Mollie&Eli

Originally uploaded by horseballerina.

I don’t have any wedding pictures back yet so this will have to do. They’re in Peru on their honeymoon right now, having been married 10 days at this point. I am still not sure how all this makes me feel.

I am supposed to be happy for her, and mostly I am. But along with the relief of having married off my little sister, thereby removing some of the pressure on me to get married and produce grandchildren, came an unexpected sort of emotion, still difficult for me to place. Jealousy? Not exactly. But maybe a little bit of wistful thinking.

Despite the fact that this was her day, I had several guests ask me at the wedding (I’m the older sister after all) when I’m going to get married. What IS that? I kept answering “I don’t know, maybe never”. And although I have always claimed to want nothing to do with marriage I suspect that what I really want is to fall in love with a man capable of convincing me to take that risk. And that what I am really terrified of is that I’ll never find it.

It was definitely a night of great memories. The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Mom made it through most of her reading before the tears started. And I got the train turned around without Mollie tripping over it! Nobody noticed when Sunny and I couldn’t manage to hand it off without getting in each others’ way. All eyes were on the bride, thank God!

The reception was even more fun.

Sam offering me the empty seat next to him “if I wanted”. And then asking me a few minutes later if I was his date. (We decided yes). Uncle Enoch (by marriage!) making bad jokes and worse puns and telling Sam he should stay in the Corps another 10 years. Sam trying valiantly to have an actual conversation with him and explain that he had other goals. Being saved, mercifully, by the introduction of the wedding party of which we were part.

Mollie and Eli feeding the cake to each other – both very sweetly. Their first dance as husband and wife. The rest of the bridal party joining in “with our partners” until Dad intercepted me and Sam and cut in before we even started. Dad pulling me out on the dance floor at the next slow song and gloating “sorry, Marine, the Air Force was quicker again!” Dancing to salsa and booty music with Josh, who if nothing else is one hell of a dancer – enough to get me several compliments on my dancing when I clearly had no idea what I was doing. Dancing to Fergie with Mollie (back to back droppin’ down real low). And FINALLY slow dancing with Sam to all the remaining slow songs.

Mollie dancing with our dad. Eli dancing with his mama. And Big Bob dancing with every female IN the place! Everyone in my family dancing to the Chicken Dance (Sam bailed on me for that one but did get it on film!) The men lifting the married couple in their chairs, high over their heads. Mollie looking simultaneously pleased and petrified.

And finally, saying goodnight to my newly married little sister. Tossing heart-shaped ricelike substance at them. Scott thought it was candy and had eaten most of his. He finally just threw the bag at them. Waving goodbye and blowing kisses and wishing them happy honeymooning in Peru.

And then walking across the street to McGuire’s.