Amy and Ted Get Married

   We have a new son-in-law. Our daughter, Amy, whose first husband Steve Kreibich died about three years ago, married Ted Crain in Maryville on July 11. It was a small, but elegant ceremony in the courtyard of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, which Amy has attended since she moved to Maryville from Wisconsin in 2007.

Bill, Ethel, Ted, Amy, Drew, Kirstin after the wedding ceremony in the courtyard of Maryville First UMC

   Co-Pastors Larry and Brenda Carroll conducted the ceremony, attended only by close family -- Amy's son Drew and his girlfriend Kristin Pfaff; our son Brad, who flew in from California; two of Ted's daughters from a previous marriage, Stephanie and Jessie, and their husbands and children; and Ethel and me.
   It was a gorgeous summer day with blue skies, white billowy clouds, and temperature in the 80s.
   Following the exchange of vows and rings, and all the picture-taking, we spent the early afternoon preparing the church's nearby pavilion for the reception/party. Amy and Ted had invited about 60 people -- their friends and ours -- to a buffet-style dinner with pulled pork, fried chicken, baked beans, veggies, cheese cake and all sorts of other things.
   Ginny West Case, director of adult ministries at the church and Amy's friend since she moved to Maryville two years ago, helped plan the party and get things ready for it. Ethel, our friend Jewel Roberts and the wife of one of Ted's hunting buddies prepared quite a bit of the food.
   By the end of the day we were all ready to relax.
   As an aside, Amy and Ted, a real estate agent, met in late 2007 on the Greenway, an extensive hiking/biking path that runs through Maryville and neighboring Alcoa, as they were both walking for excercise.

Amy and Ted exchange vows with Co-Pastors Brenda and Larry Carroll officiating	Drew celebrates his 21st birthday at El Jimador restaurant in Maryville
Ted and Amy, framed by a floral wreath with two love birds, talk with a friend at the wedding reception	Amy chats with Ginny West Case, who helped plan the reception in the Maryville First UMC pavilion

   They struck up a friendship and met often on the Greenway to walk together. That led to occasional dinner and movie dates and such.
   Anyway, pleased that Amy was so happy with her relationship with Ted, we were neverthless surprised when they announced to us in May that they were planning to get married in July.
   Planning began in earnest after that, although she and Ted had started making most of the arrangements already with the Rev. Carrolls and Ginny Case.
   Drew and Kristin flew down from Wisconsin on August 9, Brad came in on Saturday morning, the 11th. He had to go to Nashville on Sunday and back home to Orinda, California, on the 13th.
   Drew's 21st birthday was on July 13, so we celebrated at El Jimador, a Mexican restaurant near our house, that evening. Our friends Jim and Julia Carman joined us, unexpectedly. Jim is a teacher in the English language program at Maryville College, and Julia, originally from Colombia, studied at the college several years ago. Ethel and I have been her American family since then. They married two years ago, and are expecting their first child.
   One of the highlights -- at least we think so -- occurred at the end of the meal. The El Jimador helps the festivities by singing to him, letting him wear a sombrero and smearing frosting served on a deep fried tortilla all over his face.
   He took it with a smile. Really, what choice did he have?
   Drew and Kristin flew back to La Crosse, Wisconsin, the next day. Drew is in the middle of his junior year at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and will return to school in late August Kristin will be a senior at West Salem High School.
   Amy and Ted have settled into his house southwest of Maryville and established their own convoluted schedule around work and play.
   Meanwhile, things are going along kind of like normal for us again -- at Highland Presbyterian Church, where Ethel works three mornings a week; at the Flower Shop, where I work delivering flowers whenever they need me; at New Providence Presbyterian Church, where we stay active; and at the college, where we are continuing to get new international students who want Global Connection families.
    We hope you enjoy your visit to our White House. Be sure to poke around in any of the rooms (listed on the left) and spend a few minutes with us.
--Bill White