I do. I was at Westland Mall, trying to get pants. And not just any pants, either. These had to be quality pants that were so quality that I could afford to wear them — for only one day! But that’s all I needed the tux for, anyway, since wedding ceremonies don’t usually last more than 30 minutes*, even when it’s your wedding.

For some reason, Emily Jones said “yes” when I asked her to marry me on a snowy day in November. It was so cold that I had to remove her glove to put the ring on. In our house is a picture following the engagement moment, the two of us smiling, Emily glowing, and the snowflakes, making for a magical effect. After that, we went to Olive Garden, where Emily got a piece of pie and I got a steak.
Not much has changed, I suppose.

We got married on this day, 10 years ago. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. No one ever does. What a wedding it was, too! Most are, I guess. Emily’s dad put a powerpoint together for the ceremony of a bunch of pictures of Emily and I growing up (separately) and then meeting, dating and eventually getting engaged. After all the pictures, Dad Jones inserted a slide, black background and white text, that said “I will take the ring, though I do not know the way”. After all the pictures, after the quote from Tolkein, one last slide that simply said: “And it all led here.”

I would add today, after 10 years: “And it continues, 10 years later. And Frodo was right. We did not know the way.”

But look at us now! Look where God has taken us! A Lexi! A Mac! A Zac! We followed the creation mandate to “be fruitufl and multiply…” Amen and amen. And God has been with us through it all.
Three kids, two miscarriages, special needs, surgeries, 5 moves, 3 of which the bookshelves survived, and worse… My Mom’s passing, life being filled with questions and new questions. There’s so much more to care about now than there once was. And it continues. I cannot believe it’s been 10 years. So much has changed! We are a family! (We have tax write-offs!) We’ve been through ups and downs! We have perspective now! We understand so much more!
One thing has not changed: beautiful Emily.
Oh, she’s different, sure. Like I said, we’ve been through a lot. Most people have after 10 years, I guess. But she’s had more than her share, I think. Through it all…
– She’s an awesome wife. So supportive. So grounded. So marvelous. So loving.
– She’s an awesome mom. She loves her kids and her kids love her. She spins and spins. Plates, laundry, etc.
– She’s faithful, somehow trusting God through it all and…
– She encourages others to do the same.

I love that. I love you, Emily.

I stood there and waited for you. I was staring at the cross, built into the brick wall and adorning the Sanctuary where we were about to tie the knot. It was me, empty seats, and candles that were about to be lit.
Then I heard it. A sound I’ll never forget.
It was the sound your dress made as you walked into the room. The idea was for us to see each other before the pictures, which were before the ceremony. Remember how we got so tired of smiling? But that sound. That wonderful sound. You, my bride-to-be, walking up to me. Swish, swish, swish. You were so beautiful. Your eyes were alive. You smiled, like you always do, because you were truly happy. And so was I.
I still hear that sound. I still see you, walking up to me in your wedding gown, which we still have in a closet somewhere (right)? My tux is back at the mall, or maybe they just burned it. I don’t know. But I’ll never forget what it was like in that moment, my last moments as a bachelor, about to become complete. Because of you.

———————
*I once officiated a wedding that only lasted 14 minutes from march up to march down.

You can read Emily’s take on the situation here.