Speech by Jerry Scribner

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Jerry Scribner
Speech Date: Apr 2002
Druscilla, we knew you always wanted a “white” wedding…but this is ridiculous!

I know it is cold outside…but it is very warm in here. And that is because the room is filled with so many wonderful friends and family who are here to celebrate this wedding.

And you are not just here today. You have been there for Druscilla and for Dallas, in some cases, since they were born.

As I look out over this group, I see people who were there for her first birthday; people who took her on her first skiing trip, and friends who have ridden hundreds of miles all over the west on horseback with her. And the same is true for Dallas. The pictures in the back which Penny and Donna put together speak more eloquently than I can of all the happy times we have shared.

I want to thank some of the people who helped us today. As many of you know, the Scribner's are incapable of putting on a three car parade without involving their friends and family as helpers. You were there for us when we put on the Capitol to Capitol ride and when we built our house and on many other occasions.

And our friends don't just answer the call. They call us and insist on helping. I can't name everyone but I want to mention a few.

Rob and Christine Bonner agreed to play even though they are leaving directly from here to the airport to fly to Ireland.

Nancy and her helper Carol insisted on doing the flowers and they are beautiful.

Barbara and Jim Reel have done the wine and the sound system.

And lastly, I want to mention our friend Pat from “Latitudes” our favorite restaurant in Auburn. This morning when snow blocked the roads and the power was out, Pat called to say she would close her restaurant and do the wedding there if we needed to.

Many others have helped and we can not thank you enough. We couldn't have done this without you.

Well, I am going to keep this short because of my throat…… Penny says she'll cut it if I don't.

As everyone who has ever been involved with a wedding knows, it is the mother and the bride who have to pull it all together. Penny has just done a terrific job of organizing this entire event.

Every family thinks their children are special and the Bogner and Scribner families certainly do. For example, our son John, ….our favorite son,.… has been so successful that his birthday July 4th …..has been declared a national holiday. John used to think the parades for him.

And Dallas as his friends and family know, but many on the Scribner side do not,..is a really outstanding tennis player…… Just two years ago he went to Wimbleton..… I understand the he and Druscilla had really good seats.

Druscilla's birthday is on November 22nd and just this past year people all over the country sat down for a big dinner to give thanks for,… among other things,.. her birth.

I remember the day Druscilla was born because it was one of the most memorable days of my life.

Druscilla you were almost born on I-80..… Well not on I-80 but in a car on I-80. We did not think we were going to get to the hospital on time.

As soon as we got there Mother was rushed into the delivery room and I was rushed into hospital greens and got to be there with mother when you were born.

It was tough. I had to hold Penny's hand.… while she delivered a baby.

But what I remember is Penny's indescribable joy and as she said over and over again, “Jerry we have our daughter”.… “we have our baby girl” and she is so beautiful,.… she is so beautiful. And Druscilla you were a beautiful baby and beautiful child…But you have never been more beautiful than you are today.

Druscilla, We enjoyed every minute of every day of your childhood and growing up. You were a happy baby. I remember you on the back of a bicycle on our way to nursery school and then me catching a bus to work, and coaching you in T-ball and soccer where you were one of two girls on an all boys team. We remember your horse jumping when your mother and I sat in the bleechers, with our hearts in our throats and watched as sometimes you and your horse sailed over the jump in perfect unison and other times when he stopped and you sailed over. It was tough on you competing with all those thoroughbreds on a Shetland pony.

And we remember you and Barbara Connolly going off to Europe after high school graduation with a backpack and Eurail pass. You were always a brave soul.

And we remember driving home, empty nesters after dropping you off at college. We thought that was the end of our life with you. But it wasn't. We have enjoyed our times together as adults especially our trips together to England and Spain and Chile and Belize with Dallas. And we look forward to many more times with you.

We knew Druscilla was in love with Dallas early on. As many of you know they met in Guatemala at a Spanish Language School. It was love at first sight…and it had to be.… because Dallas was leaving the next day. As I recall, Druscilla had another week or so before she was done. We were planning on her for a visit home when she returned.

Well, she arrived back in San Diego and called us and we asked when are you coming up etc. There was a long pause and Druscilla's voice dropped a couple of octaves and she said…..”Well,..… I've met someone” . And the way she said “someone” we knew it was not just “someone”. So instead of coming to see her parents, the next weekend found her flying to Portland to meet Dallas at a wedding. And she and Dallas have been flying off somewhere ever since.

And we know Dallas loves Druscilla. One example is that Dallas went on a trip to Belize on a very small boat with Druscilla's parents and several very unusual people who don't always keep their clothes on and he was wonderful and got along great.

And when Druscilla was facing a year of field work on her PHD, it was Dallas who urged her to go even though it meant a long time apart. I think Dallas spent all his vacation time and most of his savings flying to South America to see Druscilla and keep the relationship alive.

Druscilla, when you were born in 1969, our dream was that you would grow up in a world where women could have the same aspirations and goals as men. In 1969, women
were mostly told they could either be nurses or teachers.

Now much has changed. Your Mother,…… who I am so proud of, …..was one of the first women principals in Sacramento county and certainly the youngest at 30. You, and the people in this room and others have been part of that change.

Now women are business leaders, lawyers, and doctors.

And today, you have married a delightful, caring, thoughtful man we think the world of and who we know you love very very much. We could not be happier than we are today!

TOAST

YOUR MOTHER AND I JOIN WITH DONNA AND DARYL IN WISHING YOU BOTH ALL THE HAPPINESS AND JOY, ALL THE DREAMS AND EXCITEMENT AND ADVENTURE AND ALL THE SUCCESS TWO PEOPLE CAN SQUEEZE INTO THEIR MARRIAGE.

MAY YOUR LOVE GROW THROUGH THE YEARS AS OURS HAS AND MAY YOU BLESS US WITH GRANDCHILDREN WHILE WE ARE STILL YOUNG ENOUGH TO ENJOY THEM, AND TO BABYSIT THEM, AND TO TEACH THEM TO RIDE HORSES AND PLAY TENNIS.

AND MAY YOU PLAY TOGETHER, LAUGH TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER AND LOVE TOGETHER ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE

WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.