Tell the Stories
Last week one of our friends at seminary was surprised to find that an old high school picture had found its way onto the cover of the weekly student news bulletin. In an effort to console him, I brought some of our old wedding photos in to show him that our “old pictures” were more embarassing than his. It was also time for some of our fellow students and a few faculty to get to see the “real” Mark and Karyn who lurk beneath the mild-mannered Mr. & Mrs. Joe Seminary Couple.
As a result of showing the photos, Mark started to tell some of the stories about our wedding (e.g. day-glo blue icing on the wedding cake). As I listened, it occurred to me that some of the stories were probably not even known by our daughters. How unfortunate! So, to remedy that situation, and to encourage others to “tell the stories” to those around them, here’s one snippet…
When we were engaged, we were living in the inner-city of St. Louis, working with a ministry that often took homeless people in for emergency housing. Each person working at the ministry had a bedroom with a room-mate from the ministry and also some extra beds. Those extra beds were used for the “housing guests.” You never knew who you might have sleeping in the room with you. For a period of time Mark was host to an American Indian guy whom we all really enjoyed getting to know. One day he up and left… leaving no note, address, or sign of himself except his boots. We were disappointed that he had left so suddenly, but Mark was glad to inherit his boots. They were a really nice pair of boots, and, hey! we were dirt poor! So they became his trademark shoes. In fact, he wore them at our wedding.
But, the really interesting part of the story is that not long after our friend left, the FBI showed up asking about his whereabouts. Turns out that he was wanted by the FBI for being involved in the 1973 Wounded Knee uprising. Yikes! Nevertheless, undaunted by the shady (and potentially criminal) past of their previous owner, Mark continued to proudly wear those boots. We even had to have them re-soled a few times. Unfortunately, somewhere along the adventure of our life we have lost track of those boots (probably in a garage sale sometime ago). But we got to keep the story!
So, in honor of those boots, we share some of our wedding photos with you (for those of you trying to guess… 1977).
April 13th, 2005 at 11:07 pm
Karyn, you don’t seem to have aged near as much as Mark has.
THAT HAIR! MARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRK!
Oh, I love your humility for posting these.
April 13th, 2005 at 11:12 pm
Hey Karyn - that’s a great story and a great picture of you guys! You guys were so young! Of course you still look pretty darn good.
April 13th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
Actually, we had quite a bit of fun today showing these to our friends at school. It was a blast to see their “just when you think you really knew a person” looks. And ever though we weren’t really ever hippies, we now have that wonderful ex-hippie cache attached to us.
April 14th, 2005 at 7:36 am
I’ve always loved the story of those boots! But that is one that we already know… keep more stories coming!
April 14th, 2005 at 11:48 am
I really enjoy reading about you and Mark.
…just so you know
April 14th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
By the Force…it’s Tim Robbins with a Pauly Shore haircut!
April 14th, 2005 at 1:59 pm
Hey, it’s Keith Greem on the guitar! Or maybe Cat Stevens?
April 14th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
Geof’s remark brings to mind Mark’s mother’s words (and face!) when Karyn & Mark
returned from the mission shortly before their wedding. As K & M came smiling down the breezeway at the airport, Mark’s mom gasped, (seeing Mark for the first time in a while) “That hair - LOOK AT THAT HAIR!!!” (Mark’s mother-in-law-to-be-in-a-few-weeks tried to console her, patting her arm: “They’re home - that’s the important thing - they’re home!)
I guess some images stick firmly in an eight-year-old’s mind!
April 14th, 2005 at 4:19 pm
Thanks, Margaret, for the view from the other side! (For those wondering, Margaret is my younger sister). I still think your “Winnie-the-Pooh” dress was the ultimate fashion statement at our wedding!
April 14th, 2005 at 4:29 pm
Thanks, sis - my spiffy outfit was sort of consoling; if you remember, I was very put out that I (tom-boy!) was not allowed to serve as an usher!
April 14th, 2005 at 8:54 pm
Man, I’m telling you … this family stuff is great.
My brother’s getting married in about six weeks. Fun times!
April 15th, 2005 at 7:26 am
Grandma still comments about Dad’s hair! Some things never change.
May 17th, 2005 at 7:28 am
[...] veryday Things
Internet worlds are colliding. Mark, is posting about Mark, via his LSW. I don’t know if I can handle it. Mark Horne was already involved in [...]
June 6th, 2005 at 4:01 pm
ha! HAHAHA! *ahem* i mean, how beautiful.