Two Weddings But No Divorce

First let me start by saying that yes, I'm a bad blogger. Go ahead, slap me on the hand. Life has just been busy. Sorry. I'll try to do better especially now that I've got a bunch of questions to answer.

I really wish I had photos to share but after packing a bunch of stuff up and putting it in storage, I have no idea where they are. But I know I have some.

So, back in August, I mentioned that Lane and I coincidentally had 2 wedding anniversaries that we celebrate but no divorce between the 2 marriages. Several of you asked how was that possible and wanted to know details. So since I'm trying to answer the questions semi-chronologically this fits in right after we met and started dating. So here goes!!!

A shocking tidbit of info for you is that Lane and I dated long distance the entire time until we got engaged. We started dating in February, had our 2nd dated in early May and then we were engaged a month later on June 3rd, 4 days after my 21st birthday and yes, ironically on what we consider our 3rd date. Yes, that's right we officially dated for just shy of 4 months before we got engaged even though officially we had been talking since January not long after the wedding. I thought my parents would kill me but they were thrilled. They couldn't ask for a better SIL. Talking to my mom several years after we were married I asked my mom why she and dad didn't flip when her daughter told her that she was getting married after knowing someone only 6 months. I then asked her how long she and dad dated before they got engaged. She said, "He proposed 2 weeks after we started dating. I said no. He asked me again 6 weeks later and I said yes." Granted my parents had known each other since they were children and as adults they dated each others friends.

So the 1st wedding took place 2 1/2 months later in L@s Veg.as on Aug 17, 1996. The reason for the early marriage/elopement was not a pregnancy. Rather it had to do with some health issues. I had lost my health insurance and needed to have surgery. If Lane and I got married, I'd have the insurance. So the first marriage was more out of necessity. So if you're doing your math correctly, Lane and I got married 8 1/2 months after we met and celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary this year.

When we found out I needed surgery we had already set a wedding date of May 10, 1997. We picked May of that year because in May of 1997 my parents would celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. We also planned on getting married in the church where I grew up which happened to be the same church my mom grew up in and she and my dad were married in. Awww, how sweet I know. But we had the reception site booked, my gown ordered, the florist...a lot of money had been spent already and I couldn't have my parents lose that money and I refused to change my wedding date.

So that's how heading off to Ve.gas for the 1st marriage happened. It was fun, but if I could do it all over again, I would. It would've been really nice to have family there. We did get married at the infamous Lit.tle Whi.te Cha.pel. The same one where Ms. Spears had her 24 or 48 hr marriage performed. A bunch of other famous people have been married there too.

So Lane and I celebrate one anniversary on the 17th of August, the other one on the 10th of May. I did post a church wedding picture on one of my blog entries but can't find it. Ugghh!! It was very important to have a wedding in a church with family and friends present. Neither of us would be happy with just an elopement. Plus, a church wedding was a must, especially since my parents had been married in that same church. This year my parents celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. I think being married in that church gives my family luck. All of my mom's siblings were married in that church and they're all still married. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, there are NO divorces on my mom's side of the family.

Hope you enjoyed that story as much as you liked the one where we met.

Now I'll have to find my list of questions to figure out which one to answer next. And I'll try not to let it be a week between posts!!!

ADDENDUM:

I forgot to mention that I thought I was weird having 2 weddings but then once I started to get to know people in the military it was not uncommon to meet people who eloped and then had the big blow out wedding months later. Haven't asked if they celebrate both anniversaries like we do or not.