Where to begin?? It was important to Jeff and Rebecca that our whole family was there to celebrate, so we flew everyone out, and spent the first few days of our visit on a tiny little speck of water called Watson Pond, in Otis, MA. It is the long time vacation home of Rebecca's family (her mom told the sweetest stories of bringing her there just weeks after her birth, and nursing her by the fire to stay warm), and we were lucky enough to be able to stay in the cottage next door, and spend time all together. While the weather wasn't perfect, we still all got decked out in rain gear, and spent the whole day exploring outside. They have a row boat, a canoe, kayaks, fishing gear, you name it! And the pond was full of bass, perch, pike, and of course, beautiful fall colors all along the shoreline. We caught fish after fish, which thrilled the boys, and Hayden was able to take his first ride out in a row boat. Ruthie stayed safely dry on the shoreline with grammy, and enjoyed time with her aunts and GG, and other land loving friends :) The Sadocks were the most gracious, warm hosts, and we had a blast even before the official wedding festivities got under way.
One of the greatest parts of the trips was having my whole family fly in from all corners of the US, and even Europe. Our foreign exchange student, Phil, who lived with us my senior year of high school, traveled all the way from Switzerland with his lovely new fiance, and my entire extended family from Wisconsin made the trip, as well as cousins scattered as far as LA, Seattle, and NYC. I felt like I was going to burst with all the love I felt! All these people there to support Jeffrey, and celebrate this marriage. It was pretty amazing. And so cool to introduce Ruthie to so much of the family, and see the boys get to know everyone better. The idea of the "specialness" of family was reinforced for me, which was a nice prelude into watching my brother start a family of his own with Rebecca. It just reminded me of the greatness that comes of a marriage.
.
After our mini-vacation at Otis, we switched rental houses to be closer to the ceremony site. Our second house was gorgeous, with floor to ceiling windows, a big wrap around deck, and a view of a pond and endless fall colors up the hillside on the opposite shore. They too had a canoe for us to use, however the previous renters had left it upright, which allowed it to fill with water. It was pretty comical to watch my friend Eren and I try to flip it over, while the whole time Hayden is telling us if we get tired, he is there to help haha. We finally got it drained, and enjoyed a couple of leisurely laps around a great beaver dam in the middle of the pond. These kind of things you just don't get to do in Dallas!! I'm so glad my sons will have these memories. The fall colors were just fantastic as well.
I really wish I had more photos of the actual wedding day, but everything was so busy, and we were rushing from salon, to hotel room, to ceremony site, to reception site, and I just didn't want to risk losing my camera. So alas, we'll have to wait for the professional photos. But the day was amazing. I started off with a morning at the salon, getting my hair done (thank you Linda!), and having a nice little lunch with my mom and our good friend Linda. We then headed up to the bridal suite, where we got to see the bride for the first time, as she was getting her hair and make-up done. All the girls and moms were up there, and it was a really festive, fun atmosphere. Rebecca gave out gifts of earrings and shawls to all of us, and then my mom and I left to ride a shuttle to the ceremony site with my brother and his groomsman. As we left the bridal suite, Rebecca got a little choked up, and admittedly I did too! I think it felt real then! And seeing my brother for the first time in his tuxedo was just overwhelmingly emotional for me. I'll say more about that later.
We arrived at Jacob's Pillow at about 3 pm - exactly one hour prior to the ceremony. This place is FABULOUS. It is an outdoor dance venue in the mountains, with the most gorgeous outdoor stage. Jeffrey and Rebecca had picked this site specifically to be married on this stage, with views of the fall colors and mountains stretching for miles, and their wedding planner had convinced the venue coordinators to proceed as planned outdoors, despite a major hailstorm mere minutes before. The stage was soaked with water up to an inch deep in places, and the aisles were muddy. Not to mention it was COLD and windy. We immediately realized upon arrival that an outdoor wedding was not in the cards - the guests would have been freezing, no one would have been able to hear the vows with the wind roaring, and Rebecca's dress would have been ruined. So inside we went.
At this point, I knew how much Jeffrey was hoping for this outdoor wedding of his dreams, and I felt a huge sense of sadness overcome me, for his sake, and I suddenly felt this "mama bear" urge to make everything fixed for him. I looked into his eyes and wanted his wedding to be everything he imagined it would be! I couldn't believe that the weather was going to keep this from happening, and I wanted more than anything to protect him and make it perfect. It was really a foreign feeling. My brother is always more than capable of taking care of himself, and certainly in this situation he took charge just as always. But I think as a big sister, I wanted to just make everything perfect for him. I don't know, it's hard to explain. But I felt a fierce love for him that I haven't felt so powerfully in a long time. He is my little brother! Getting married! It better be perfect!
Anyway, things were quickly moved into this adorable little chapel, with rough hewn benches, and rafters on the ceiling, and soon guests began arriving. They were served hot apple cider, and a string quartet was playing music. Outside it was chilly, and the wind was blowing, but inside everyone was cozy and warm. As soon as I saw the scene unfolding, I realized it was the perfect place for them to be married. Intimate and warm. The ceremony was beautiful, with my husband officiating, my son as the most adorable ring bearer ever, and myself reading a lovely excerpt from "The Wedding Song" by Bob Dylan. A group of Rebecca's friends from high school sang "Stand by Me", while Jeffrey's friend played the guitar. As they exchanged their heartfelt vows, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. Despite the change of plans, it ended up being exactly the ceremony for them. Perfect!
After the ceremony, the night became a blur of great food, fancy cocktails, musical performances, emotional speeches and toasts, and an absolutely rocking dance floor. SO MUCH FUN! I haven't danced that much in ages, and I loved mingling with all of the guests from far and wide. I love my brother and Rebecca, and I'm so thankful they found each other. It was a fabulous wedding day!
While the highlight of the weekend was obviously the wedding, we stayed on a few more days to enjoy the area and all the family who had flown in. My kids loved being able to spend time outside, and we got some quiet time to spend just with Jeff and his new wife :) I will leave this trip with a renewed sense of family, and a refreshed view of my own marriage, and how special it is that we have made it 5 years. At the wedding, as we were gazing at the new couple, someone asked me if I remember what it felt like to be that much in love. I looked at Nathan and we both just smiled, because we know we are even more in love now than we were on our wedding day. I hope, and suspect, that the same thing will happen for Jeff and Rebecca.
As always, it takes a village to go anywhere with these little munchkins of mine. Managing 3 kids on vacation is no easy task, and my parents where troopers to the max. They negotiated with airline passengers to sit near us to help (while most people negotiate to get away from kids!), they carried extraneous luggage, they held nervous children and babies, they changed diapers and did nap time when I was stranded with a flat tire, they fixed meals, and they shared their cottage space with 3 not always happy and quiet children. And for that I am extremely thankful. Once again I am humbled by how awesome family is.
And lastly, I have to extend a HUGE thank you to one of my dearest friends, who gave up time with her own family, to come help me with mine. Nathan and I knew that the kids couldn't manage the late nights of the rehearsal dinner and wedding, but we wanted them there for the early bits. But the idea of a stranger watching our kids in a strange house was just not acceptable. So our friend Eren flew out to be the third parent for the weekend, and we couldn't have enjoyed ANY of this without her. The kids were thrilled to have her around, and never once did I worry about their safety or comfort. Not to mention she was great company as always. You'll see her peppered through out the photos above, which is only fitting since she was an integral part of the weekend activities. I'll always remember how much fun we had, and feel grateful for our friendship. Thank You Eren!!
No comments:
Post a Comment