Today is Friday, November 15, 2013.  You did not need me to announce this fact to you.  In our family’s timeline, today is no ordinary Friday.  It is a day we have anticipated for a lifetime and one that is now here.

The family tree has a new branch about to bud, the Cross-Castillejo branch. 

Like the days of the Apollo space missions and the highly anticipated rocket launches, the “countdown” was always a highlight for me.  I am fascinated with planes and rockets and how they do what they do, namely fly.

In my mind’s eye, I can picture Walter Cronkite in the days he covered space missions and the associated launches for CBS.  As the time for a launch was imminent, he would count down, “10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0” and a majestic metal cylinder would be propelled upward into the sky.

For our family, the countdown has been in motion for weeks and today it reaches “0”. 

Today is a day the Lord has made for us and we will rejoice and be very glad in it.  Today is the day we’re going to the chapel and I get to escort our youngest daughter, Brittany, down the aisle to meet her groom-in-waiting, Stephen.

Although I may be the one with the official “walk-her-down-the-aisle” duties, I will do so on behalf of my bride of thirty five years, Jackie, as well.

One would think it would get easier with time and with two previous “give your daughter away” experiences under our belt – the weddings of our daughters, Jessica and Bethany.  It is still hard, as love’s ties bind strongly.

Like an internal ocean, waves of emotions have swelled and subsided in this Dad and in this Mom over the past few weeks.  There have been times where the tears would not stop.  My educated guess it is the same for the groom’s parents, as well.

Be it a song, a picture, walking into her empty room, or a host of other things – they all have pulled emotional triggers.

Love is a powerful emotion.  The mind is wonderful thing, allowing us to reminisce and recount fond memories of Brittany growing from an infant to a toddler, a child, a teenager, and now a young woman.  We are genuinely happy for her as she has longed for this day to come from the first time she was a “make believe” bride.  Today it will be real!

Unlike her sisters who married reasonably soon after their college experiences, Brittany chose a different path or the path chose her.  Four years have passed since she graduated college and many times she dealt with the uncertainty of when her wedding day might come.

Without sounding cliché, over the past few years she was many times a bridesmaid and the time to be a bride seemed to elude her, or so she thought.

I see it a different way.  Scripture tells us in Galatians 4:4 “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman…”

Brittany’s wedding day has not been delayed.  Now is her “right time” and we are thrilled for her new life and the next chapter to begin.

Although Brittany has lived outside of our home since her college graduation, we are realizing the “official” feel of two words – Empty Nest!  The experience of our daughters being on their own is not new to us.  This time, it simply feels like we have crossed an imaginary line where there is no return.

With each special occasion in each of our daughter’s lives, I have taken the opportunity to write them a letter to express my heart.  Brittany received her letter a couple of weeks ago as she came home for the weekend to go through her remaining belongings and spend some time with us. For a brief moment it was nice to have her here, sort of like old times.

Let’s just say the humidity level increased in our home and we were all a little wet around the eyes as we shared love together.

I am not a Steve Martin fan, per se.  However, one of my all-time favorite films is Father of the Bride in which he plays George Banks,  the father of Annie who is about to be married.  It is full of humorous moments.  It is also full of tender, loving moments as George thinks back in the theater of his mind how quickly the years have passed by to bring him to this occasion in Annie’s life.

When it comes to my daughters, watching this movie has become a pre-marital, game time ritual for me.  It helps me get in the wedding mood and allows for the inevitable emotions to surface and to be addressed – before the wedding day!

I have watched the movie a half-dozen times and I still can’t make it through without choking up.  If you have a daughter getting married, rent it or buy it and watch it.  You will not regret doing so.  I have only one recommendation if you take me up on my offer – have some Kleenex handy!

I recently came across a song, I Loved Her First, by Heartland.  In fact, the first time I listened to the song it was coupled with some clips from Father of the Bride.

I invite you to watch and listen as well.

It was a gift from God to me as I walk the fine line of navigating the emotional channel to which I seem to be tuned lately.

Heartland – the name of the group could not be more apropos in describing the land in which I have been living.

The love of a father (and mother) runs deep.  There will always be a place in mine and our hearts for Brittany.  We sincerely have prayed for Brittany to find her husband since she was an infant.

Although it is still hard to give her away, the time has now come to do so and we are blessed that Stephen is now joining our family and we welcome him with open arms and hearts.

I must bid adieu to you for now.  I hear the music playing.  Those in attendance are waiting in anticipation for the ceremony to begin.  The groomsmen have escorted the Mom’s to their seats.

My role as father of the bride is about to commence.  Brittany, now a beautiful woman and bride, is waiting to take hold of my arm. She is breathtaking in her wedding dress.  We have a date with her destiny.  It’s time for me to ask her one final question, to tell her I love her, and to walk her down the aisle to greet her groom.  As her father, I am deeply honored.  Life does not get much better than this!

Thanks for allowing me to share these thoughts and moments with you!

Honey, we love you with all of our hearts….Mom and Dad!!! 

 

Can you think for a moment some cherished moments you have shared with your children or other loved ones?