coming next - the wedding

Well, it's been a while, but we're still basking in the glow of being a complete and full and legal family. I've got a few wedding pictures, which will come soon, but until then, here's the scoop -
The day we adopted K, we jumped into the car and drove down to Santa Monica - about a 5-6 hour drive normally, but the weather sucked as did traffic, and it took us about 8-9 hours to get there. We added one to our family and were about to add another. We were going to my nephew's wedding.
And a beautiful wedding it was... (of course, have you ever been to a wedding that wasn't?) Somehow, the torrential rainfall that happened that weekend down in So. Cal missed us at all the important moments - waiting to get into the church - no rain. From church to reception (3 large deluxe buses took all 300+ guests from hotel to church, then to the USC campus where the reception was held in the "Town & Gown" building), it rained while we were on the bus, but not while we loaded in or got out and walked to the building. There was plenty of evidence it rained hard while we celebrated, but it wasn't raining when we walked to the buses again afterwards. Kind of eerie, but nice for everyone.
My nephew and his bride were beaming and beautiful, and their day suited them perfectly. He was part of the glee club in his days at Notre Dame (which is where the two met, btw), so they came and sang during the mass. Still incredible after all these years! The two of them took some dancing lessons so they wouldn't embarass themselves, and proceeded to entertain the crowd at the reception. It was actually very sweet.
My hope is that when my children find their partners, that my sons and daughters find someone they can cherish as much as J does A and that they are cherished in kind. The extravagant wedding was important to J&A, and was wonderful for them, and for us as well, but the most important thing was not the extravagance, nor the surroundings, nor the rain, rainbows or peeking rays of sunlight, not the multi-course sit down dinner, or the chocolate martinis, but the look in their eyes as they started their life together.
Good luck and many happy years together, my nephew and niece.