Last up was my Mom and Dad. Specifically, Dad. Mom said LONG ago that while she would gladly stand by my Dad’s side – she would no doubt cry hysterically if she was forced to say anything. So Dad spoke for both of them.
Dad has always told us, “first things first – you need a sharp pencil.” And true to his word he actually wrote the whole thing down so I happily have a copy of his full speech.
Without further adieu, I give you a few words from Dad.
(With of course – a few edits from me)
Meaghan and The Boy,
First of all, congratulations!
We are so proud of both of you.
As you know, the only good speech is a short speech, so I will try to keep it that way.
Meaghan began life with a flourish. After she was born, they threw away the mold, and with a delivery like hers, Carol was glad that they did.
As everyone knows, Megs is a half full kind of person. She sees the bright side of everything, she is very inquisitive, has no trouble expressing herself and sometimes does so in a unique way.
Although she’s a “city girl” she has had a strong attachment for farm life since she was tiny. I told her long ago that when she got married I’d tell a story about her life on a farm.
When she was young, Saturday was the day that Brother took riding lessons and she would usually come with us to watch. As happens from time to time, one of the horses got pregnant and we watched it get bigger and bigger each week. There were the usual questions from a 3 year old about what was happening and once the foul was born, a lot of excitement every time we visited. She couldn’t wait to see the baby horse and its mother in their stall.
One Saturday, after the snow had melted, the horses were in the yard and we just had to go look at the baby. The foul was hungry and was nursing. This was the first time Meaghan had seen such a thing and being the kind of person she is, she asked me what was going on. I answered that it was hungry and was getting some milk from its mother.
With that, she looked back at the two horses in silence for a minute with her head cocked to one side. Then she looked at me with a puzzled look and said “Is that where they keep their kitchens?”
Little did I know that would be the beginning of a life associated with farming.
For those of you who don’t know, The Boy is a farm boy. I don’t think his dad would say that he’s a farmer though. As I understand it, most o fhis life on the farm was spent playing sports and avoiding as much farm work as possible. He does understand a bit about it though and got quite upset the first time he was with Meaghan when upon seeing hay rolled up in the field she commented that “there’s so little to do here that they roll up the grass at night”.
While Meaghan was at Western, we started to hear about this really tall guy that she had met. She suddenly had an interest in vollyball. When he first came to the house, we knew it was a serious relationship when she started watching hockey. So the only thing to do was subscribe to the sports network. That way, maybe we could check this guy out a bit more thoroughly.
Boy. We’re glad that we did.
You are almost everything that a mother and father could ever want in a son-in-law. You are kind, thoughtful, helpful and smart. You laugh at my jokes, even after hearing them dozens of times, you eat like a horse and make sure that the beer doesn’t go stale. You have become just like a brother to both Brother and Sista. The only problem that I have is that you always beat me at golf.
However ,it is very obvious that you really do love Meaghan as much as she loves you and we couldn’t ask for anything more than that.
This spring, the world watched in awe at what was called the wedding of the year.
Kate walked in a commoner and walked back down the aisle a Princess.
Today, Meaghan walked in a princess and walked down the aisle a wife. The Boy entered a prince and left the church a husband. This ladies and gentlemen was by far THE wedding of the year.
Now, there are only two tother people here today who have ever met my grandmother. Doug and I called her “clomper claws” or “the gub” I’m not sure what terms of endearment Cindy had for her. Anyway, she passed on two things to me. One was her red hair which as we all can see was passed further down the family tree. The other was a book of poetry by William Henry Drummond called The Habitant”. I have borrowed from it for this verse and before I begin I need to apologize profusely to Mr. Drummond.
Editor’s note. This is where my Dad busted out his best Northern Ontario French accent. For those that aren’t sure what that sounds like – you’re in luck since he wrote it out phonetically.
De Wedding Day
De place she got born ‘er
is close to de Mill pond.
Megs’ ‘ome it was dere
in de ol’ Richmond ‘ill
De Thames go right t’rough
de Town of St. Marys
When Boy ‘e got born dere
‘is parents were t’rilled.
Well Boy, ‘e’s a farmer
‘e like to play ‘ockey
De barn door, she’s black
From all of ‘is shots.
‘e play at de baseball,
‘e spikes an’ ‘e volleys
An when he play golf, him
he make all ‘is putts.
She’s from de big town ‘er
Meg does de ballet
an ‘jazz an’ tap dancing
are really ‘er t’ing
Some time you can find ‘er
in de mall wit’ ‘er mudder
Meg, she is ‘appy
To do de shopping.
D’ey meet up in London
When d’ey go to school d’ere
Dey firs’ met when d’ey
Were both in de pub.
‘e use de old line
“do you come ‘ere often”
She said “I come ‘ere
For de beer an’ de grub.”
Boy, ‘e decided
To get some more learning
So someday soon
‘e could teach in de school
Dat mean dat ‘e stay
In de city of London
an Meaghan, she t’ough
Dat was so cool.
Now dis kind of life,
It went on for a long time.
For eight long years.
D’ay were very be’ friends
D’en las’ year on de beach
In deep sout’ Florida
Boy tol’ ‘er dis
Single life needs to end
So dey start planning
dere very own wedding.
de food an de dress
an de people to bring
She make de beeg list, er
Of all of de detail
To make sure day dey
Don’t forget any t’ing
Bot’ mudders and fadders
Dey are very ‘appy
When d’ere son an d’ere daughter
Walk down de aisle
We know you ‘re in love
For ever an’ ever
An’ dat gives us all
A really big smile.
So, now you are married
De service, she’s over
De food she’s all finsih
We all quenched our thirst.
As mister an’ misus
your life is now starting
For richer, for poorer, for better, for wors’
To Boy, I say welcome
You make Meaghan ‘appy
An Carol an I, we are ‘appy too
An’ Meaghan M
D’eres no better ‘usband
D’an dis fellow ‘ere
Siting next to you.
My poem she’s done now
D’ere are no more words left
De in it is dry so d’eres no more to say
You two are now married and we are so ‘appy
You’re ‘usband and wife now
‘appy wedding day!
Well Dad I don’t know that 1300 words is considered a short speech, but it was certainly a great one. Thank you so much for all of your love, on W-day and every day before and since.
XOXO
The Ginger & The Giant 