WEDDINGS ON WEDNESDAY

We were busy Wednesday at the county building. Lots of people buying marriage licenses, and several getting married there. I did 6 weddings in 2 1/2 hours. And during that time the marriage desk clerk did 3 Spanish weddings. I really prefer to be busy that to just sit and take up space.

My first couple was so very sweet. The groom borrowed a ring from his aunt to use as a wedding ring for the bride. He said they were going shopping right after the wedding. He hadn't had time to buy her a ring yet. The aunt sobbed through the wedding, and the groom was very emotional and cried. The aunt said, "Finally after all these years, you two are married." After I was back at my desk, clerk C told me the only picture ID the groom had was his prison ID. He had just been released. And that explains the aunt's statement.

One couple were divorced and remarrying. They were in their 60's and been divorced 6 years. So much emotion at this wedding. The groom's voice kept breaking as he said his vows. She was beaming. And then he began to cry. They really got to me, I nearly cried too. They were so thrilled to be back together, as in love as two 18 year olds. Love captures even the senior citizens.

Toward the end of the day there were two toddlers running from one lobby to the next and down the hallways. Running and screaming at the top of their lungs, running and sliding across the floor, running into people. NO parents in sight. Just two little ones driving everyone crazy.

I went out to get the last couple, the two children were tearing through the lobby and around the corner out of sight. As we got on the elevator, one of the women got back off. She said she had to go get the boys! Yes they belonged to the bride and her sister. The two boys rode in the elevator screaming for the joy of knowing no one would do anything. As the doors opened the little boys took off down the hall screaming at the top of their lungs. And not in the direction we were going. I told the adults they had to control their children, people were trying to work. And the groom looked at the bride and said, "That means DISCIPLINE!" He was ticked, not a good beginning.

The children were brought literally kicking and screaming into the marriage room. And one child had an even louder screaming, furious fit that he had to sit. He was so loud, I could not be heard. The bride grabbed him and talked to him, he kept screaming. And then she spanked him. Interestingly, he quieted down. You and I will no make judgement calls on the spanking. He was not hit hard. The real abuse was no one had ever told him no.

This couple was crude, all of the women were dressed like hookers, and they had the monster children. But for the ceremony, just lovely. They wrote their own vows and they were wonderful. I was very moved by their vows and I had to wipe my eyes.

Never judge a book by its cover.