Army Life

Happy Anniversary to us!

by Jan Wesner Childs
2

Twenty-five years ago today, I married my best friend and the love of my life. Together, we embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

Mark and I had lived together for about two and a half years and were already considering a ceremony that summer. But like many in the military, our wedding was a hastily arranged. He had gone on active duty in the Army just before Thanksgiving, starting with the Infantry Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Benning, Ga. He and his fellow students had been told to get their lives in order. They were going to war against Iraq.

I was still at Florida State University. Mark called me a week after he left for Ft. Benning and said: “If we get married you get health insurance and we get a housing allowance to pay the rent. I’ve got two four-day weekends, one for Christmas and one for New Year’s. Which one do you want?”

I picked New Year’s, simply because I had already decided my bridesmaids would wear purple and that didn’t seem very “Christmasy” to me.

It was 85 degrees that day on Anna Maria Island, my hometown in Florida. We didn’t have a lot of money – my mom had been saving coins in a coffee can for a couple of years, just for this occasion.

Mark arrived in Florida 48 hours before the wedding, and the minister, who neither of us had ever met, counseled Mark over the phone. we had a rehearsal dinner at his parent’s house and his dad and friends took him for out a last-minute bachelor party.

The ceremony was in a small church and Mark’s uncle was our chauffeur – driving his gold Cadillac – to the reception at the local Elks Lodge.

We had about 80 guests at the wedding, including many family members who managed to fly in on short notice.

When some of the vendors involved heard Mark was in the Army, they gave us discounts and upgrades. The florist put up extra arrangements on the church pews that we weren’t expecting. The Elks Lodge gave us hot food instead of cold on the buffet. A newspaper friend took the photos for free.

It was a beautiful, wonderful, perfect day.

As it turned out, Mark didn’t actually go to Iraq until 14 years later. And by then he was already stuck with me.

2 thoughts on “Happy Anniversary to us!”

  1. Loved remembering this day. It was a beautiful day and I still think about lots of little things. Mostly, forgetting Matt’s slacks and he had to borrow a pair of Nathans.

    Reply

    1. Ha! I had totally forgotten about that. Great memory of both Matt and Nathan. Mark forgot his “brass” for his uniform – not that he had much back then – and had to drive all over Bradenton trying to find some at an Army/Navy store or something similar. I also just told Mark how we all sat out in the sun and made the almond/flower favors. I think we also stuffed birdseed in little bags of netting. All while in our swimsuits! So lucky that we had everyone there!

      Reply

  4. Cheers, I value it.
    http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
    online pharmacy no prescription needed online pharmacies of canada canadian pharmacy viagra canadian pharmaceuticals online
    pharmacy online mexico
    legitimate online pharmacies
    canada pharmacy online orders
    mail order pharmacy
    canadian pharmacy viagra brand
    best canadian prescription prices

    Reply

  8. Truly many of great info.
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    board of pharmacy canadian pharmacies-24h drug costs northwestpharmacy
    cialis online
    legitimate canadian mail order pharmacies
    pain meds online without doctor prescription
    canadian pharmacy no prescription needed
    <a href="canadian drug!ENDVALUE!&NDA=Required NDA!ENDVALUE!&submit=Submit!ENDVALUE!&ctry=!ENDVALUE!&pc=!ENDVALUE!&hiddencapcha=!ENDVALUE!”>cheap canadian drugs
    my canadian pharmacy

    Reply

  14. Cheers! Useful stuff!
    http://talahicc.com/
    online pharmacy without prescription canadian pharmacy online online pharmacies canada london drugs canada
    canada online pharmacy
    best online international pharmacies
    buy prescription drugs from canada
    online canadian discount pharmacy
    canadapharmacyonline.com
    online pharmacy no prescription needed

