Mernie Project no. 11

The Mernie Project no. 11 ~ Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven

27 years ago my wedding to David was a little different from the usual church wedding because I wanted my mother, a church musician, to play the organ for my wedding but I’m an only child and my mom understandably wanted to be the mother-of-the-bride and I wanted my dad, a minister, to officiate but my dad wanted to be the father-of-the-bride and walk me down the aisle.

We compromised!

On that day, my mother, Mernie, did indeed play the processional on the church pipe organ while my dad, Ernie, walked me down the aisle. Then we all waited and watched as a groomsman went over to the organ and got her and walked her to her MOTB seat. Once settled, her work for the day done, the “fake” (as I called him) minister up front said to my dad, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

Dad in his strongest FOTB voice answered, nodding to my mother in her seat, “Her mother and I.”

Then dad handed me off to David as dad’s are supposed to do, but he didn’t sit down with mom because the fake minister left and dad, the real minister, went up front and finished the ceremony and someone else played the recessional. It all worked out great for everyone.

Because I was marrying a man named England we all had a running inside joke that I was becoming “the Queen of England … of David England that is!” It is why I wore a tiara that day… It is also why mom played the real Queen of England’s wedding processional, “Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven” from Princess Elizabeth’s wedding in 1947.

Which brings me to this latest installment of The Mernie Project ~ As a present to me yesterday, on what would have been our 27th wedding Anniversary had my husband lived, my mom played “Praise My Soul…” again, this time on her piano. No organ pipes this go round but it was still a great way to celebrate and remember David and my dad.  Thank you Mom, for then and now, I love you!