Can you believe 20 years has gone by since these fresh faced kids walked the aisle at the old Concord Cinema. I remember getting ready for the big day — the flurry of activity, planning, family, friends, rehearsal. We spent hours stringing white lights and creating an entry point at the top with white lights and gauzy fabric. Lots of laughing as we did the walks up and down the aisle. The worship team was warming up and it was looking to be quite the event. Then it was mini-golfing and out to dinner with all the guys the night before. In fact, that was the last time I drank a Coke. It’s been 20 years. Hahaha. Dave and Liz had secured a rental house (which didn’t last long because the landlord was a little batty) that seemed like a great place. So as I recall, Dave stayed there that night and we all met up at the cinema the day of the wedding. I was running late-ish, so I pushed the Acura to unreasonable speeds to make it from Winona. There’s this little bridge on a back road near Nappanee that I forgot about. Totally got air on that one. I got to the cinema, we got ready and then it was waiting for the thing to get started. Bob was officiating the ceremony and Tommy was leading worship. Let’s just say that Daves Catholic relatives had never experienced anything like that kind of worship. Liz entered the room with Michael W. Smith’s Exodus instrumental. We were in our Don Potter Warfare days back then, so it was I Have Overcome with it’s ca-chugging electric guitar riffs and epic solos that got the place rocking. They did communion, and kissed and ran out in a sea of cheers and smiles. We had decorated the car and after all the photos and greetings, the jumped in the “Luv wagon” (as I so creatively wrote on the windshield) and they were off. Dave Sommer and I gathered up all the presents, cards and other stuff to drop off at their house. As we arrived, we got everything quickly unloaded, when Dave Carey was like, “Hey we just ordered a pizza, do you guys wanna stay?” Dave Sommer and I looked at each other fairly incredulously and kindly said, “Uh, nope. Nope. We do not.” After we got in the car, we died laughing. Inviting us in for pizza on the wedding night. Yeah. No.
So here we are, 20 years later. So many memories have happened between then and now. From all the moves (them not me), starting the design company, the House of Prayer, the snow run, picking out cars, Robert and I visiting them in NC and going to Biltmore, Grove Park, and BJU, trips to KC, Notre Dame, B&N, house designing, painting, lawn care, the birth and now daily adventures of Anna, chats about everything from deep spiritual topics to design to the current state of things — our conversations and times have been good and enriching. It’s always an awesome thing when you have a close friend and then are able to become close friends with his wife. So instead of losing a good friend, you gain another good friend. I think that is pretty cool. I pray that I can write about this again in another 20 years when we are all in our 60s still doing cool stuff and not having lost our sense of good style and common sense, haha!
Anyway, Happy Anniversary, Dave and Liz. May your journey continue to be full of Divine encounters, amazing adventures, great joy, rich love, and filled with hope.
Such admirable people. I love the story and your guys’ strong friendships. Thank God for 20 years, and for the gift and answer to prayer Anna is. May God grant them many more!!
Such a great story, Josh!! Thanks for sharing!
Josh! What kind words and what an amazing adventure both our married life and our friendship with you has been. Both are such a gift. You’re our oldest (or should I say “long standing”) and dearest friend. Thank you for all the great times over the years. 😊