john + clarissa

And finally, the big event.  Don’t these two look stunning? 

I was a little nervous leading up to the wedding.  Were my kids all going to behave themselves?  Were they going to freak out instead of walk calmly down the isle?  Charlie was a ring bearer (at first this was confusing to him but once we explained that we were saying “bearer” not “bear” he got it) and Emmeline and Hazel were flower girls.  I was most nervous about Emmeline.  She is a wild card these days, you never know how she’s going to react to situations.  She could have had a total tantrum, her obsessive compulsive side could have kicked in and she could have melted in a puddle of worry that she was “littering” rose petals, she put a big wrench in the works by insisting to pick up all the petals she threw out.  There could have been public fighting and wining and wrestling.  Food could have been spilled on carefully ironed (by Nedra, not me) clothes just before the ceremony.  The possibilities were endless.  So, I was a little stressed. 

But, aside from a short little crisis of an old scab pulled off and blood dripping on those white dresses, everything went smoothly.  Emmeline wasn’t the happiest of flower girls, she was pretty freaked out as she walked down the isle but she made it, and everyone was smiling.  She didn’t throw any flowers, and at one point Hazel stopped to take some out of her basket to show her how it is done, but she didn’t catch on.  Hazel was a super star.  She was so sweet to help her little sister.  It was pretty much a heart melter. 

All three of my “big” kids sat through the service totally silent and mesmerized.  It was a beautiful beautiful service.  Funny and thoughtful and touching and deep and light.  It was perfect. 

(photos by http://www.mariellehayes.com/ with a few of mine stuck in there, aren’t the stunning? )

Charlie took his job very seriously.  Doesn’t he look great with his wedding haircut? (Cut by the same woman who used to cut Jeff’s hair)Look at Emmeline’s face…..I love it.  She was like a deer in the headlights.  Not sure what to do. Thankfully Hazel was there to show her how it was done.  These two were bathed in the most beautiful window light as they sat and let the whole new experience soak in.  I loved watching them. The wedding dinner was perfect.  There was amazing music and delicious food, and funny commentary and toasts with milk shakes.  And there was dancing.  Hazel was mesmerized by the beauty of the bride.  That was adorable, but not too surprising.  What was surprising was that Charlie was just as obsessed with her.  He kept asking where she was and saying he wanted to go and see her again and again.  At the end of the night they all got to dance with Clarissa.  Charlie was a little shy at first (see him looking from the side lines?) but was thrilled when he got in on the action.   Clarissa is a wonderful human being.  We’re so happy that she is now officially Aunt Clarissa. 

I can’t wait to see what life holds for these two.   They seem they were made for each other. 

Needless to say, we all kind of crashed at the end of the night.  And then the fun was over and it was pack up and ship out.   Back to real life.