The Cat's Out of the Bag

Apparently Grandpa had to break the news of the secret marriage to Grandma's mother and Grandma's grandfather all by himself.

In the letter dated March 31, 1930, Grandpa tells Grandma...

"Well, it's all over now.  I went over to see your mother.  She said that she thot we were married when she heard they had a shower on you but that she couldn't figure when, so I told her when.  She said that she wished us lots of good luck and I said 'thanks, maybe we'll need it.'  She didn't seem angry in the least, I didn't tell her where we went or who went with us tho.  You'd better pass the candy and get ready to quit Sat."

Happy Anniversary Grandpa & Grandpa!

On this day, 84 years ago, the two people who exchanged the letters I've been transcribing...tied the knot! Using their middle names on the official record and taking Grandpa's mother to be their witness, they traveled from Marshalltown, Iowa to Knoxville, Iowa to elope.  Upon their return to Marshalltown, they each went to their respective homes where they would continue to correspond with each other for several months before telling the family about their secret marriage.

Why they got married on this particular day and why they kept it secret for so long will hopefully be revealed as I continue reading their story and gathering information through their letters.  

NaBloWriMo Day 6 - At Issue: "Mawage"

"Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam...And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva..."  The Princess Bride

The Rite of Holy Matrimony was included in our contemporary worship service today at church. According to our pastor, "...the wedding rite is designed to be used within a regularly scheduled worship service, and although many couples choose to have the wedding rite celebrated independently on a Saturday, Mark and Teresa have chosen to be the first couple at our church to be married during one of our Sunday worship services.  Their choice shows the importance of our church family in their lives and gives all of us a chance to celebrate with them and their families."

As I sat in church last Sunday reading what the pastor had written in the bulletin about the Rite of Holy Matrimony, I overheard one of the older congregation members protesting about this young couples' choice.  He was telling anyone around him who would listen that he felt very strongly that a wedding should take place in a church but just not on a Sunday during a worship service. Sunday worship service should be just for Sunday worship and weddings should be celebrated separate from that time.  He went on to say that he would not be attending the service he faithfully attends because that just wasn't right.

I pretended not to hear his rant and took my usual stance--on the fence.  Traditionally, yes, church weddings are performed separate from a regularly scheduled worship service.  But if a couple desires to share their vows with members of their church family on a Sunday during a worship service, I'm not going to boycott the church service.

Life is short...if you can spend it with your tru wuv, it's definitely a dweam come tru.