Wedding Weekend Highlights

This past weekend was my sister-in-law's wedding.  The kids now have a new uncle, whom they adore, and we are so happy to count him as family now.  G and M were the respective ring bearer and flower girl and took their roles very seriously and with great pride.  (They equally loved their outfits for the "big day", as G kept calling it.)

G wasn't sure about his job after the rehearsal.  The wedding coordinator didn't give them any instruction except to go down the aisle, and he likes to know the big picture.  We set our expectations low: M would for sure go down the aisle, but if G went it'd be icing on the cake.  I took a tip from another bridesmaid about bribing them with candy.  I stuck two lollipops in my bouquet and told them that I'd go down, then Aunt Missy, then it'd be their turn.  They were to do their job and walk to me and I'd give them their lollipops, then Ms. Lauren (our friend waiting for them off to the side to usher them out quietly) would open it for them in the hallway.  This was all the motivation they needed it seemed.  G started off by telling M to "come on"!  She took off ahead and G pointed at her and told her to "slow down" and "come back here".  She got about to the third row and saw Sean, the groom.  She screamed his name and ran up to him and hugged his legs.  He was surprised and laughed and hugged her back then she came running over to me and screamed, "Mommy!  I hugged Sean!"  The crowd had a good laugh - it could not have been sweeter.  I gave them the lollipops and G made a beeline for Lauren.  M, on the other hand, started back up the aisle where she had come from until... she heard Grandma de's voice calling her name and saying, "Go with your mommy!"  It was just stern enough to cut through her prancing around and time to let me get to her and direct her off and out.

Then came the big moment - the doors closed and then reopened to see a glowing bride and smiling father walking towards a beaming groom.  It was all too much for me - the tears flowed.  Just after the giving of the bride it was time for the reading.  I walked over with Sean's step-father, and gave my reading first.  It was Ephesians 3:14-21 - a passage that I picked for them.  (Becky's only request was that I didn't pick "that passage about 'love is patient, love is kind...' because that doesn't really describe us," she said with a little laugh).  I couldn't make it through the reading - I could see my groom standing in front of me, and even taking a deep breath didn't help.  I struggled through and just tried to make it.  I kept thinking about our own wedding when I started to cry during our vows.  He kept squeezing my hands to encourage me to make it through, but it felt like he was crushing my hands and not really helping the tears. =)

The reception was a grand old party and lived up to Sean's label of "wedding of the century."  Traveling friends, family, local friends - all seemed to really come together and mesh so well in celebration of these two.  G was so sad to leave the reception - just having such a good time.  Sunday morning my in-laws hosted a brunch for family and out of town guests.  It was a great chance for the kids to get a bit of Sean and Becky time before they left today for their long honeymoon.

Of course, we received many comments about M's wedding ceremony adoration of Sean.  My response to all of them was that it was so sincere.  They both love him so much and he is so great with them.  As a parent (and especially a mother), when someone loves your children well, they love you too in a meaningful way.  Becky has always loved our children well and Sean has joined right in.  We are so happy to celebrate their union and be a part of their special day.  Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Jones!