Mortonclan

Here we are in the church building, up here in the balcony. I tell you what's around us, here...Oh course, here's Ron and Marth and others watching the proceedings below decks...a few last minute things before the dear, lovely crowds of guests come in! And to our left, is the soon-to-be- Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland Morton!! She's holding her flowers.
He's a little quiet and so is she-every few minutes they'll burst into smiles when they look at each other...she's holding the most beautiful white roses, and she's wearing her mother's delicate white gown, it's elegant long sleeves and neck and hem adorned with wide, encrusting lace...tiny white shoes peek out and two pearls are in her ears-her gorgeous dark hair is curled into thick waves, and sprinkled in the back are some tiny little pearls nestled in her hair...She is such a beautiful bride! Ah, he looks so handsome too...except the dear boy's hair needs some help at this moment.
He asked me to fix it a little... :)
Jel, anyone? OK, no gel? Oh, this works...He looks awesome in the lavender tie! Watching people coming in...*Laughing*
My darling cousin Maud!!! Isa loves her Aunt Maudie...Lise's grandparents and Cleveland's. What an honor to have them there. They're the ones who really started it all! If it wasn't for them, we would not be having a wedding today.
I'm so grateful for my grandparents-I'm really missing my (late) GrandMama, Dorothy Jean Baell Cox, today. I can hardly wait for her to met Lise one day when we go to be with the Lord...
We were bad children and brought a whole bag of snack foods up there, lest we starve.
We're passing it around and having a blast!! Above, M&K get in a few sustaining bites. ;D
Notice the three munchies in their little sweaters!!! Cuties!!Here we are downstairs-and here is Willie,
John,and Nick as they await the throngs!
The V. girls were amazing! Some of the sweetest, most helpful and thoughtful girls you'll ever meet...
Andrew Tully, Best Man
I love these two...And Bethy and Danny are here!! And... ...they just got engaged yesterday!!!
It's so special watching Cleve and Beth, first cousins and two of my favorite young people in the world, fall in love with their sweethearts at the same time.Sisters
A praying, godly father.
How can one value more, a picture and what it so accurately portrays?
I see some of our people down there!! It is the funnest, most exciting thing to look down and see faces that are precious to you!!
Oh, there's Mrs. Christine and the H. family!! Ohhh, look at Angelita's hair, Marth!! There's Brady and Bailey in their matching ties...they are SO wonderful....Look at The Twins!! And there's Joel! Mr. Rick's got baby T.!.....

Music begins, and the first wedding commences. Chandler and his men walk out, and Chandler tells all assembled of the saving grace and cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.

And now dearest Prentiss walks down on her father's arm, and they are married.
It is beautiful and holy to watch two people become one before the Lord.
They are now Mr. and Mrs. Chandler A.!!
We all finish singing a beautiful hymn as the precious new couple and their family walk back down the aisle.

We all walk toward the balcony steps, where we run into the A. family coming up!! "It was beautiful Mrs. Val!!" as we walk down. "I'll be watching you!" Mrs. Val A. whispers to me as we pass each other. She is so sweet!

Here we are.
Katie, Dorothy, Martha and I stand in the lobby together.
Everything is ready. We all huddle together.
"Oh, girls, he's getting married!!" Katie is saying. We hear beautiful strands of music coming through the doorway to our right.
Girls!! Sisters! We're here together, all four of us here, about to walk down the aisle and Cleve's getting married in just a few minutes. Isn't God good!!?
We're all four so happy and excited we're all crying and laughing at the same time. Do you ever do that? cry and laugh at the same time? It only happens when you're too happy to just laugh, and then it spills over into crying, too.

The Lord we serve is faithful and true.I can't really see...but I can hear a song being sung (by a beautiful voice!) about how grateful one is for their parents as Daddy and Mama and 'Uncle' Tom and 'Aunt' Jan walk down the aisle, and meet at the center, where they're each lighting a candle together as two couples.

The two lovely mothers are seated. us girls start to go down.
And look!!
There is Cleveland!! And all our guys. One of the most beautiful songs in the world is playing-Gabriel's Oboe by Ennio Morricone (bring it up in another tab while you read!)
There she is. Cleve's wife. And she and her Daddy are smiling really big.
Slow steps.
Misty eyes.
I can't really breath.
I look up at Cleve. He's in awe. He's just watching them come towards him with focused, hazy eyes and a slight smile. One of the most incredible things is to see a humble, big man with a tender heart that is about to spill over.
I look back at Lise and her father.
They're closer now. How long has it been?
Then, all three of them are in a row.
How must it feel to give away a daughter? And two in one day? So many thoughts must have been rushing through this father's mind....Dr. Kendall is giving them a charge.
And they are married.And it is holy. And beautiful."And the twain shall become one flesh..."Daddy is getting up, and he is speaking to his two children. He charges his son and he speaks of being a husbandman. Of being a cord of three strands, and of the Lord Jesus Christ being that third strand in your marriage that makes it strong.
How beautiful is my father's voice. How holy are his words...how precious is this time...

Tears streaming down your face when you sing the words of a hymn, all together with hundreds of Christians, the words clear and strong! To sing together!

Your Grandfather's deep velvet voice, rich with emotion, praying God's blessing on his offspring as this holy ceremony ends.
We are blessed in the man, our Patriarch.
The way he says amen...
Music swells.
Your shoulders shake a little from joy deep inside.
They're walking out!
When do I go?
Smiles on every face. Eyes are sparkling!!!

Joy. When you get back down the aisle, you look back and see more of your darling family coming back down too.
You see your brother and his wife embracing!!
Tears streaming down your brother's face. He wipes them away with his sleeve as he smiles, lips trembling.

You hear laughter as groomsmen and bride's maids and parents stand around smiling very very big! The music is still playing! Arms linked in arms, congratulations, "Y'all, they're married now!!" and praises to the Lord Who did it all...

Man and Wife. It's so beautiful, isn't it!?


*Continued on Page Two*