We're Going to a Wedding! Part 1

My oldest nephew was getting married and they planned to have the wedding during Kai's spring break. But even with that, early in the week we were concerned that we wouldn't make it.

Kai had gotten the flu.

His pediatrician put him on tamiflu and suggested that my wife and I call our doctor and get prescriptions for ourselves, which we did. My wife felt a bit under the weather but I was fine. Kai missed school all week, and by Friday, the day we were to leave, he and my wife were starting to feel better.

But he was still less energetic than usual, which might have worked in our favor when we went to the airport and the flight attendant was late in arriving at the gate so we could not board our plane on time. Kai hates flying on United after our awful experiences the last two times we took it, but he was too tired to complain about the delay this time.

But all things considered, our flight was not delayed too long and we made it to Virginia okay. The wedding was in Williamsburg, and the rehearsal dinner was that night.

It was great to see the bride and groom to be. They were looking relaxed the evening before the big event.

I had known Ian since he was a baby and he is the first of my next-generation relatives to get married. They say that parents always think of their children as children, even after they grow up. I can understand that feeling as it is hard to believe that Ian is all grown up. We are all very proud of the man he has become, but it is still easy to see the enthusiastic boyish spirit he showed from the time he was a small child.

Just prior to the dinner, the parents of the bride and groom gave speeches. I was especially touched by the sentiment's of the bride's mother who gave a very heartfelt speech. I was happy that she seemed very sincerely thrilled that her daughter was marrying my nephew. In many respects, you marry not just a person, but you marry into a family, and it is wonderful when the family is as welcoming as all of Susan's family are.

Here's my nephew with his mother, my sister.

During the entire dinner, including the cocktail hour when we were meeting Susan's family, Kai was quiet. He is not a social kid, especially around strangers, so he did not chat and gave just the bare minimum of responses when people spoke to him. But he was patient, did not complain about not getting to use electronics, and listened nicely to all of the speeches.

Still, I think he was happy when dinner was served.

I was thrilled that he was so well behaved and mature. There was no hint of a meltdown on this day.

My wife later told me that during the dinner, Kai had recounted our own wedding day when he was three years old. He had screamed and cried loudly during significant portions of our wedding ceremony. "I ruined your wedding" he said to my wife, and promised that he would not do the same here.