Batter up

Someone was talking about baseball the other day. Did you know it's baseball season? I didn't. For me, it's wedding season. Instead of attending a sporting event each month, I will be attending a wedding pretty much every month.

I started the season off right with my sister's wedding. As of May 26, 2007 Ellen Knight became Ellen Virtue (oxymoron of the century?? you decide...) and officially lost her right to ever utter the phrase "IIIIII AM THE BUH-RIIIDE."

A few weeks before the wedding, Ellen asked, "Are you gonna cry?"
"I don't know. Probably not," I said, shrugging my shoulders. If you know me, you know I wasn't being mean, I'm just not much of a crier for things like this.
"I want you to cry!" Only Ellen would request of someone that they cry at her wedding.
"Ellen I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't want me to cry just to cry. That's not very genuine."
"You better cry," she replied.

As I started down the aisle trying to walk just slow enough, the way we practiced, and not wobble on my heels, I tried to remember to smile ... I always hate to see those wedding pictures where the bridesmaids forget to smile and come scowling down the aisle. So I had plastered on my face this big goofy smile when the music swelled around me in the blazing heat and I realized my only sister was getting married. And then came the tears. It was weird because I didn't know why I was crying really. I was really happy for Ellen and Matt ... I mean, I actually like Matt and wanted them to get married which is a miracle in itself considering there are few guys in Ellen's life that have garnered my affections. Maybe it was the realization of change and aging, of all the childhood memories of me and Ellen being officially filed in the "past" folder. Or the thought that there wouldn't be any more Christmas Eves in the bed with Ellen resisting her attempts to snuggle -- the realization that Matt would always be a part of Ellen now, even if it was just me and her, there would be a Matt-ness. Or maybe it was just that right before I walked out I turned around and saw her behind me looking beautiful and happy and just the way you would imagine.

So now I've officially entered wedding season, which I imagine, at my age, will be lasting for quite some time. Very weird. This season of life has started a wave of different ponderings in my overactive mind about marriage and commitments and age and adulthood. I won't be posting those now or maybe ever. But it is interesting.

So Congratulations to Ellen (who for the time being goes by Mrs. Matt Virtue) and Matt (who still goes by Matt ... I think) who kicked off the wedding season for me in high style! More to come ...

Pre-wedding family fun time with the sibs

I got my wedding game face on

Ellen, looking beautiful and classy in her wedding dress

Me and the buh-ride

Ellen and all her bridesmaids

Did I mention that I had a really cool wedding date?