Christian's Wedding

We left for St. Louis Friday morning at 9:30, which meant I had to head down from the West Wesley house at 6. I sat next to Grandma on the plane. She doesn't enjoy flying so we talked the entire time. She's so wise. She didn't realize we were in the front of the plane until it had landed and Mother was saying how thankful she was that we got to sit in first class. We left the airport in our rental cars and started our 2 hour trek to Jacksonville. Mother and Daddy and I led the way. Then Grandma and Grandpa, and Jenny and John and Colby in the 3rd car. Laurie and Jimmy worked and flew down Friday night.
Christian is Daddy's younger sister, Lynda's, older daughter. She and Andrew have been dating for the last 6 years. Christian graduated mid December and married two weeks later. The rehearsal dinner was beautifully done. I had to put this one up to show Jennifer Baber that I don't REALLY scare my grandpa. We actually had a fabulous time together on this trip. This is one of Pam's kids. Savannah Jane. She has 6 years on Colby, but Colby enjoys playing with her more than anyone else. All smiles while we watched Christian physically organize what had been in her head for the past 6 years. Dad's brother, Tim, plays a Kenny G song for the first dance.
Grandma and Grandpa really are so cute. Spending so much time with them sure did make me miss my Granny. It's on my list to visit Texas before January ends.

Looking at pictures of my mother brings me a lot of peace about growing older. She still looks the same as the day she did in her wedding pictures. She coordinated the wedding. In the north they have this very different tradition where the bride and groom walk down the aisle as husband and wife and when the entire wedding party has left, they come back in and dismiss everyone by row. Hugging every single person and thanking them for coming to the wedding. It was really very wonderful, just different. Mother jumped right in and acted like it was the most normal thing she had seen, helping straighten Christian's dress as people were slowly dismissed from the auditorium.
I've always thought that Lynda looked a lot like Sally Field, but like the more beautiful little sister. I don't think I've ever seen her look more beautiful.

Thank goodness for Laurie and Jimmy. Laur took pictures and Jimmy shot video, since they knew just what to do having done this so recently. And they haven't gotten tired of smiling!

Jimmy and Laurie are the "Posed family". When a camera comes out, they jump into position for a picture faster than Angelina and Brad. But Jenny and John and their kid are definitely the picture family. They take more pictures than any family I've ever met. And we love it!