Perhaps change is too strong a word. Expand is probably more appropriate. At any rate, here's the play-by-play (hint) for future FOBs.

The Regular Season

The regular season doesn't trully begin until the proposal. Everything before that is the preseason where things don't count so much. But once the proposal occurs, everything changes. And Michael gets to choose when and where the season begins. Here he is kicking things off (pun!) at the Biltmore House last November. That's the ring he's holding in the pic, and Erica had no clue. None. LOL. He proposed right afterwards.

It's important to not be fooled here into expecting a long, stress-free regular season. Oh the team will tell you this is the case, but don't fall for it. For example, when you ask, "Have you set a date yet?" and they tell you, "Oh no, we're not in a hurry." Be prepared!

This relaxed regular season mindset will only last about two weeks. At that point, they will suddenly and without warning, set a date. This is the end of the regular season. In fact, it is also a complete leap-frog of the playoffs. You are immediately in the Super Bowl, with all the hype and build-up (and expenses) that accompany it. God help you.

Worse, preparations for the Super Bowl will last a year.

The Teams

At this point, I should probably clarify who is on what team and the positions they play. First of all, the bride and groom, and their families, are not on opposing teams. They are more like the offense and defense of the same team, having different roles, but complimenting each other during preparations, and having the same goals for victory during the game.

So who is the opposing team? That would be Murphy's Law, entropy, and the 2nd Law of Thermo.

Team Rosters

This was difficult to determine from my low rung on the ladder. But as best I can tell, the bride has two roles. First, she is the head coach, having ultimate authority over the play calls. Second, she is also the quarterback since she participates in the game. For this, she gets to wear a special uniform. Here's a pic of Erica's uniform. As you can see, she's a very happy quarterback. And a beautiful one too, in my unbiased opinion.


That leaves the groom to be defensive coordinator, defensive captain, and to play most any defensive position he chooses. The offensive and defensive lines are made up of the bride's maids and groomsmen, of course. The mother of the bride is kinda like offensive coordinator for the head coach and quarterback. And me? I guess I'm the team owner since I get to pay the bills. Sigh...

Tailgating

Following the final scrimage Friday afternoon, tailgating took place at the Smith House in Dahlonega. It was great. More on this in a moment.

THE SUPERBOWL!!!

The big day arrives! Preparations for the offense start early, around 9:00 or 10:00am. (The defense can get ready any time they want.) Any sensible football player would wrap his ankles in tape to protect them. But this doesn't concern the girls. Instead, they worry a lot more about their fingernails. Also, instead of wearing helmets, they prefer using copious amounts of hairspray in their hair to protect against concusions.

Finally, all the fans are seated and it's time for kick-off. All the other team members entered the field first, except for me and the quarterback. We were left alone for a few minutes, just like at Rachel's wedding four years earlier. It was one of my very special favorite times then, and it was again this time as well.

Then the time came for Erica and me to walk in. We did, and I sat down after the "Her mother and I," part. That's when I discovered something I had completely missed while walking in. It was that so many people were crying. So many. And the ceremony had barely even begun. I bet I've been to funerals with fewer tears. Paula was crying. Grown men were crying (no names!). People behind us were crying (don't know who). Michael was about as close as humanly possible without actually doing so. And then there was Laura, Erica's bridesmaid and best friend. To say that Laura was crying would be like saying that Hurricane Irma was a spring shower. It's like everybody knew who's team was gonna win, and were already in tears of joy. And the ceremony had barely started.

I had originally planned to say that the head referee declared victory, Michael and Erica exchanged Superbowl rings, kissed, and that was that. But that would overlook the events that took place.

Post Game Analysis

Now that the whistle has blown, Paula and I have talked a good bit about just what occurred during the ceremony. And why there was so much emotion, even before things got rolling. The consensus is that people already recognized that Michael and Erica are perfect for each other. One guest later posted on F/B: "So happy I could be here to witness this beautiful ceremony for the most in love couple I've ever known."

Here's some additional background that people outside the immediate families may not know, but I think it sets the stage for what occurred.

