Denise & Stephen

Twenty-Five years ago today, my Denise married her high school sweetheart, Stephen.  The day was cold and rainy...it was an evening service.  I remember there being an exception made for the service.  First off, the teens had an all nighter at the church and would be finished about noon.  We were there before hand.  As soon as they left, we started decorating the sanctuary and the room where the reception would be held.  We had about 5 hours to do that.  Usually weddings weren't held on a Saturday evening because of the next day being Sunday and having to have janitorial staff there late getting ready for Sunday.  Stephen was home for a few days and the kids wanted to be married before he was shipped out, so an exception was made. 

We had the help of two of our kids...Jason and Jenni came along to help decorate...and our friend Rita Kissee was there too.  We started with getting the sanctuary decorated and then worked on the reception area.  That room were Sunday School rooms so it didn't take too long to get it ready.  The decorating in the sanctuary was simple too.  The colors were Wedgewood Blue and Silver...perfect for an evening wedding. 

It was a beautiful ceremony with family and close friends in attendance.  Pictures were taken before going to the reception...the guests had been directed to the reception area.  It was rainy off and on through the evening.  We served cake and punch, coffee and I think nuts and mints.  We wanted to keep it simple because of the hour.

Denise looked so beautiful in her dress that had been made so lovingly by Janie DeBoard, a friend from church.  Her only attendant was her maid of honor, Toni Williams. 
Denise and Toni worked together at Marshalls.  They found out early in their friendship that they both had Hawaiian blood.  Another friend from work, Katherine, sang a couple of songs and helped Denise with making the bouquets for she and Toni...all out of silk flowers.  Stephen's best man and ushers were friends he had made at BIOLA, that he attended before going into the Army.  Some of the children of our neighbors were also part of the wedding party.

They had a limousine to take them to their hotel...it was raining pretty hard by then.  Funny story about where they spent the night...Stephen's father and step-mother had also rented a room at the same hotel...

They went out to the coast for a couple of days and then Toni and her husband offered their apartment to Denise and Stephen for a few days.  They were going to Idaho to visit family.

Stephen was home for a few days then left for his first duty station in Germany.  Denise was at home for a few months and then on Father's Day June 1987, she flew out to join Stephen in Germany.

They have enjoyed being in a few locations during their 25 years together, 3 children have blessed their home and God has richly blessed their lives.  Stephen made a promise to me the night before he flew out.  He has kept every word of that promise to me.  I could not be happier to have him in my life.  He has done exceptionally well caring for my daughter and their family.

The years have gone by quickly...I am a blessed Mom, knowing my only child has been well taken care of...she has a hard working husband, who loves her deeply...and they have given me some awesome grandchildren...