Ok Someone Out There Is Doubting Was She Ever Really Married Before! Yes I Was, Picture Time To Back It Up Ok.

I was married before and was married at a place actually on the campus of the university that I graduated from that prior May. It was a cold and windy day the day I got married. I rose that morning and did all the typical things a bride does on her wedding day. Went to have my make up applied and my hair done also. I am a planning type of person so to speak. So my shower was already taken that morning so when I arrived home all I had to do was put my wedding dress on and then be ready for pictures at the house. It was nice having my make up applied that day but please know I did not want any surprises so I planned these things out in advance. Even going for a trial run as to how my hair was going to be done that very day with my veil. I am a person that pays attention to detail so I actually brought my wedding veil with me on the trial run day so I knew exactly how it was going to be done on my wedding day.  After having my make up applied and hair done, picture time...
I had a fairy tale type of reception. A sit down meal for about 100 family members/close friends. Then a full buffet for the rest of the guests when they arrived. The great part in this was the first group of guests could then go through the buffet line if they chose to also. My mother hired a live Croatian band that was very popular at the time from Pittsburgh, PA. There was the Croatian traditional "unveiling" that took place. See, it is sort of a ceremony/custom that a certain song is sung as the veil is removed and replaced with a red rose. I have always known this as growing up to be a bit of a somber type of tradition but not at our wedding, people were enjoying themselves and there was a jovial type of atmosphere in the air.
It was not all roses and sunshine that day for my father refused to come to our wedding. He even convinced a few family members on his side of the family to not attend also. He did not like one of the priests that were actually marrying us. I remember my soon-to-be husband even calling my father the night before our wedding was to take place and he spoke with my grandmother. She said my father was not there. I just had to move on and not let that damper my wedding day. What daughter would not want her father to walk her down the aisle. I was no different but I had to face reality. My mother and her husband walked me down the aisle and rightfully so. She was the one that was the strong backbone in my life growing up. This was a honor to bestow upon her, yes indeed it was.
We went to Puerto Rico for our honeymoon. My former husband was and still is a diligent worker. He not only worked a full time job but also attended law school in the evenings and worked a part time job sometimes on the weekend. That was a job he had through I think high school and college. He was a runner also. I attended a few finish lines when he ran marathons also. I was not a runner but I am a walker.
When things were really troubling in our marriage I remember walking in my neighborhood at night and as I would walk past certain neighbors homes I would wonder to myself if the family was happy that lived in that particular home. See, the outside appearance portrayed manicured lawn with flowers in the yard but was it a happy home inside. I had the manicured lawn with flowers in my yard and flower box but if you looked at it by outside appearances it was not the case when you entered the home. A not so happy interior even though the outside appearance looked to be ok.
We went on family vacations, I think several trips to Disney World, Charleston SC, several trips to Atlanta, GA. Oh there was also Williamsburg, we also liked going to Kelly's Island and taking the ferry boat ride to the island, and a few more destinations also. I was a firm believer in not only taking family vacations but it was important to take husband/wife trips also. We did that. Nassau Bahamas, Washington DC, New York City, Boston, bed n breakfasts especially the one in Sharon, PA and there may have been other destinations that I just do not recall at the time. This is funny. When we went to Washington D.C we stayed at a hotel on Ambassadors Row (I think that was the name of the street.) At the time they allowed smoking in hotel rooms and we did request a non-smoking room. I am extremely sensitive to the smell of cigarette smoke and this room was highly fragrant with the smell of cigarette smoke to the extent that I woke with a terrible sinus headache. I could not stay another night in that room. Thank God for we then stayed the next night at a Four Seasons hotel in Georgetown and I enjoyed that. At brunch the next morning there was the old time astrologer Jeanne Dixon sitting at a table near us. I am not the type of person to go up to someone and get their autograph and disturb their time. So when I am prompted to do things of this nature now I tend to get a bit nervous inside but I do act upon Holy Spirit leading. I may have a conversation silently with Holy Spirit about it but He always wins and I step aside and go forth.
