Celebrations and More

As I write this, I'm thinking back 28 years ago to what I was doing on June 29. It was hot here in Nashville - very, very hot. And we had just moved into our first home together the weekend prior. The entire week was spent getting our house in order for the big day - July 4th!!!

You see on July 4, 1981, Charlie Funk and Sherrie Shepherd Haglund were married - in the front yard - of my parents home - with just family and a couple of friends present. What a day that was!!! My dad told Charlie that there was just something wrong with getting married on "Independence Day", but I thought it was a great way for my new husband to never forget our anniversary.

We woke up bright and early to a house full of kids - literally. Two of Charlie's daughters, Karen and Angel, had come over the night before, and my daughter Angela, lived with us. In a small house with 1 1/2 baths and four girls (I'm including myself in the "girl" thing"), there was a lot of scurrying around getting ready for the wedding.

The ceremony actually took place at 11:00 am, but the celebration began at 1:00. About 50 of our closest friends and family came to our house to celebrate this union. Neither of us knew the ride we would be on for the next 28 years, but it's been great!!!

Then, 17 years after we married, my daughter, Angela Haglund and Jim T. Graham, got married on July 3rd - another hot, humid Tennessee day. Their wedding was a true celebration in every aspect of the word. All of their singer/songwriter friends came and "entertained" at the wedding and the dinner to follow. There was lots of barbeque, watermelon, dancing, singing and guitar-playing. Now 11 years and two kids later, Angela and Jim T will celebrate their 11th anniversary on July 3.

On July 17, my dad will be 84. He and my mom have been married 65 years!!! That's hard for anyone to wrap their head around. Hope they can make it to # 75!!! By the way, the picture is of Jim T, Charlie, my dad (Jack Shepherd), and my favorite 6-year-old grandson, Truman.

But, we have another celebration coming up. Angel, Charlie's daughter, is expecting another grandson for us on July 18. This will be her second child, and we are anxiously awaiting meeting this new little guy.

Yep, July is a month for celebrating at our house. One of the biggest fireworks displays in the country is in Nashville. And, while cities all over the country have fireworks displays, we just celebrate! Not only do we celebrate the independence of this great country we live in, but we say Happy Birthday, Gran!!! Happy Anniversary, Angela and Jim T!!! Happy new life, little one to come!!! And especially, Happy Anniversary to the LOML, to my best friend and to my business partner!!! I love you more today than 28 years ago.