This past weekend we attended my littlest brother's wedding. It was in Sioux Falls, which is about 4 hours away, so it felt like a mini vacation. It came with all the good and bad of a vacation; the packing, staying in a hotel, relaxation, the unpacking.
It was fun to have the whole family together, but I have to say I was unprepared for some of the feelings that I experienced during the trip. One thing to note is that I am quite a bit older than my brother. Okay, 12 years if you must know. Anyway, he and his bride asked me to read a brief passage at the wedding, along with one of my sisters. I have to say that as I participated in the wedding rehearsal and the actual wedding itself, I was mentally transported back in time. Seeing my baby brother, now an adult, getting married, was tougher than I had imagined. Images of him pushing away cereal as a baby while I tried to "airplane" it into his mouth or watching him sleep as a little toddler, sucking on his fingers with the label of his stuffed turtle, flooded my brain. I suppose it all stems from our nontraditional upbringing and the fact that at times I played the role of "Mom" to him, but it was something I didn't expect. I guess it can be a preview into the absolute mess I will be when my actual children get married.
So in addition to the memories of the past at the wedding, new memories were made as well. Perhaps you've heard of the Korean rap singer, Psy and his breakout hit, "Gangnam Style"? Well, at the wedding I thought it would be fun to dance to it since we have been doing it at Zumba. It kind of became a one woman show, with people standing around watching me, rather than participating. At the end, my brother and his new wife participated too, with me as the leader. I felt a little like a street performer, without the added benefit of collecting cash after my act. Oh well, chalk it up to something I will remember for a long time.
It was fun to have the whole family together, but I have to say I was unprepared for some of the feelings that I experienced during the trip. One thing to note is that I am quite a bit older than my brother. Okay, 12 years if you must know. Anyway, he and his bride asked me to read a brief passage at the wedding, along with one of my sisters. I have to say that as I participated in the wedding rehearsal and the actual wedding itself, I was mentally transported back in time. Seeing my baby brother, now an adult, getting married, was tougher than I had imagined. Images of him pushing away cereal as a baby while I tried to "airplane" it into his mouth or watching him sleep as a little toddler, sucking on his fingers with the label of his stuffed turtle, flooded my brain. I suppose it all stems from our nontraditional upbringing and the fact that at times I played the role of "Mom" to him, but it was something I didn't expect. I guess it can be a preview into the absolute mess I will be when my actual children get married.
So in addition to the memories of the past at the wedding, new memories were made as well. Perhaps you've heard of the Korean rap singer, Psy and his breakout hit, "Gangnam Style"? Well, at the wedding I thought it would be fun to dance to it since we have been doing it at Zumba. It kind of became a one woman show, with people standing around watching me, rather than participating. At the end, my brother and his new wife participated too, with me as the leader. I felt a little like a street performer, without the added benefit of collecting cash after my act. Oh well, chalk it up to something I will remember for a long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment