Our Goddaughter, the Bride

My husband is the godfather of multiple Pearl nieces and nephews.  This is not surprising, as he is the most excellent choice I can think of to play this important role in the lives of young Catholic souls.  He has so many godchildren--he's like the little old lady man who lived in a shoe!  He has so many godchildren he doesn't know what to do!  (Not really; he knows exactly what to do.  More about this in a minute.)

I have only one godchild on the Pearl side; and I am privileged to share godparenting duties for this lovely young lady with my husband.  She is the only Pearl family member for whom we are godparents together, and therefore she holds a special little spot in both of our hearts.

I don't know how to describe this blond dynamo, a twenty-something beauty whose zest for life is rivaled by no one.  And I mean no one.  She has the most vivacious personality, and her effervescence is limitless and contagious.  She is the happiest, bubbliest, chattiest person on the planet.  Ask anyone who's ever met her if they know anyone else even remotely like her, and they will tell you she is absolutely one-of-a-kind.  Glass?  Half-full!!  Party?  Where is it, she'll be there!!  

If our goddaughter loves you, she loves you HARD, and she will be your biggest cheerleader, your most loyal fan, and your best friend forever.  She just might love everyone; but if she doesn't, I can't remember ever hearing her say a bad word about another living soul.  Being made of nothing but joy and love, I think she sees only those qualities in others that are lovable.  This girl is a pure soul if I ever saw one, a person who lives every moment of her life loving those around her with every ounce of energy she has.  How lucky then, is the young man she married this past Saturday and promised to love and honor all the days of her life?  Exceedingly lucky, says her godmother.  (But he's a pretty great guy, too, so this goes both ways of course.)

When I watched my sweet goddaughter throughout her big day, from the very holy and reverent nuptial Mass, through the delicious meal in an elegant setting (where every detail was thought of to make the event beautiful and fun--but most importantly, filled with love and appreciation for the couple's guests), and on through the wild and crazy dance party that followed, she was positively glowing.  She exuded her uncontainable delight in the fact that she was marrying the man of her dreams, that she was finally starting the life with him that she'd been dreaming about since that night she met him in college and sparks instantly flew.

Before we ate our meal, my husband said a blessing at the request of his goddaughter.  It was a very moving speech about how despite the fact that our niece is so spirited and fun-loving and at times, even goofy, when it came to their wedding Mass, she and her fiancé showed (through the readings they chose and the fact that the Cross processed up the aisle before the wedding party, among other details) that they were taking this step very seriously.  They showed that they understood completely that it wasn't just about the two of them and their romantic love for one another; they showed that they were well aware that marriage is a triune union, with God above all else.  My husband had been asked to do the blessing before the meal at our goddaughter's older sister's wedding a few years back, and he was honored to do so again this past Saturday for her.

Our goddaughter is not shy.  (Have I made that clear yet?)  She is an extrovert if I ever met one.  She relished the role she played on her wedding day, not nervous at all about being the center of attention.  She looked absolutely gorgeous, but what was even better was that her expressive face positively shouted how thrilled and happy she felt.  A blushing bride she was NOT.  I look back on my own wedding day, and I remember head-ducking shy smiles and the discomfort I felt knowing that so many eyes were upon me.  An extrovert I was NOT, nor am I one today.  But I wish now that on that happiest of all days, I could have pushed through that wall of shyness and walked around with a beaming "Look at me!" face that shouted what I was feeling: "Look at this prize I snagged!!  Look who chose ME to be his wife!!  How lucky am I?  The luckiest girl on the face of the earth, that's who!!"  I guess what I'm trying to say is this: when I grow up, I want to be just like my goddaughter.   (And for my family members or friends who were there on my wedding day and might be reading this: if you leave me a comment saying that my face actually DID express those emotions I was feeling that day, despite the shyness, then you will be--as my goddaughter might say--my best friend forever!)

Here are a few pictures of our girl and her Prince Charming--almost guaranteed to brighten up your Monday morning.

If you could bottle up this girl's happiness and spread it around, the world would certainly be a better place.  God bless our one-of-a-kind goddaughter and her new husband as they begin their married life together!