A Home Run Weekend !!!

The photographer shoulda worn a coat & tie.

When one of the 2-3 most significant events in a family’s life takes place and “that”, in retrospect, is the ONLY “shoulda”. Then the event was A HOME RUN. Kid’s Wedding was, indeed, a Home Run…. Bat flip …. Circle the bases …. Curtain Call …. HUZZA HUZZA!

Most of you have experienced similar Really Big Deals with your families. My wish is that all of yours were as successful as our daughter’s wedding last Saturday.

Because a number of you requested it and because IT IS “my website”, I am posting my remarks at the rehearsal dinner. We will return to stoopid crap and “beating dead horses” later this week.

There were 43 people at the dinner in St Louis. Not a single one gave a damn about TGU. Only 7 of those 43 knew “Kid’s (“Emily) Daddy” before he rose to speak ….

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BACKGROUND NOTE: My new son-in-law Danny Hindman was the quintessential BMOC “2-Sports Hero” at a large suburban Indianapolis High School. He turned down a FB scholly to Purdue and several preferred walk-on offers at other Big Ten schools to go to Wheaton College – Division III where he started at WR for four years. ….

Following graduation he entered Covenant Seminary in St Louis, receiving his Masters Divinity degree last Spring. Emily and Danny met while both were Covenant students. In August he assumed pastorship of a Presbyterian campus ministry at Univ Wisconsin at Madison.

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Emily’s Daddy said:

…. “Danny do you remember the 2nd question I ever asked you? It was what does Covenant recommend for the length of a sermon? Your answer was that adage about “length of a girl’s skirt …. Long enough to cover the subject but short enough to keep their interest…. The next five minutes I’m going for about 3” above the knee.

Now the FIRST question I ever asked you was …. Dude, is that really a FLIP PHONE? Not just any flip phone – it was an Alexander Graham Bell commemorative model. Not saying it’s old but they hadn’t invented the # sign.

Danny has visited us twice in Raleigh. After both visits, within three days we received hand-written Thank You notes …. WHOA! Hand-written Thank You notes are in The Big Three with “firm handshake” and “look you in the eye when talking”. He had me with those notes. I was telling everybody in Raleigh “Emily’s boyfriend sends hand-written Thank You notes….”. Finally Emily tells me “Dad, I’m glad you’re impressed with Danny Thank You notes, but you do realize – Danny doesn’t do e-mail” ….. Huh?

He uses a flip phone and doesn’t do email. Is this guy Presbyterian…. Or Amish. It doesn’t matter … He IS Tall (6’5”) and that’s whats REALLY important.

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All of you here have played a part in God’s Plan for Emily and Danny; and one person here has had an especially involved role – Sarah Tucker. 14 years ago as a high school freshman, Emily began attending a Bible study led by “The Two Sarahs” – Sarah and The Other Sarah. A seed was planted with Emily that her Christian faith would be Who she is not simply what she is. That commitment grew and led her to Covenant and to Danny. ….. But Wait Theres More….

Dan and Danny let me guess that your favorite NFL team is the Colts. Sarah Tucker’s God parent is Clyde Christinsen. For 12 of the past 14 years Clyde was Off Coor / QB Coach for…. The Indianapolis Colts. BUT Wait There’s More….

Sarah’s husband – Handsome Kyle – is an executive with the Wealth Management firm CapTrust. His partner is a gentleman named Trainor Rietmier. Trainor’s Mother-in-law is Anne Graham Lotz. Her father is – until Danny – Wheaton College’s most famous alumna – Dr Billy Graham….. See how God’s Plan all comes together ??

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The odds that Emily would marry a Football player are waaaay longer than Donald Trump’s victory. Emily’s passion for Football is legendary. Emily was not the first person to attend Needham Broughton HS for four years and never attend a single FB game. She may have been the first person to never even consider doing so. BUT…. Oddly she did watch a few episodes of Friday Night Lights. Her favorite character was Tim Riggins – “the bad boy”.

I’m sure Danny is known for whatever personality quirks but I’m confident he has never been “the bad boy”.

Mizzou Going on to Mizzou…. Her involvement w/ Football grew…. Her four years at Mizzou coincided with Mizzou Greatest Era led by QB Chase Daniel. Emily started a Bible Study for high school girls like Sarah did with her. One day she took her girls to a local Applebees. Her young girls get all giddy seeing THE Chase Daniel sitting off to the side by himself. Emily gives him the fish-eye watching him eat french fries. She determines by his fry eating that he is “stuck-up”. She tells me about the incident and I tell her “that’s how all QBs eat french fries”. She had a question – “Whats a quarterback?”

…. In four years at Mizzou, Emily attended ONE game. Blondie and I came out for Homecoming her junior year. They were playing Texas. The three of us walk into the stadium and Em asks two questions…. “Which one is Mizzou” and “How long do we have to stay?” Emily & Football a Unique Relationship.

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Now Emily and Danny begin their first Big Adventure together …. Bringing The Divine Word of Christ to the Godless Rabble of Wisconsin. There will be challenges…. They will encounter criticism and obstacles. …. Danny, be aware it will NOT be Emily’s First Rodeo.

Her senior year in high school, Emily was co-editor of the school paper. Your typical high school newspaper with headlines about Mystery Meat in the cafeteria and rumor of a condom found in the teacher’s lounge. One month their advisor suggests they do a Pro / Con on Affirmative Action as a journalistic debate exercise. They draw straws and Emily gets the “Con” argument. She writes a 150 word piece opposing Affirmative Action in a high school newspaper.

The paper comes out at 9 AM …. At 2:00 her faculty advisor asks her to meet with her. The Wake County Superintendent, the Broughton principal and she as faculty advisor had received blistering emails from some no-life nutjob jackass in Chapel Hill…. which has no shortage of nutjob jackasses. This jackass was LIVID that this high school girl had been allowed to criticize affirmative action in a school publication. She demanded immediate punitive actions against this miscreant.

The faculty advisor was concerned what Emily’s parents might say. Emily just started laughing…..

“Miss Vernon, I wrote something that upset some nitwit this much. My mom and dad will be so proud of me my Dad will probably Buy Me A Pony. “ The Legend of Emily’s Pony still lives at Broughton High School.

Danny you may be feeling pressure of being The High School Legend in our family. Not to worry, there are already three of us. You’re just completing the foursome.

Are ya’ll familiar with a retail store called Build-A-Bear? You can assemble your own custom Teddy Bear… whatever size, color, clothes. Build it anyway you want it. If there was a Build-A-Son-in-Law store…. I would Build-A-Danny Hindman.