Camden Military Chapel – jenny + john

“Look up,
rain is falling,
looks like love.”
-Stars

Camden Military Academy Chapel; Jenny + John's Wedding - Camden, South Carolina.

In December of 2007, my cousin, John McGill, married a lovely young girl named Jenny, and so, there is now a second “Jenny McGill” in our family.  Granted, she spells her name with a “Je” and not a “Gi” like I do, but let’s be honest here:  in the south… no matter how you spell “Jenny/Ginny,” all we hear is “Ginny” as in gin + tonics and cotton gins.  “Jennys” are only really heard north of the Mason-Dixon line.  For that matter, we also write with “pins,”  watch TV in our “dins”, marry “min”, and count to “tin”.  We Southerners might never learn the proper pronunciation of the “short e,” but gosh, our accents are endearing. 

I created this drawing for John and the “new Ginny McGill” as a wedding gift.  The quote and the horizontal lines are meant to recall the great torrents of rain that fell before, during, and after the entire wedding ceremony and reception.  Umbrellas lined the entire front facade of the Chapel, and it was truly a  beautiful day.

Detail of Chapel and Rain

The Chapel is part of the Camden Military Academy campus where John attended high school.  I remember visiting him there and bringing much coveted super value meals to him and his friends.  My dad used to take him treats nearly once a week.  He loved his nephews like sons, and clearly John appreciated these times because he asked my dad to be a groomsman in his wedding.  You can see  him and my uncle (John’s dad) in the photo below… which also shows evidence of the aforementioned RAIN!  I adore this photo…

My Daddy and My Uncle Yancey (John Yancey McGill, Sr.)

I have heard that rain on your wedding day is a lucky sign and even found an Italian expression, “Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata“, which literally translates “a wet bride is a lucky bride.”  I thought that Jenny would appreciate this since there is Italian in her blood.  More specifically, rain on your wedding day is thought to mean that the marriage will be blessed with fertility!  Well…last week, the blessing of John and Jenny’s wedding came to fruition.  John Yancey McGill, III was born, and he is a precious bundle of joy!  He will be called “Yancey” like his grandfather seen in the photo above.

John Yancey McGill, Jr. with John Yancey McGill, III

John was born on the same day and year as my little sister, Leslie, making them “twin cousins.”  Next month, Leslie will have a little bundle of joy of  her own, and we are sooooo excited!  In fact, baby Yancey is the 1st of FIVE new infants slated to be in attendance at my Grandmother’s house on Christmas Eve.  Wow, my cousins are fertile this year!  I am convinced that John and Jenny are spreading the blessings of that 2007 December Rain.

Congratulations to John and Jenny. I cannot wait to meet Baby Yancey!  May you have at least 6 or 7 more!! 

John Yancey McGill, III

[my home today:  Columbia, SC.  Working on the launch of a new product for expecting moms and new babies! ]

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