Chapter 2

Shane looked in the mirror one last time taking a deep breath nervously. The sleeveless wedding dress hugged her figure until flaring out slightly towards the bottom. The back of the dress was open until it gathered with pearl buttons that lined the small of her back. Joe stepped behind her, "You're going to take his breath away. They're about ready, are you?"

Shane nodded turning and placing her hand on his arm. "Thank you for walking with me," she said smiling at Joe. They moved through to the vestibule of the church to join the rest of the bridal party and ring bearers. Shane gave Rita one last hug and gave the ring bearers a last pat on the shoulder. "You guys are going to do a great job. Just go right up the middle and sit with Bill."

Joe shook his head trying not to laugh. "I can't believe you're going to pull this off." The doors to the sanctuary opened as Claire de Lune started playing for the bridal party. They watched the Sheepadoodle ring bearers from the Kelser farm trot down the aisle. Their black and white color patterns made it look like they were wearing their own wedding attire. Both had bowties around their necks with the rings attached. Joe could see the look of disbelief on Oliver's face followed by a dawning of understanding of what his ring bearers probably meant. Although Alex and Rita followed the ring bearers down the aisle, Oliver couldn't take his eyes off the dogs as they very politely sat down next to Bill in the front row.

The moment Oliver saw Shane standing with his father at the back of the church he was indeed breathless. Shane watched the instant he laid his eyes on her and the look of love that washed over his face. She bit her lip to keep from crying as Joe started walking her down the aisle.

When they arrived, at the altar, Pastor Jeff asked, "Who presents this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do." Joe hugged Shane and placed her hand in Oliver's.

As Joe sat down, Oliver whispered to Shane nodding at the ring bearers, "Are they what I think they are?"

Shane just smiled and turned to Pastor Jeff.

"Friends we are gathered here together in the presence of God to witness and bless the union of Oliver and Shane. They are honored that you join them as they give themselves to one another in this holy covenant."

Jeff bowed his head to pray, "Heavenly Father, we gather to celebrate your gift of love, and its presence among us. We rejoice that these two people have chosen to commit themselves to a life of loving faithfulness to one another. We praise you, Lord, and we give thanks for the special love and friendship you have put in their hearts. In your loving arms we pray, Amen. You may all be seated."

"Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with love, the warmth of home, and with all that is pleasant, as being one of the most important events of our lives. Its sacredness and unity are the most significant and binding covenant known in human relations. Romans 12:10 'Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.' Oliver and Shane, let me charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection. Matthew 6:21 'For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.' It is the duty of each of you to find your greatest joy in the company of the other; to remember that your love pledged today must remain undivided for a lifetime."

"It is your duty, Oliver, to be to Shane, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, and to love her with an unchangeable love.

"It is your duty, Shane to be to Oliver, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving wife; to comfort, guide and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; and to continue making the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to support him, value him and work with him to make your marriage the very best that it can be."

"I call your attention to the seriousness of the decision which you have made and the covenant you are about to declare before God. The vows you are about to take are not to be taken without careful thought, for in them you are committing yourselves exclusively to one another for as long as you both shall live."

"If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before God, as I have defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives to each other."

Oliver, repeat after me.
I Oliver, take you, Shane, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.

Shane, please repeat after me.
I Shane, take you, Oliver, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.

"I was fortunate to walk with Shane and Oliver during the preparation of their hearts and minds for this journey into matrimony. One of the things I've learned about Shane and Oliver is that life is never dull around them," Jeff said as he grinned and nodded at the ring bearers having been in on the practice preparation with Bill. "Before we exchange rings and finish the ceremony, the groom has prepared something for the bride," Jeff said. Shane looked at Oliver in surprise. Joe picked up his guitar from under the pew and started playing Matthew West's 'When I Say I Do.' Oliver sang to Shane as he held her hands.

By the time Oliver finished, there was not a dry eye in the sanctuary. Rita had handed Shane a Kleenex before the first verse was done. Oliver dried Shane's tears and kissed her briefly.

"Oliver that's supposed to be after the next part," Jeff said teasingly giving Shane a moment. "The wedding ring is a circle, it has no beginning and no end and therefore, it is a symbol of eternity. The wedding ring is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. These rings contain in their precious metal, that which is more precious, that which is priceless: love and hope and a promise for the future."

Norman gestured for one of the dogs to come over. He took a ring off the bowtie and handed it to Oliver. The dog sat next to Oliver looking at Shane.

Oliver said, "With this ring, I give to you my promise that from this day forward you will not walk alone. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. May we walk together through all things. May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are."

The other dog came to Rita who took the ring and handed it to Shane.

Shane said, "With this ring, I give to you my promise that from this day forward you will not walk alone. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. May we walk together through all things. May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are."

"Father help Oliver and Shane, to fulfill the promises they have made here today and to reflect your steadfast love in their commitment to each other. Give them kindness and patience, affection and understanding, happiness and contentment. May their family and friends continue to support them in difficult days, so that their love for each other may continue to grow as long as they both shall live."

"Oliver and Shane, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Oliver now you may kiss the bride!"

Oliver leaned over to kiss Shane taking his time. Eventually one of the dogs took a paw and tapped Oliver on the leg as if to ask if he was done yet. Everybody in the sanctuary laughed.

"It is my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time to Mr. & Mrs. O'Toole."

Oliver walked Shane down the aisle and the ring bearers followed them out to the vestibule. "Oliver this is Gryffin and Raven. They're two of the sheepadoodles from the Kelser farm," Shane introduced them. "One of the neighbor's show poodles had a clandestine affair with the Kelser's English Sheepdog. Bill's already started training them."

He had heard there were some puppies at the farm but never heard the details. As he knelt to get a good look, they very politely raised paws for a shake. Oliver laughed and shook paws with both.

"Bill's going to keep them while we're on our honeymoon," Shane looked at Oliver smiling. During their engagement when they'd started discussing having a family, Shane thought maybe they should start with a dog before jumping in with children. They'd been considering getting a dog for several months but with all the wedding planning had not followed through.

"They're delightful," Oliver responded recognizing the gift of the dogs was Shane's first step at establishing their own family. He smiled kissing Shane.

At that moment, the photographer caught a picture of the two of them framed in front of a stained- glass window with the dogs on either side. As they parted Rita let them know it was time to start taking pictures of the wedding party and families.

Oliver leaned over to pet Raven as the dogs followed them back into the sanctuary. He looked at Jeff, "You were in on the dogs joining the ceremony?"

Jeff laughed. "Bill and I had a blast training them to walk down the aisle. They're very quick to pick things up."

The photographer and her assistant quickly organized everyone into groups to finish pictures. Before they knew it, everyone was ready to leave for the reception at the vineyard with Bill taking the dogs home on the way. "Mrs. O'Toole is it time to go?" Oliver asked holding out his hand. Smiling at him, Shane got a thrill hearing him call her Mrs. O'Toole for the first time.