She arrived late, pulling up with to the venue with a slow but steady glide. She opened the door of the car and the 4 of us started making jokes about how she was doing all late and all... It did not take long for her to mutter, while fighting back tears, that she had just left her husband Norris in the hospital. We stopped dead in our laughing, joking, ridiculing tracks and took deep breaths.. waiting to hear the details, finding out that he was stable, up and talking was a great relief. All the while, we were trying to figure out how in the world we were going to get her to concentrate on the affair that she and her friends had worked months to put together. The four of us knew that this would not be easy!
We listened to details while we made her apply makeup and put her clothes on knowing that the guests would be arriving soon.. daylight was leaving.. we had to get her outside and take her pictures.. she had worked so hard for this day to commemorate how far she had come and how hard she had worked to finish school. YEARS in the making, she never gave up, she kept going.. against all odds and finally made it. "Nikki had arrived". She has stories to tell, about her past and about her present... life "ain't been no crystal stair" but she strives to be the best she can be, walking with faith and conviction that only the best will do!
We got her outside and my sisters and brother in-law got to work. They made Nikki laugh telling stories about relatives and had her in stitches trying not to close her eyes as she smiled. Her smile is contagious. The hard work was trying to get a serious look out of her after the infectious laughter rolled in...
Later, as the guests arrived, she made a grand entrance down the red staircase and rested while her family and friends saluted her with words of wisdom, reflection, advice and love...
"When I think of you I just think"LOVE" her cousin smiled.... she wiped away tears.
Good food, dancing ("the purculator?) and fellowship followed and then time to say goodbye...
"Bitter sweet", she said as she wanted to remember her late father because she knew he would be so proud. She paid tribute to him by ordering and wearing a spectacular ice blue tailored suit from the place suit maker he frequented.."Michael Menswear"in Military Circle. The Swarovski Crystal bracelet and the gorgeous ring?.. presents from her husband..
"Go ahead..", he encouraged her to leave him, "you have worked hard, I'll be o.k.", he told her as he convinced her to leave the hospital..
Life is funny sometimes but one thing is clear. We have nothing to do with the greater path just how we choose to walk down it...
Nikki..You go girl.. you smile, continue to do good for the people you serve and your reward will be great. You are a rock and we all can only learn from you, how to keep going when everything seems too hard. You have incredible friends that wanted you to have it all on this day and planned with and without you to make this occasion as special as you are. Good friends are hard to find. Treasure them..
I will ask for prayer from all my faithful blog readers for your husband "Norris Reid" as he walks a path to recovery.
Aunt Carol? You and Uncle Percy have done well. I have no words to go further but to say that Nikki is so special and I have learned a lot from her over the past few months.. Stay strong and.... Eric and I Love you!!
Click here to see Nikki's slideshow!
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