This is the speech that my father in law made on our wedding day ten years ago today!! had just about everybody in the place in tears!! On behalf of Amanda and Ed, Ted and Ellen, Laura and myself, I want to thank all of you for joining us on this day of great joy and celebration. Tradition is that brides bring something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. As the father of the bride, I chose that as a theme for my remarks. Blue brings thoughts of sadness or foul language and I don’t think is appropriate. So I’ll use two things borrowed. First, from a family wedding a few years ago, Ed. During the ceremony today you placed your hand on top of Amanda’s. You probably know this by now, but I want to tell you that based on my experience with Amanda that was probably the first and last time that you will have the upper hand with my daughter. The second thing that I borrowed is from my favorite bard, Jimmy Buffett’s book A Pirate Looks at Fifty. He was writing about his wife Jane when he added some advice for married couples. Laura and I believe it is sound advice that we were practicing before we read the book. He said “She is not only my wife, she is my best friend, but we are different people with different interests. We have learned through experience that it is okay not to like some things that your spouse likes to do and it is better to make it known rather than just go along”. Something old is memories of life with Amanda. When we were choosing her name, Laura got a book on names and their meanings. For her name we chose Amanda which means worthy of love and Blythe which means Joyous. Amanda, for your mother and I, you have always lived up to your name. We hope you do the same for Ed. Most of you know that Amanda is adopted. Our first experience with Amanda was the second Friday in December in 1978 when we rushed from the Daley Center court room to McNeil hospital to pick her before the hospital office closed for the weekend. My memory from that day at the hospital is the big smile on Laura’s face when she first held that 8 day old baby girl. Laura’s memory is that while she was cuddling and cooing over that beautiful baby girl, I was franticly writing notes on how to feed and diaper a baby. Amanda made two choices in fourth grade that left me with lasting memories. The first was when she joined the Theater of Western Springs and I began an eight year association there that had me spending untold nights building sets and attending rehearsals, shows and board meetings while Amanda was acting, stage managing and working back stage. To compound my busy time, Amanda decided to join AYSO soccer. When Laura took her to sign up she found out that the parents had to get involved. Since I wasn’t there Laura signed me up to referee. I knew football, but soccer??? All went well and I really did enjoy six years of watching her play with an understanding of the game and being a referee. Amanda, I thank you for those two and many other lasting memories. Freshman year in high school brought Amanda and Ed’s first date for the king of hearts dance in 1973. That was the first time I met the Frantzens when dance pictures were taken at their house. Laura knew Ellen from their high school days when Ellen dated Laura’s brother Tom. I guess it is good that the match did not last. If it had, we would not be here today. Two memorable times involve Amanda and Florida The first was Amanda’s trips to Sea Camp on Big Pine Key. The trips to the Keys for Sea Camp got Laura and I hooked on the Keys. Another bright spot in our lives thanks to Amanda. The second was a month after high school graduation when we took Amanda to Fort Lauderdale, enrolled her in Art Institute to study photography and rented an apartment for her to live in. There are many memories from that trip. One involves tequila, but I wont go there. As we left to come home all we saw was a sad little face in the window waving goodbye at two sad apprehensive faces in the car. Tonight we wave goodbye again but with three happy faces and no apprehension. That brings me to something new. A poem I wrote to toast the bride and groom. Please fill your glasses and join me. The ceremony is over We all can rejoice Knowing you both Made a wonderful choice Let’s wish them the best In the years ahead As we all raise a glass To Amanda and Ed
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 18:03:26 +0000
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