Weaver (!)  I have alluded to some pretty significant changes in the minimal posting I have done here in the past 3 years.  A little over 2 years ago, I chanced to meet an amazing individual who thought me fairly amazing, too.  We learned and grew together – there were adventures and much sharing and the making of incredible memories.  About a year ago, there were whispers of a shared future.  There were things that we both wanted/needed to deal with first.  As John Lennon famously said:  “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”  This has never been more true than now…  Sometimes, love looks like sunshine through the storm clouds.

The Groom and His Bride

 After more than a month of “wait and see” with regard to lock-down, isolation, and uncertainty surrounding the stasis of COVID-19 living, Tim decided that “better safe than sorry” was a good idea.  Sometimes, love looks like not waiting until everything is perfect to proceed.

He has been increasingly anxious due to the fact that I am uninsured.  When he looked across the table at me, late Saturday night, and said “this is probably the single most un-romantic proposal ever,” I had to disagree.  What speaks more of love than wanting the best for those that you love?  Sometimes, love looks like taking care of those that mean the most to you.

The Kiss 

SO…  With the question asked and answered, we were faced with the additional questions of “How?” “Where?” and “What?”  Getting the first two answered revealed that we also needed to answer “Who?”

How does one get married in the middle of a virtual global lock-down?  Well, firstly one needs to obtain a License to do so.  In order to accomplish that feat, we had to make an appointment with the Register of Deeds.  Having made several calls, and listened to many recorded announcements, we were able to do just that.  On Monday, April 27^th at 1:00pm we obtained the official paperwork to proceed.

Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
Ring on index finger made from 1897 quarter,
backside of new *albeit temporary* wedding band,
the earrings B was given as my Maid of Honor in '97,
and my skirt and Tim's shirt.

 Another phone call answered the question of where one gets married during the pandemic event of COVID-19:  the County Magistrate informed us that he was available for such business between the hours of 9:30 am and Noon.  He did request that we not come at 5 minutes before 12, as the paperwork and ceremony would take about a half an hour.  This was also the point at which we were informed that there was a necessary “Who?” beyond the primary players in this event.  We needed two “Whos,” actually – and they were easily obtained after we checked in with of our nearest and dearest.  M, Tim’s youngest and B, who was actually my Maid of Honor at my 1^st marriage were quickly on board to be our required “Whos.”

The Wedding Party:  Masked and Distanced

 That left only the question of “What?”  …which, ironically ended up being the most challenging part of this whirlwind affair.  After the acquisition of much knowledge Monday morning, I innocently asked “What are we doing about rings?  Do you want to wait until later to deal with that?”  We thought it would be simple enough to swing by the local SuperCenter outpost of Wally World after dealing with the paperwork on Monday afternoon…  Turns out:  not so much (!)  His thought was that we could grab some “temporary rings,’ and find what we really wanted later.  A sweet thought that turned into an epic adventure that ended up with us being the last two people in line to enter Jery’s Pawn & Gun at 10 minutes to 6 (a.k.a. closing time) on Monday evening.  *honestly, I couldn’t’ have made this up if I were trying to be comedic!?*

Fine Wedding Jewelry
brought to you by Jery's Pawn & Gun Shop

 Now… With all of the pieces assembled, we set forth on Tuesday morning to do the deed.  We convened at the Magistrate’s Office at just before 10:30 am, and proceeded to gather in the tiny vestibule that served as the containment of his kingdom.  Money changed hands, by way of the protective flap below the tinny speaker in the bulletproof window.  Paperwork was reviewed and signed by the stalwart Witnesses.  The ceremony took place and the Fine Jewelry was exchanged.  Then, it was done.  Congratulations were received, and we headed back to the Register of Deed’s office to file the paperwork.  Leaving minutes later with certified copies of our shiny new Wedding Certificate in hand.

The exchanging of the rings
with festive signage
in the vestibule of the Magistrate's Office

There you have it! Love in the time of Pandemic.  A story for the ages!  We are still giggling over the surreal nature of the double-time manner in which all of this was accomplished.  Sometimes, love looks like making the leap – before everything is “perfect.”  It has been quite some time since either of us has been this happy.  It has not escaped me that I am so very lucky, once again, to be held in the arms of a great love.  Today and ever more, my song is one of gratitude.

These beauties arrived
about an hour after we returned home
- many thanks to MDP and Stan!

Onward and upward!

Words of Wisdom for Today:

You were born together, and together you

shall be forevermore.

     You shall be together when the white

wings of death scatter your days.

     Ay, you shall be together even in the

silent memory of God.

     But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

     And let the winds of the heavens dance

between you.

                                    ~Kahlil Gibran