The Ericksons

All eyes looked to Kris. Best man and cousin of the groom. He stood on Marshall and Caitlin’s left. The speech began, and the room quickly filled with the sweet sound of laughter. Kris had the crowd eagerly listening from the start, and Marshall seemed ready to be embarrassed in front of the whole room. We would expect nothing less from a good best man! After the jokes, laughs, and congratulations were over, Kris pulled the letter out of his jacket pocket. His next words brought the giggling room to silence.

“I want to dedicate this speech to Marshall’s mom, and I have a letter here that she wrote to Marshall before she passed away.” As her only child, Marshall was the love of Jo-Ann’s life. She was a faithful Catholic who regularly attended Mass, and her faith permeated into all of her actions, especially into the way she loved her son. Tonight, as Kris read Jo-Ann’s letter aloud, we learned of her hopes and dreams for Marshall. She wrote about how proud she was of him, and shared how her biggest wish was for Marshall to find love, to be loved, and to experience love each day of his life. As Marshall wiped tears from his eyes, so did the rest of us. It was especially emotional from our perspective as we worked with Marshall, Caitlin, and their family and friends throughout the day, because we saw firsthand just how real that love is in their lives. It’s always a blessing to see a newly married couple surrounded by those who love them, and Caitlin and Marshall were surrounded by love in abundance. As Kris finished reading Jo-Ann’s letter, Marshall stood up and embraced him. The rest of us wiped our eyes dry from the tears.

Caitlin and Marshall, we are so blessed to have been able to serve you on your wedding day and to witness the love that you two have for one another. Marshall, it’s clear that your mom would be so happy to see that you have indeed found love, and she would be so proud of the way that you honor and serve Caitlin. We pray that the love you have for one another would only grow stronger each day. You are at the beginning of a long journey of building each other up in your love for God and for one another, and we pray and hope that you and the children God gives you would become holy saints through your marriage. Love is a funny thing at times. It doesn’t always feel good, and it requires a lot of work and sacrifice. Keep your eyes on the cross and remember that ultimate sacrifice of Christ’s life for all of us. That’s the greatest role model you need for living a happy, loving marriage. Congratulations again!

Love,

Amy and Kyle