Neither of us were looking for anything really. We simply thought it would be nice to make new friends, maybe have someone to eat dinner with on occasion.
The first time we met was June 23, 2024 at the Panera Bread Company. Courtney walked in and when Beau walked over she thought to herself, “Oooooooooo.“ He stood beside her and she said, “I feel like I am standing in a hole.”
He said the first thing he noticed about her was her smile and her eyes.
They shared coffee. They talked. Neither wanted it to end. He was on his way to meet a friend for golf and she was on her way to return the rental car she used for a trip with her son. (It was not until later she realized that Beau and Wayne were the same person-ha).
A few days later they had dinner and the rest is history. They realized they couldn’t stop talking and loved spending time together. So much for finding a friend to have an occiassonal meal with. They were almost inseperable from that point on.
Courtney talked Beau into going to see musicals and he convinced her to sit in the pouring rain at the Ole Miss vs. UGA game. Ole Miss beat Georgia. The two had an amazing time and learned that rain never stopped them from enjoying each other’s company.
Finding love later in life is different. You know you don’t have an eternity to go, so you cherish each moment you have. Each day is precious and you try to make them count. Not all moments are perfect. That’s because no relationship is perfect. Being older, you recognize that life is fleeting and how you spend your time and treat those you love matters. There is not enough time to dwell on our imperfections and mistakes. We have also learned that you are never too old to find happiness and joy. Life is full of second and third chances. You learn and grow from your mistakes. You do the hard work to heal so that, when the right one comes along, you are ready to receive the love they offer and you are able to give that love back.
So, here we are, two old people in love and getting married so we can say before God and those we love that we are in this together for whatever time we have left on this earth. Having a wedding at this point in life may sound silly to some, but we, along with our children, want to celebrate that it’s never too late for starting over.
We will be married in a garden, (weather permitting), dress nice but also be prepared for the heat. (Think sundresses, khakis and a nice shirt).
The walk through the garden to the ceremony site is a little longer than one would think so wear comfortable footwear.