J2S3

 

Weddings.

Sometimes a wedding is for family.

Sometimes it's for a spouse's coworker.

Sometimes it's your neighbors.

And then there is a wedding for a kid.

I met Jill when she was in high school.  She was and still is an amazing person.  I was her youth leader at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Buffalo.  If I correctly recall, she was a Freshman when I started and was able to go on all the trips and events.  The above picture was one of our best trips to New Hampshire for hiking and canoeing.  Driving a 15 passenger van in the curving roads in NH isn't the easiest and I have a poor little squirrel to show for it.  He didn't make it under the tires and I couldn't swerve in time.  The kids wrote a song about it.  But I digress.

I have found that kids with names that are extraordinary seem to do better in society.  It may not happen in high school with all the bullying, but I believe that a kid with an odd or unusual name needs to stick up for themselves more and becomes more assertive and steadfast.  They also can have a bit of humor.  My son, Little Man, was named differently or unusually because I love the name and I want him to be proud of who he is and to stand out.

Jill has a last name like that.  Jill S*****((r-S*************r.  That is a mouth full.  We used to kid with Jill that she needed to marry a S*****t.  Then we would sing the song, Jill S*****r S*************r S****tt her name is my name too, whenever we'd go out, the people all would shout, there goes Jill S**********r S*************r S****tt.

Oh, how I wanted to sing that song all day yesterday.

Jill is assertive and self assured, she has been through tragedy, struggles, joys and now love.  Yesterday, she married Joe S****n.

Guess what people....S******n can easily replace S*****tt!  The song shall go on!

But to my main point about Jill.  She wrote me a note 4 months ago asking if I could come to her wedding.  She wrote that I had influenced her life and been an important part of it.  I was flabbergasted.  Firstly, she hand wrote a note!  Secondly, I was a big part of her life?  I think it's sometimes hard for me to realize the impression I've left on someone.  This was amazing.  She is amazing.

So, back to Jill.  I wanted to make her a quilt with their initial on the front.  Well, as you could guess, initials for Jill are a bit complex.  S would work, yet she is S-S.  I was fairly certain she wouldn't drop one.  I emailed her and told her how honored I was to come to their wedding and what are you doing about your name?  She hinted that she may just add S****n.  Wow.  That's a lot.  She and Joe came up with a little abbreviation for them J2S3.  Joe and Jill, and all the S last names.  Quite clever and totally expected from a doctor.  Did I mention Jill is a Doctor?  Amazing young lady.

So J2S3 was it.  I hoped it wasn't a catchy little diddy that would fade in a couple years.  But even the return label's had J2S3 on them, so I was fairly certain we'd be good.

 
 It was a great wedding and lovely reception.  Coincidentally, the wedding and reception were at the same places that Tom and I celebrated our wedding, 11 years ago.

A beautiful day.

Eleven years ago, and yesterday.