Slight Detour: It's about LOVE! 25 Years' Worth

To: My Beloved Family

From: Will and Deb

Subject: August Wedding

Date: February 26, 2001

Dear Beloved Family,

Greetings from beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho. Deb and I are enjoying a weekend away from the bustling city of Boise to start planning the greatest day of our lives. In case you were wondering, this day has nothing to do with a concert or a sporting event; rather, it deals with our marriage. That’s right, our wedding day!

We wish to extend an invitation to all of you to join us on August 11, 2001 at 3 p.m. for our jump into wedded bliss. We planned this day on purpose as it falls the day before our wonderful grandmother’s 80^th birthday celebration. So, as Deb and I see it, none of you has an excuse not to come to our wedding. Besides, there will be some great food there, and we know how much everyone in our family likes food.

Anyway, we have locked in Saturday, the 11^th of August for the wedding, and we wanted to let everyone know well in advance so you can start making your plans.

The Festival at Sandpoint will probably be taking place that weekend, so you might want to make your plans soon.

We are both very excited, and we are looking forward to everyone joining us on our wedding day.

Have a good afternoon.

Will and Deb

Dear Debbie,

First, I’d like to thank you for your part in the wonderful birthday, Father’s Day, anniversary surprise. Bill and I are really going to enjoy becoming masters of the DVD technology.

We’ve already enjoyed a couple of movies, and I even figured out how to get one going last night WITHOUT guidance. The gift is very much appreciated.

Secondly, I want you to know we’re doing our best to keep on top of wedding plans up this way. Again, I hope that everything is to your satisfaction so far.

Because of the distance between the bunch of us, some decisions are made in the interest of simplicity.

Who knows? Maybe that’s all for the best because if we were all together, we’d probably be more indecisive. Anyway, if anything is not what you want, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. As I told you on the phone, I never want to step on anyone’s toes.

Willie and I did have fun this past week, making contacts with everyone involved. I HOPE we’ve made contacts with everyone involved; I always have these moments where I think we’ve maybe forgotten some key element. I’ve put together the list of who, where, when as best I know it---complete with telephone numbers for quick reference. Will continue to update it as needed.

We are all looking forward to this wonderful event, and once again, I want to say how thrilled we are that soon you’ll be a full-fledged member of our family. We think Willie has found a true gem in you; he is a fortunate young man.

Please tell your mother I’m looking forward to visiting with her and that if she has any wishes or questions to feel free to call me.

We’re hoping their week in Sandpoint will turn out to be a wonderful, wonderful memory, and we’ll do all we can to see that that happens.

Thanks again for the gift, and please drop me a line or call me if you have any questions or additions to the information sheet.

Marianne💓

💙💚💛💜💙💚💛💜

On this day, 25 years ago, "Arby Melt Boy" married "Polar Swirl Girl" at St. Joseph's Catholic Church--- adding a beautiful human being to our family.

What a fun day that was as a Catholic priest (Fr. TJ O'Donovan) and a Presbyterian minister (Nancy Copeland Payton) performed the ceremony.

Afterward, the wedding party climbed aboard a rented trailer pulled by the old Ford tractor which was driven by my brother Kevin.

On their way to the reception at the then Forum (now Mick Duff's beer hall), they passed the marquee at Arby's which proudly announced that former employee Arby Melt Boy Willie had married Polar Swirl Girl Debbie.

Twenty-five years later, Ma and Pa Love and Annie Love are thrilled to wish Willie and Debbie a very special day of celebration.

What a union of two amazing people it has been!

We love you both so much and wish you the best as you celebrate this milestone in your marriage.

You inspire us and the community every day.

On to the Golden years and the Golden Celebration!

💚💚💚💚💚💚

Speaking of Love, Dawn Britton aka LOVE and her hubby retired a few years ago and moved to San Sebastian, Spain.

Dawn grew up just down the road from us where the Filipowski's now live.

When I saw on Facebook that another former student Sue Hatch Smith and her hubby were traveling through Spain and visiting San Sebastian, I sent a text to Sue, suggesting that they look up Dawn.

They did, and the foursome enjoyed getting acquainted and had a great visit.

It's always fun making the world smaller and connecting wonderful people.