We were by no means wealthy as a couple but we did do family and married couple trips. Oh I remember this trip. I was working for Estee Lauder at the time and our team won a national contest. We each received round trip airline tickets for 2 to a destination in the USA not inclusive of Alaska & Hawaii though. We went to NYC for the weekend. I loved Estee Lauder and so I then went to a few high end retail department stores to see how their counters were set up. On this trip we went to go see the musical, "Miss Saigon." I really enjoyed that and I think I may have even cried during that performance. I remember the music struck my heart and I did get the sound track for that musical.  I did not feel so well for a dinner at the Tavern on the Green so we passed on that one. Typical tourists we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria and the lobby was beautiful but the rooms a great disappointment. I think I remember referring to them as a dump. I know that is probably not a nice term to use but that is what I felt. Beautiful lobby you would think it would carry over into the rest of the hotel. One good thing about the Waldorf, they had a little coffee shop type of diner and they had great rice pudding. Also, we went to lunch one afternoon and I just could not believe we paid $85.00 for lunch. I loved touring Ellis Island but for some reason we were not able to see the Empire State Building that was ok with me for I am not a fan of really high up views but oddly enough flying does not seem to bother me. Wow I sure did ramble on about vacations didn't I? One more happy thought about NYC I did love going to the FAO Schwartz toy store. My son loved a song that was on a cassette we brought back from FAO Schwartz. Even though I am divorced that does not erase happy times shared as a couple or a family right. I am happy to say that my former husband has been married for more years now then we were married to a woman that is probably more suited to him. When it comes to our children I can honestly say he is a great father and always has been. We do things together when it involves our children. For example, graduation parties doing things of that nature. We come together to celebrate as a family. Hey we both had children together and they do come before other things in life. God blessed us with two beautiful children that I feel very confident in saying that we both love them dearly. Yes we do and we work together when needed in regard to our children.
Things may have not worked out for us as a couple but I still love his family. I visit my former mother-in-law when I am in town and I have also even stayed at her house too. We  would celebrate holidays together with both sides of the family for dinners, etc. Even after our divorce my mother would have dinners and my mother-in-law and my former husbands great aunt would come to these dinners. She is still a part of our family and my mother and mother-in-law are friends. We do not get to see each other that often now that I live out of state but we try to catch up via telephone and I have been known to send her a care package or two with chocolates for her to enjoy. She may be joining us this Summer for my mother's 90th birthday celebration. Oddly enough it will be when her birthday is also so we will celebrate her birthday too. She is a few years younger than my mom. Hey, my niece even calls her the endearing term of Grandma, that always touches my heart when I hear my niece refer to her as that. My mom is known as Nana where as my mother-in-law is Grandma.
I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that my father-in-law loved me as if I was his own daughter. He has been deceased for many years now but he will always remain in my heart. When I had my first baby I had a c-section and at the time he did not drive a car. He actually took a rapid transit type of train and then walked from the train stop to our house and cleaned the kitchen floor for me. He even helped me prepare a plot in our back yard for when I planted a garden one year. I could get that man to do what others could not get him to do but in a good way that is. Good thing this did not happen and follow through. It was shortly before he died we were at the company picnic @ Cedar Point and there was a display of above the ground swimming pools and I tried like heck to convince him he needed one for their back yard. Oh my what in the heck was I thinking. Probably how I would have loved to have gone over their house to enjoy the pool with not having to deal with the upkeep of having a pool. Silly me, silly and maybe a bit greedy me. Good thing that did not happen for my mother-in-law would have had to deal with that when he died.
Ok enough talking, picture time now to verify yes in fact I was married.

Being sworn in as an attorney with me being pregnant with our first child, our daughter; with our newborn son and daughter; celebrating running in a marathon; our trip to NYC; we were in one of our family members wedding.

The family tradition/custom of removing the wedding veil to be replaced with a red rose. I just loved the unique design of our wedding cake with the lit candles going up the cake, I think it was banana nut cake, now don't quote me on that one ok, this was almost 40 years ago.