Rhonda's View

"Good Morning!!" I rolled over to see Amber & AJ sitting on my bed. "Rise and shine – you've got a big day ahead of you," Amber said.
"Oh just give me ten more minutes." I tried to pull the covers back on me but AJ wouldn't let me. "Ugh! Okay what time is it?" I asked hoping it was early enough that I could get a little more sleep.
"It's 6:00. I've been up for over an hour already with the baby and I think its only fair that her godmother be up with her. Come on and open your eyes," Amber said.
"Besides," AJ said, "Howie's on the phone."
I sat up in bed, suddenly wide awake, "Why didn't you tell me that Howie was on the phone?!?" I grabbed the phone from AJ's hands.

"Hello?"
"Good morning sweetheart. Are you ready for our big day?"
"Absolutely – I just wish I could fast forward through this morning. What about you? Are you ready?"
"Honey – I was ready to marry you the day I met you."

"Oh my god my stomach is doing flips...I think I'm going to pass out...why isn't Howie here yet?"
"Don't worry – Nick picked him up and they are only 10 minutes away. I just got off the phone with them," Missy tried to reassure me. "Howie is not going to miss this day."
Amber and AJ came into the room. AJ looked me up and down, "you're wearing jeans for you wedding??"
Amber elbowed him, "Do you really think that she's going to sit around it a dress that weights a ton for an hour before her wedding?"
AJ shrugged his shoulders. "Well if she's not in her dress yet, I don't want to be in my tuxedo." He tried to undo his tie and Amber smacked his hands.
"NO! If you take that off, you're never going to put it back on! Anyway, I came in to help her get dressed."
AJ made himself comfortable on the couch. All of the bridesmaids gave him an evil glare. "Don't you have somewhere else to be AJ?" Missy asked. "Um...nope. My best man job doesn't start until the groom gets here."
"Why don't you go practice walking down the aisle with Patrick? He's never been a ring bearer before."
"Alright," he said reluctantly, "I can tell when I'm not wanted."
"Hey AJ!"
"Yeah Rhon?"
"Would you let me know when Howie gets here?" He winked at me and headed out the door.

I couldn't believe I was standing there in my wedding dress. I looked around at all of my bridesmaids and couldn't believe this day was finally here.
"Knock, knock, knock...its Nick. Is everyone dressed in there?"
"Yeah we're dressed," we all shouted back.
"Damn!" Nick came into the room and I must admit that he looked pretty handsome in a tuxedo. "AJ told me that I should come back here and let you know that the groom has arrived safely." I breathed a huge sigh of relief and Nick looked over at me. "Did you think he wasn't gong to show up or something?"
"No – I was afraid with you driving that he wouldn't make it in one piece."
"Well I'm glad that one of the parties in this wedding is their usual self today. Poor Howie is pacing all over the place."
"He is? I gotta go see him."
"Oh no you don't," Amber held me back, "you know that he wanted to do the whole 'not-seeing-each-other-before-the-wedding' thing. Here, call AJ's cell phone and you can talk to him."

I think after the phone call Howie and I were both ready for this wedding to begin. I was no longer nervous about tripping down the aisle in front 350 people. I no longer worried about if the flowers or candles were going to be perfect. I just wanted to be looking into Howie's eyes and telling him that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

"I, Rhonda, take you, Howard, to be my husband,
secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend,
my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.

On this special day, I give to you in the presence of God
my promise to stay by your side as your faithful wife
in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as
through the good times and the bad.

I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress,
encourage you to achieve all of your goals,
laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit,
always be open and honest with you,
and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

I placed the ring on Howie's finger and took a deep breath. Howie began his vows:

I, Howard, take you, Rhonda, to be my wife,
knowing in my heart that you will be my constant friend,
my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.

On this special day, I give to you in the presence of God
my promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband
in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as
through the good times and the bad.

I promise to love you without reservation, honor and respect you,
provide for your needs as best I can, protect you from harm,
comfort you in times of distress, grow with you in mind and spirit,
always be open and honest with you,
and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

Howie went to place the ring on my finger. "Wait – I can't do this yet." I turned around to Amber and Missy who were in as much shock as I was. I turned back around to see Howie pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. "I have more that I want to say. I promised you this when we first met and I want everyone to hear it now." He began to read from the paper:

I, Howard D. Dorough, promise you as a lover and a friend to:

Love you from the bottom of my heart;
Never let anyone or anything ever hurt you;
Hold you in my arms and make you feel safe and sound;
Make you smile at least 10 times a day;
Tell you I love you until you're sick of hearing it;
Make you breakfast in bed at least twice a week;
Buy you roses (not pink ones) even if its not a holiday or special occasion;
To hold you in my arms until you fall asleep;
Never make you cry sad tears – only happy tears are allowed around me;
Eat ice cream with you if you happen to cry sad tears;
Replace all of your bad memories with new, improved "Happy Howie Memories";
And to love you 'til death do us part.

Howie looked up from reading, put the ring on my finger and kissed it. There was not a dry eye in the entire church. The priest was even crying. It took a few minutes to recover from Howie's "little surprise".

"Well on that note," the priest said, "By the power invested in my by the state of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."