The Prettiest Flower "Geel"

We got Nathan's brother Dan and his fiancee Sara hitched today.  It was a drop-dead gorgeous fall day, and everything was nice. 

I had made it my job to style Robin's hair, since she was to be the flower girl.  The kids left for the church (with Robin in curlers) while I ran a short errand.  By the time I got there, she was in her flower girl dress and walking around like an absolute beauty queen.  After I got her hair done and put her "crown" on, everyone told her how beautiful she was.  (She did, too!  "Aren't I beautiful??")  She was not the rambunctious 4-year-old that wrestles with her brother and runs around barefoot and naked.  She acted very much the part of a lovely princess the entire time she was in her dress.  We didn't have too many concerns about what kind of a job she'd do.  She was really into the wedding business!  (At one point, she sat on the steps at the front of the sanctuary and yawned, but otherwise, she did a very nice job.)

Ryan, however, was another matter.  He and his cousin Joey were to be joint ring-beareres.  ("Rain bears.")  Ryan did a pretty good job making it down the aisle, but once at the front of the church, there were other things to do.  He spied the piano right next to his father.  Nathan (the best man) snared him JUST before he could tickle the keys.  Then there were other things.  He went over to his sister and took her flower basket, spilling rose petals on the floor.  We were expecting a sibling quarrel right there in front of the whole church, but Meg managed to grab him to sit in the pew with us, where he sat quietly for the rest of the service.  (Until it was time for the recessional.  Nathan had Robin and Joey by the hands, and Ryan--feeling left out--danced behind them, smacking his father on the backside as they went!)  He's only two...

The children's 4-year-old cousin Joey, from Georgia, was really smitten with Robin.  He kept hugging her and holding her hand, saying "Isn't she beautiful?"  Someone heard him say, "I hope she likes me!"  We wondered, at one point, if he thought HE was getting married, instead of Uncle Dan.  It was cute!

Everyone is understandably pooped.  Tomorrow, there is to be a wedding party/reunion at Turkey Run State Park, and the weather is supposed to be grand.  Guess I'd better start making the meat balls I'm supposed to take...