“Sweet Caroline”

I am oddly proud to say that I did NOT cry during my wedding ceremony.  I didn’t cry when I was standing in the back with my dad.  I did not cry when he walked me down the aisle.  I did not cry when he gave me away.  And I did not cry when I said my vows.

It is not because I was not feeling anything that day.  It’s quite the opposite.  You, my faithful readers, have known how long that I have waited and waited and waited for this day.  I was so profoundly happy that day, that I couldn’t cry.  I just wanted to be at the front of the church with my husband.

I did cry, however, at the reception.  When my cousin Meghan and I were younger, we went to church every Saturday evening at St. Mary Parish in Clyde, Ohio (where we were married) with my Grandpa Gene.  And on every single ride to the church, he played us “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.  Meghan and I knew that song by heart and we sang it at the top of our lungs until we pulled into the church parking lot.

I had asked the DJ at our wedding reception to play “Sweet Caroline” sometime before Grandpa Gene left.  I just wanted him to hear it.  Instead, our DJ called Gramps out to the floor and we danced to the song instead. And my sweet and wonderful Grandpa was a little teary, which in turn, made me lose it.  Thank God that my cousin Meghan came out and started dancing with us. 🙂

I’m not sure why that made me lose it.  Maybe it’s because the stress of the wedding was over and I could relax. Maybe it’s because I was a little buzzed. I think mostly, though, that it’s because I realized how long ago it was that I was singing that song in the truck on the way to church.