Cart ID092 - Wedding Reception - Part 5 
08 Dec 2008
Following is the speech that Pete de Deugd, my new husband, gave at the reception:
About 18 months ago, I was in town waiting for some machinery parts to be made at a local engineering firm, when on a whim I thought I'd pop in on an old work colleague.
During our conversation, the inevitable question came up, "Have you met anyone yet?" The conversation concluded with my friend saying, "So let me get this straight...you are writing to a man you have never met, about a lady you have never met, in a country you have never been to????????!!"
Well. "Yes!" And the next chapter in the tale is even better.
On a Sunday evening in June last year, I was on an Auckland/Palmy flight, and the air hostess announced that we would be making the decent to Palmerston North. I knew that Mr Smith would only have invited me over to New Zealand if he believed it was worthwhile.
So there I was.just 15 minutes away, after having written to Mr Smith for almost a year, potentially about to meet my future wife at the airport! I did meet the family, but no Genevieve!! She had to collect young Gracie who had caught a ride up the nearby escalator.
Then I saw her! And in her wonderful face I saw gentleness, confidence and sincerity. Over the past months I have seen that these traits characterize Genevieve. It doesn't end there either.
It's been inspiring to witness her faith, her loyalty, insightfulness, diligence, self-control,charity and the fastest touch-typing I have ever seen!
I have been calling Genevieve a little pet name. But before I tell you what it is let me mention something about my own hometown. Ballarat was one of the first and I think the largest gold rush town in Victoria.
Funnily enough, many of the miners from the Californian goldrush were amongst those who flooded into Victoria looking for a rich claim in Ballarat.
Ballarat has a historic tourist township, and while I was working there, I learnt that the gold miners would tunnel along the seams of quartz rock, remotely hoping their quartz seam would intersect with an old dry riverbed. The reason being that the quarts seam/river bed intersection would almost certainly contain a rich gold deposit called a mother lode - hence the term.
On occasion I've called Genevieve my mother lode, because she is my rich treasure, a lady of rare virtue and beauty.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank her father (a Californian no less!) for granting me the honor and priviledge of caring for and having his daughter's hand in marriage. I would also like to say a special thank you to Mr & Mrs Smith for fostering a close friendship and camaraderie with Genevieve over the years.
It would seem to me that one of the greatest wedding presents a groom can receive comes from his new parents in-law, particularly the bride's father.
It is the special gift of knowing that one's bride is acquainted with strong feelings of friendship, trust and respect for the man who first held her in his arms, then carried her on his shoulders and finally lead her down the aisle. It is a gift to know too that she has heard firm words such as, "No, child," as well the tender words of, "Yes, Princess?" So Mr Smith, I would just like to say thank you for being both my wife's father and friend over the years.
As for things at my end, my parents have also been my closest friends. Through thick and thin (he he. a lot of thin), Mum and Dad have rallied around. Few friends (if any) would stick by, encourage and support in the way that my parents have. I will always remember the 2am morning teas with my mum, as we took shifts operating machines to fill army contracts.
So thank you, Mum and Dad for your care, direction and support all these years. And Andrew, although we have been geographically apart much of our adult lives, we have shared very similar roads. Sometimes there has been an ocean between us, a long drive, or just a silo wall. We have always bridged these things for each other in a flash as needed, and I'm sure we always will.
Actually, Andrew has a new understanding of engagement too. He hasn't been able to get Mum or Dad on the phone for months!!!
Pete went on to give a number of thank yous to folks who had helped with the wedding and finished by thanking me for marrying him. Something he still does to this day. And I'm always thanking him for asking me!
For the Greater Glory of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
Genevieve de Deugd
Issacharian Wife