    Reply

  15. Kudos. I appreciate this!
    http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
    trusted overseas pharmacies trust pharmacy canada rx pharmacy online pharmacies of canada
    best online pharmacies no prescription
    canadian prescription drugstore
    cheap drugs online
    canadian family pharmacy
    <a href="http://mirabiliatour.blogspot.com/ask?q=+Excellent+content.+With+thanks%21+http%3A%2F%2Fcanadianpharmaciesnnm.com%2F+canadian+pharmacy+online+canada+canada+pharmacy+canadian+rx+%5Burl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftalahicc.com%2F%5Dcanadian+online+pharmacies%5B%2Furl%5D+%0D%0Acanada+pharmacy+%0D%0Amexican+online+pharmacies+%0D%0Aking+pharmacy+%0D%0Acanadian+rx+pharmacy+online+%0D%0Abuying+prescription+drugs+canada+%0D%0Apharmacy+cost+comparison&submit=ask”>canadian pharmacies top best
    online pharmacies canada

    Reply

  26. Seriously all kinds of excellent information.
    http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
    canadapharmacyonline com canada pharmacy online prescription drugs without doctor approval canadian pharmacy
    legitimate canadian mail order pharmacies
    meds online
    prescription drugs canada
    buying drugs canada
    canadapharmacyonline.com
    international pharmacy

    Reply

  31. Point nicely taken..
    http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
    canadian pharmacy no prescription canadian pharmacy online pharmacy online mexico canadian online pharmacy
    <a href="http://www.ikeaclub.biz.ua/lib/ajax/contact_us_form.php?form_ajax=contacts&name=Quentinnax&email=zittel020eejf%40songwriter.net&phone=87618212285&message=You+actually+stated+that+fantastically.+http%3A%2F%2Fcanadianonlinepharmacynnm.com%2F+canada+pharmacies+canada+pharmaceutical+online+ordering+canadian+pharmacies+online+prescriptions+canadian+pharcharmy+%0D%0Amy+canadian+pharmacy+%0D%0Aonline+discount+pharmacy+%0D%0Aonline+rx+pharmacy+%0D%0Acialis+canadian+pharmacy+%0D%0Atrust+pharmacy+canada+%0D%0Abuy+online+prescription+drugs&security_code=%21UNKNOWN_TYPE%21&send=”>canada drugs pharmacy
    king pharmacy
    canadian pharmacy uk delivery
    prescription pricing
    canada online pharmacies
    top rated canadian pharmacies online

    Reply

  33. Very well voiced truly. .
    http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
    prescription drugs online without doctor online pharmacies of canada prescription drugs without prior prescription canada pharmaceutical online ordering
    best online pharmacies canada
    pharmacies near me
    buying prescription drugs canada
    canadian pharma companies
    drugstore online
    canadian prescription drugs

    Reply

  34. Amazing stuff. Thank you.
    http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
    mexican pharmacy online medications north west pharmacy canada canadian prescriptions canadian online pharmacy
    pharmacy online
    prescription drugs canada
    prescription drugs online without
    international pharmacies that ship to the usa
    prescription drug price comparison
    canadian pharmacies that are legit

    Reply

  36. With thanks. Helpful stuff!
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    drug price canadian cialis prescription drugs without doctor approval aarp approved canadian online pharmacies
    online canadian pharcharmy
    mexican pharmacies online
    international pharmacies that ship to the usa
    prescription drugs without doctor approval
    pharmacy cost comparison
    buy prescription drugs online

    Reply

  37. You’ve made your stand extremely well!.
    http://talahicc.com/
    canadian online pharmacies prescription drugs north west pharmacy canada canadian prescription drugstore canada online pharmacies
    king pharmacy
    pharmacy near me
    online pharmacy without prescription
    buy prescription drugs from canada
    top rated online canadian pharmacies
    cheap prescription drugs

    Reply

  41. You’ve made your stand extremely nicely.!
    http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
    prescription cost comparison canada drug prescription drugs online without northwest pharmacy
    best non prescription online pharmacies
    canadian drugs without prescription
    prescription drugs online without
    price prescription drugs
    mexican pharmacies online
    canadian pharmacies online prescriptions

    Reply

  45. Well expressed really. .
    http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
    canada pharmacies online pharmacy canada pharmaceuticals online discount prescription drug northwest pharmacy
    meds online
    cialis canadian pharmacy
    canadian drugs without prescription
    canadian pharmacies shipping to usa
    canada pharmacies online prescriptions
    approved canadian pharmacies online

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.