We had decided to marry in the Glennallen Courthouse and wait to have our wedding in December when our entire wedding party would be home for Christmas break. So on the morning of August 21, 2000, I woke up as a single girl in my parent's home for the very last time. As I began to ready myself for the big events of the day, the phone rang and I was greeted by the charming, sweet voice that I had fallen in love with on the the other end of the line.
"Hey ugly," Dave teased. I smirked. He was always a comedian and a jovial kind of guy. That was one of the many things I loved about him. "Whad'ya say we go on down to the courthouse and get hitched?" I laughed. Of course, the ceremony had already been planned and booked, but we had a habit of practicing playful sarcasm. It always served as a good ice breaker, particularly during major events that can make even the calmest person nervous. You know, events that seem larger than yourself, events that will undoubtedly change the rest of your life, events much like an 18 year old girl's wedding day.
Dave's wisecracks and tactical use of irony always made me chuckle and never ceased to calm my nerves. I teased him back and said, "I'll meet you at the courthouse at 1. Don't be late. I'll be the one not wearing white." He laughed. We said our 'I love you's' and hung up the phone.
When we arrived, we were met with our close family and a few select close friends. Being that Glennallen is such a small town, the magistrate that was performing the ceremony knew us very well. And she shared with us that it just happened to be the date of her own wedding anniversary. Then she asked us to join hands and repeat our vows to each other. Then she began to cry. And our mom's began to cry. And I was holding it together, until I noticed that even my Dad was beginning to cry.
Much of what was said is still a blur to me to this day. Those of you who have been through your own wedding, probably know exactly what I'm talking about. There is an array of different feelings and emotions; bliss, anxiety, eagerness, sentimentality and, of course, overpowering, unconditional love. And you know that that moment, that day would be the launch point for something significant and extraordinary, for your own grand, epic adventure... with your BFF.
And an adventure it has been! From the moment our teary magistrate pronounced us husband and wife, we embarked on a great journey. We moved from Glennallen to Anchorage, to college, to a career in Prudhoe Bay, to Portland (college again), to our cabin in the woods, and back to Anchorage. We have become avid fans of exploring Alaska and traveling the country and the world. We have enjoyed many great, life-changing friendships. We have celebrated the gift of life and we have consoled each other through death. We love to make each other laugh, but we are not above the occasional healthy argument. And we have recently embarked on perhaps the most exciting journey of all; parenthood!
I am blessed to have such a beautiful life and such a beautiful partner to share it with. Twelve years ago today, I couldn't have begun to guess how any of this journey would go. But I knew for sure that unconditional love also meant a life without limits. And so we said, 'I do', and away we went. I have loved, cherished, absolutely adored, every single minute. And I look forward to so many more. Happy anniversary to my husband, David Dempsey. You are everything I always wanted. And so much more. Cheers to the rest of our adventure!
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| Goofing off on our wedding day |
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