The Cap

This is one of the earliest pics of Michael and Erica from when they first met at Valdosta State around 2006. About an hour before the wedding, Michael's dad told me the story about that ratty, worn-out cap Michael's wearing. It was worn-out because Michael wore it all the time, and had been doing so for a long time. It was his favorite.

But his grandmother was dying of cancer. And one day, she was cold, so he loaned her the coat and gave her his cap, which she wore all the time thereafter. They burried her in that cap.

The Princess

As for Erica, she has always been the princess waiting for a prince to sweep her off her feet. And given that she chose the Starving Artist career path, she had waited a long time, while working at a lot of dead-end jobs and living in some really run-down appts/houses. So we could not be happier that she found her prince.

The Dinner

We had a ball at the rehearsal dinner. Near the end, Michael's dad, Bob, talked to everyone about how parents pray that their children grow up to find the perfect life partner. And he felt that Michael had. I told him after the wedding that he had taken the words out of Paula's and my mouths. I wonder if it isn't even more true for parents of daughters. (I wish I could remember all that Bob said.)

The Notes

On a personal note, this pic that Paula took the morning of the wedding, is my favorite. The story is that Michael wrote Erica several notes for her to read during the day leading up to the ceremony (each one had a time assigned to it). This is Erica interrupting whatever she was doing at the moment to stop and read the next note.

The Vows

Finally, Erica and Michael wrote their own vows for the ceremony. Here they are. Michael went first.

Michael

So something you don't know...

Growing up - my mom urged me to pray for the girl that I would one day marry... my future wife... for her to be safe and for God to protect her... I did that quite frequently... through elementary school... through middle school... high school and beyond college... Before you moved back to Savannah - I still prayed the same prayer... I remember one distinct time while driving home from work... I prayed for my future wife's safety and protection... and for her to come into my life... the very next day you texted me saying you were moving back to Savannah... I didn't think anything of it and honestly forgot about it until we started dating and when I realized the timing... I knew that you were going to be my wife... I knew you were the one for me. I knew that you are a gift from God... and you are just what I've always wanted.

I vow to always treat you as Gods gift, to support you, to cherish you and to devote my life to your happiness.

I promise to unclog the shower, even though we both know you are the only one of us with long hair.

I vow to always listen and never hurt you, to always kiss and never shame you, to always love and to never leave you.

I promise to push you to achieve your dreams and to never stop believing in you.

I vow that when you are thirsty - I will bring you wine, when you are hungry - I will bring you cheese, and when you are weak - I will give you the strength to continue.

I promise to always say I love you before getting off the phone

I vow to love and care for you, and I will strive everyday to be worthy and deserving of your love.

When we are old and wrinkly - I promise to still do stupid things to make you laugh, to goof off with you at every given chance, and to race you in our electric wheelchairs... or maybe actual... real... hover boards by then

And although Irma tore apart our honeymoon plans... there is no force on this earth that will tear me away from you

You are my forever love.

Erica

Some people say that it's normal to get cold feet before the wedding, that everyone has a slight panic moment. But I want you to know that it never happened to me. I am 100,000 percent sure, just as I was within a week of us dating, that you are the only one for me, and that I will always love you. In you I have found a place for my heart to rest, to feel safe, a place to call home. You are the reason I would rather stay awake all night than sleep.

You have shown me immeasurable love, kindness, and devotion, and I promise to give the same to you in return and to never take those things for granted. I promise to love you without fear or hesitation and to adore you for exactly who you are. I promise to strive to be the best version of myself for you, to try new things with you, and to never stop learning or growing. No matter what life throws our way, I promise to always be on your side, to encourage you, support you, comfort you in hard times, and devote my life to bringing you happiness. I vow to make your dreams my own and to believe in them just as I believe in you. I promise to let you go hunting, and to never force you to watch Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones against your will. I will always laugh at your corny jokes, because they really are funny to me.

And I promise to do the laundry as long as you do the dishes.

I know we would not be standing here together if it were not by God's design. So many things had to go right for us to end up together, and they did because God's hand was in all of it. There's no way we could have planned this life, and we certainly could not have planned anything better. I am so incredibly thankful that God has allowed me the absolute pleasure, honor, and privilege of getting to call you my husband, my best friend, and my one true love.

#merica4ever