Daily 5 - Day 276

I think today's list is going to be wedding themed.  Mostly because, well, my baby brother got married today, and provided me with the sister I spent years asking my parents for.

Today's Daily 5:

1. Watching T.'s face as L walked up the aisle
2. T's face as he was looking at L and making her vows.  I was standing at the perfect angle to see this, and it totally wrecked my resolve not to cry at the wedding.  One look at that face and I was a goner.
3. So much laughter
4. The divine providence of the photographer's assistant having sunscreen with her.  I totally forgot to even think of that, and it was a really sunny day and my dress left a lot of skin exposed to the elements.  I did still burn, but not nearly as badly as I would have without sunscreen.
5. J's speech at the reception.
6. lots of hugs
7. new friends
8. a beautiful sunny day that came off well
9. really good food
10. I can now officially say that I have a sister-in-law!

Full Day

By the time this post goes live on Sunday morning, I'll already be at the bride's house.  There will be hours of hair and makeup to get all of us ready for the ceremony, and then a very full day.

Sometime late tomorrow night (tonight, I guess, by the time you read this) I'll be back with a daily 5.

In between, it'll be quiet here.

My baby brother is getting married.  And, while I'm a little tired of wedding details, and will be glad when normal life returns, for this day I'm going to celebrate the marriage of my baby brother to the girl who is about to become the first of the sisters I always wanted and never got.

I'm going to wear a short purple dress that makes me look vaguely as if I'm with child.  I'm going to catch my aunt's eye and we'll giggle a little over the jokes we were making about how I'll be the single older sister everyone wonders just a little about, especially since my dress does make me look a bit pregnant.

I'm going to absorb the changes to our family slowly.

I'm going to celebrate this moment of newness even as I think and pray for others.  For some I know of who are struggling deeply in their marriages.  For others who are grieving the loss of loved ones.   I'm going to realize anew how cyclical and deep and interconnected life really is.

It will be a full and lovely and bittersweet and wonderful day, I hope.