Monday, June 17, 2013

Road Warriors




  
View from the backseat.



We knew it wouldn’t be easy.  Sixteen hundred miles, a rehearsal dinner, and a wedding, all in three days.  Traveling in a rented minivan with two children, one six and one three.  Three drivers, one half-blindish.

But it was totally worth it.  We drove, we laughed, we argued, we cried, we danced, we celebrated, we remembered.  We sunned and swam and made sand castles.  We were late. Once we were somehow early.  We lost things and found them. We sang in the car.  We ate and drank and loved each other in spite of ourselves.

The wedding was beautiful as was the bride, my recently-lost brother’s youngest. Also beautiful was the officiant, his oldest, already vigorously pedigreed, just ordained online.  And, of course, their mother, who is always gorgeous and impeccable.

 I couldn’t help but wonder if the bride's choice not to walk down the aisle was an homage to her father, who would have given anything to be there. 

Now that the miles and the "Are we in Delaware yet?"s are behind us and the expenses are safely ensconsed on my credit card for future consideration, I'm so glad my daughter and her family and I were able to attend my niece's wedding in Bethany Beach, Delaware, especially now that my brother, who was the tether that attached me to this part of my family, is gone.  My nieces and I share DNA and they and their mother and I have memories in common, all of them involving a man we loved so deeply.  

We made some new memories this past weekend, and, as always, my brother was right there. 


 The Bride, the Groom, her Mother, and Sister




My Daughter and Me



Georgia and Miles letting off steam during a break.


10 comments:

Unknown said...

I love to sing on car trips....that's what our family did. I think you did EXACTLY what your brother would have wanted you to do. Nothing is better than family time.

Unknown said...

A good trip with good family can always lead itself away from boredom. Car conversations can be some of the best conversations.

Celia said...

A joyous family event, I love car conversations!

LC said...

What a concise and endearing synopsis of a memorable family event, enriched with the blessing that there are good shared memories of your brother.

I suspected I was getting older when football coaches, law enforcement officers and doctors started looking like kids to me.

But there is no escape from reality anymore. Now the mothers and aunts of the happy couple look so young.

cile said...

Your love for your brother and your family sings in this post, Marcia! What wonderful memories you are making! So good to see you smiling...

Rosaria Williams said...

This says it all: we do all we can to hold on!

Linda Myers said...

What a beautiful post about the big event!

Terra said...

That was a long road trip with an important destination; great you attended the wedding.

schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.com said...

LOverly sendoff. Dianne

Brig said...

So good to see you having fun and living life!

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