0 to 60, overnight

Heather cried 3 feet away from me while I was reading the Hand Ceremony portion of her and Erik's wedding. Our lives have not been as interwoven in the last year and a half as it had been in the past. Wedding-eve hugs and words of encouragement, tears during the reading, and dancing to Love Shack on the back porch felt good. So, Heather cried as I was reading, making it difficult. I had to pause to cough. And still... so when it continued, I paused and whispered a commanding plea, "stop it." Everyone laughed. And we all made it through. Heather and Erik are married. It was a beautiful ceremony. A wedding on the shores of Lake Michigan. Reception under a tent, surrounded by a glorious sunset and trees and dune grass. Jim and I enjoyed the company of the newly minted husband and wife team of Brian and Angie. The wedding theme was surfing. I wouldn't have been surprised to see Keanu Reeves in a wet suit come around the corner. The groomsmen could have been extras in any surfing movie.

Celebrating the start of a marriage one day and the 60th year of a different marriage the next...

My dad's parents have been married for 60 years, they renewed their vows in a mass, we ate a meal together and then gathered at my cousins house for relaxed play time. On the ride home, Jim and I were sitting in comfortable silence. I thought about how lucky I would feel if, in the future, he and I were joined by our children, grandchildren and friends to celebrate a major milestone.

Other quick snapshots of the weekend:

Watching Willa play with the children of my cousins, older and bigger, with no hesitation.

Learning who my cousins, who moved to Dodge City when we were young, are as adults.

MaKenna and Arlo sitting in the play house with the windows closed because MaKenna didn't want him to jump out, like Greta had minutes before.

My mom's face lighting up when Willa saw her in church and waved.

Watching Jim talk with my grandma (who had a little crush on him when she remembered who he is) and tell her little jokes.

Finally falling into bed last night with Jim, exhausted, a little sunburnt, feeling love and loved so earnestly that I couldn't sleep right away.

It was a busy and wonderful and whole weekend, as evidenced by the 238 photos on the digital camera. Will post some this week.

Also, this morning, Willa hugged me. It was a for real, intentional hug. I picked her up and squeezed her, making the hug sound (Internet, how does one spell the hug sound, please?) and she did it right back and I could feel her butt cheeks squeezing together as she burrowed into me. Sigh and loopy grin.