Going to the Chapel

January 12, 1974 was when God joined us together. It was on Saturday and Sammy had to work the morning shift at WOWL. His air name was Goodtimes Darwin.  I really don't know if he actually had to work or he just wanted to cause he said something along the lines it made the time go by faster. I do know I was listening when his shift was ending cause I wanted to see if he mentioned our big day. He didn't say a thing but played, Going to the Chapel. 

 You know me, I had to play by the rules so he wasn't seeing me till those church bells rang. My wedding dress I borrowed from a cousin in Arkansas, I thought it was beautiful. Mama had to put it back on the gray hound bus the next morning. All the bridesmaids dresses were a sagey green ( some sort of green anyway) and they were all handmade by my grandmother ( Mama Helen ).  I can remember early that morning of the wedding , my grandmother and Mama were still sewing on those dresses. All the guys were wearing tuxes.

 I was kinda laid back that day, even let someone do my make-up cause I really didn't wear that much anyway. I guess you could say I had a  make-over. Y'all the funniest thing was, the guy escorting my Mama down the isle. He was a band member with hair past his waist and Mama's hair was real short.(Oh I forgot to tell ya but back then I reckon' some women wore hair pieces and Mama had her one, right square on the top of her head. Daddy would always kid her and say, you wearing that birds nest again. Shhhh! she gonna kill me for telling this). You know she wasn't crazy about long hair.  She might have been sniffing him a time or two, know what I mean. Anyway, Daddy said, you can have her. We said, our I DOs and the band played, How can I tell you that I love you and we kissed and was out of there.

Reception was uneventful as for as anything weird happening. We met all our guest and had just a little bit of cake and punch. Then I changed my clothes, he forgot to bring any. Our little Volkswagen had shaving cream all over it and about a 100 of those 45 records tied to the bumper.We had bird seed thrown at us so that was all in our car too. We had to go to the car wash before leaving Iuka.

Sammy was 21 ---- I was 171/2 and yes I finished school and graduated with my class that May.

Oh yeah, my grandmother, Mama Pet owned a flower shop (Medley's Florist) and she did our wedding. BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Another funny thing;  in all our wedding pictures Sammy has his car keys in his hand. Couldn't miss it, the key chain was a four leaf clover.


This saying has hung on our bedroom wall for many years.

                                                              Once
                                            in a lifetime you find someone
                                                               special.
                                      Your lives intermingle and somehow you
                                             know this is the beginning of all
                                                      you have longed for.
                                      A love you can build on - a love that will grow.
                                                             Once
                                              in a lifetime to those who are lucky
                                      a miracle happens and dreams all come true.
                                                I know it can happen-
                                                               It happened to me!
                                        For I've found that " once in a lifetime"
                                                               with you.
Dear Lord,
I'm so grateful for our 39 years together. We had blessings and challenges, and lots of laughter and tears, but there is no one I'd rather shared this journey with than the one you picked for me. We had Faith, Hope, and the greatest was Love. Amen