A family wedding

Last weekend I went to the wedding of one of my cousins. His Mom, D, has been like a big sister to me for so many years. She was there for me when my Dad died when my Mom died she came thousands of miles to help me sort through it all, and when I was going through some pretty difficult times just a few years ago, she was the only person in the world with whom I felt safe to confide in so completely. She has also celebrated my successes as if I were a daughter or a sister. She has always been a kind soul with a heart of gold. And, I love, as we've gotten older together that she can turn to me. I want to be there for her in her times of sorrow and joy as she has always been for me. I am so thankful that I was in America and able to join in the festivities with my cousin.

After divorcing her husband many years ago, she raised those boys largely on her own. During visits, I could see how much they loved each other and how important they were to each other. This came through at the wedding consistently, not always in overpowering ways, but enough to make this mom cry a few times. I am so proud of her and so proud of her boys.

At the rehearsal dinner, D gave a lovely speech about her son, including a little tidbit about his love for CareBears as a young child. We all laughed. Now you must understand, this boy is in the Coast Guard, very muscular, very athletic, and yet, when it comes to his mom, so caring and sensitive. He was tearing up during her speech. It just warmed my heart!

Then at the wedding, we heard more speeches. The father of the bride was talking about how he had his concerns about B, who already had moved his daughter here, there, and everywhere for the last seven years. We heard about the three things that changed his mind about the groom: a) B made his daughter so happy, b) the dogs all loved him, and c) when B was stationed in NY he was part of the crew that rescued passengers from the airplane that went down on the Hudson. A woman, without a life jacket, fell off the wing into the Hudson. Without hesitation, B jumped in and rescued her, suffering a huge cut on his leg and ending up in the hospital himself. The Bride's dad said he knew then that this was a man who would protect his daughter. He was convinced.

Then we heard from D's youngest son, D2. He gave a very funny speech about B, that showed the love they have for each other and some funny stories from their childhood. They are now both living in Boston. B is stationed there and D2 is getting his Ph.D. at Harvard. I know, I still love saying that. I'm just so proud of those boys! D2 has met a lovely woman there who is also getting her Ph.D. and I can only hope that another wedding will be in their future.

I had such a wonderful time at the grandest wedding I have ever seen in my life. It was beautiful, with so much thought to every detail. From gift bags at the hotel to personalized mini bottles of Prosecco for each guest at the rehearsal dinner to shuttle buses and limo buses to and from the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, to an open bar with B's homemade habanero tequila used in the spicy margaritas, to a brunch the day after the wedding with a Bloody Mary bar, not to mention the wonderful time I had meeting their friends, seeing other family and dancing the night away at the reception. Though, I'm sure it was a bit of a sight watching this 45-year old dance to The Black-Eyed Peas, The Time, Dirty Bit. . ..But, after a few drinks, ah who cares, it was a heck of a lot of fun! :)