A Wedding !

Wow, what a week.

Yesterday my son Adam married Shanna Danielle Leighton, a beautiful young lady who is a wonderful addition to our family.

Before I went to Garden City, SC, I rode down to Rockwood Manor to meet with the owner and arrange the Rehearsal Dinner. Then off to the caterer, Baker's Best where they not only agreed to Fried Catfish, but were happy to use "Auntie Karen's" dry batter which I had brought from MS.

Wed evening my son Thomas and family arrived from PA and we (3 adults, a 9 yr old, a 5 yr old and an 11 month old) bunked down in the Airstream.

Comfortably.

Really.

As long as we were all in our beds.

It was definitely crowded when we were awake and trying to move around inside.

Thursday we met Adam and a bunch of Shanna's family. The guys got their Tuxedos, the girls had a pampered afternoon, starting with a limo ride to Roanoke, manicures, pedicures and a Mexican dinner where we all got to know each other.

Friday we went to Rockwood Manor, where all of my family and a bunch of Shanna's stayed for the weekend. It is such a beautiful setting in a BIG old house that has been in the same family since it was built in 1875.

It can't really be a Wedding Blog without pictures. And I've been promised LOTS of them very soon. But I don't have them yet.

I CAN tell you that we've gained admittance into a wonderful Virginia family. We were accepted completely and lovingly by all four generations of Shanna's family. Her grandparents, parents, brother and sister, and adorable 22 month old niece - all made us feel completely at home immediately.

The wedding was a combination of traditional and definitely non-traditional. With Shanna directing. It was a lawn wedding under the beautiful huge trees in front of the house. Shanna decided she wanted her parents standing behind the minister, facing her and Adam so they could see, up close. Then she decided I should be there also. I really thought I was done with ALL required activities after the Rehearsal Dinner. Com'on - I'm father of the GROOM. The Wedding Day is supposed to just be a big party for me to enjoy with the other guests, right?

Well, I hope Adam already knows, but it's VERY HARD to say, "No." to Shanna. So after I said, "No." Several times. I said, "OK. Even though I'll be the only man facing the audience that's not in a Tux. How and when do I get there?" Then her Mom said, "Her Dad will be escorting Shanna down the aisle. Would you escort me?" I already knew how good, "No." went over with the Leighton women, so I said, "Of course." And it turned out beautifully.

Thomas was an Usher and Casey was a Bridesmaid. We didn't know until the rehearsal that they would walk down the aisle together. Sooooo cute together.

Sarah was a Flower Girl and Tyler was the ring bearer. WAY BEYOND Sooooo cute together!

The Wedding Dinner was a huge success. Shanna had reserved a table for our family. Thomas and daughter Casey were at the head table. My table for 10 filled up quickly with my daughter Lena, Adam's son Tyler, my Brother-in-Law Joe and his wife Leah and their son Chris, Ann with Sarah and Ben and our dear friend Mary Ruddell. I added two more chairs for my Goddaughter Erin Potter and her Mom Cheryl Cobey because they are a very real part of my family.

In fairness to family and friends, - especially Adam's friends from his days at Marshall University - we won't talk here about the party that followed.

It's OK, Amy. What happens at Rockwood Manor, stays at Rockwood Manor.

At least until the pictures become available.

I'm back at the Airstream, exhausted.

More as soon as I get those pictures.

Life just keeps getting better and better.

Back in Salem VA

Thomas, my son previously know as Jeff, says I need to write AT LEAST once a week to keep y'all coming back.

There was a reason I've been slow in adding to my story.

I left you in MS, as I headed north.

You may have noticed that in the long list of people that I said I would miss, Lesly wasn't mentioned. That's because we didn't say "Good By" that Monday morning. We planned to meet in Garden City Beach, just south of Myrtle Beach,SC just a week later. Lesly, her daughter Jessica and son-in-law Jeremy were going to join an extended family group of cousins.

So I haven't written because we weren't sure if, or how, it would happen. Or if it did, would it be an experience either of us would want to publish.

Two long days of Interstate travel got me to Salem, VA on Tuesday evening, the 8th. I spent a couple of busy days getting the Airstream set up in Salem Village Mobile Home Park, State inspections on the vehicles, renewing PO Box, going to Church on Sunday and catching up with some friends.

Then at 5:30 Mon morning I left on the Honda for SC. The idea was to get most of the way there before the oppressive heat. And it worked. I pulled into the driveway of the house around 1:30 pm. I actually wore a long sleeved shirt the first 4 hours and was comfortable until the last hour.

Lesly's cousin, Lindsay, arranged the huge 6 bedroom rental house, right on the beach. They've done this annually for several years now. They mentioned the possibility of buying some timeshares instead and I had told Lesly that I had three weeks in North Myrtle that I was probably going to sell. But when I told them that my timeshare apartment was almost exactly twice the size of their upstairs balcony, they lost interest.

Here's a picture taken from the beach side -



Counting the kids there were 13 of us. I know because we went to a Japanese Steak House for dinner. The area around the big griddle table seated 12 but since one of ours was a 3 yr old, it was fine. Until we'd had our soup and salad and no chef appeared. After a little while our waiter admitted that their computer was set up for a maximum of 12 per table and he had just realized that when he put the 13th selection in, the computer deleted the entire order. Since we would have been sitting and talking someplace anyway, it was no big deal and turned into a delightful evening. Especially after the embarrassed waiter brought us several bottles of Saki, "on the house."

All worries about me "fitting in" with an established family gathering disappeared quickly. I'm ALMOST crazy enough to fit in perfectly. They really made me feel welcome from the start. Lindsay's brother, Kevin is a chef so we ate like Kings every night. After a strenuous day of going from the house to the beach to the pool to the house to the beach to the hot tub to.......

MANY pictures were taken and I've been promised that they will email them to me ASAP.

Lesly, get them moving, OK???

This morning, Lesly and I really did say, "Good By" for now. I said "Good By" to every one else last night because I made another 6:00am departure.

We don't know for sure when we'll see each other again. But we're shooting for someplace in the mountains in the fall.

Another wonderful and uneventful 330 miles on the Honda and I'm settling back in, getting ready for the arrival of Thomas, Ann, Casey, Sarah and Ben next Wednesday.