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.
