Gustav & Anna (Habben) BebenseeMost brides choose months like May or June for their weddings, but not my Grandparents. The winter of 1919 brought 15 foot snowdrifts to the community of Hildreth, Nebraska. Roads were blocked and trains were stalled on the tracks. There was no such thing as an SUV or snowmobiles to dredge through the snow, and I'm wondering how they might have plowed the roads. But, when you are young and in love you don't notice all these "minor" details. Gus and Anna just knew they wanted to get married and February 25, 1919 was the date they had picked. As my Mom would say - "where there's a will - there's a way". I'm sure as Grandma's father hitched the team of horses to the buckboard, to fetch the Rev. Hausmann, he was trying to figure out the "way" and the "why". Bundled up with coats and blankets the guests of the wedding arrived in their wagons to the Habben home. Later in the evening several wagon loads of young people came to chivaree the couple. A chivaree is an old custom where groups of young and old gather to sing and make noise under the newlyweds window. The group refuses to leave until the groom offers a bribe of some sort - usually candy or some sort of refreshment. It's all in fun and celebration - but I'm sure many young brides were embarrassed by all the commotion.
My Grandparents were married 55 years when my Grandpa passed away in 1974 and you could still see the love light shining brightly in their eyes. They grew stronger through the hard times and worked together to survive. They raised six children and never failed to show their love and devotion to their grandchildren. Oh how I miss them.
Happy 90th Anniversary Grandpa and Grandma!
How very sweet! John and I were married on what would have been their 65th anniversary and now I will think of them each year as we celebrate and hope our marriage lasts as long as theirs.
ReplyDeleteTerri:
ReplyDeleteI've never seen anyone do a better job with skin color than you.
-fM