Sunday, September 21, 2014

Old Frienships, A New Marriage, and Seven States

I have been all over the US the past two weeks. I made it home yesterday from California on a true-to-its-name red-eye flight.  Prior to departing for California, Scott and I went on quite the the little adventure: Last week, well no, actually twenty-five years ago Scott met a wonderful friend named Frank. Over the past quarter of a decade, the two men have grown up and moved apart but have always remained good friends. I met Frank twelve years ago in Columbia, MO. Scott snottily declared that Frank didn't like me. This odd lie turned out to be far from the truth and I immediately fell in love with Frank. Frank has been a wonderful friend to Scott and me. He would frequently make a two-hour road trip to Columbia when I was pregnant with Jackson. He filled the role of "father-to-be" while Scott worked in South Carolina. Frank came to the baby shower and then a year and a half later, our wedding.

Frank was always that good guy that I wanted to hook up with my friends; he deserved the best and the lucky girl most definitely needed to secretly pass my approval.

Well, it's a good thing I did not get involved, because last weekend, Frank married the most wonderful woman. A perfect counterpart to his already established big heart. Ali loves Frank and we love her. We love her for so much: She is beautiful, kind, smart, funny, and loves all that is Frank. We had the honor of driving over 2500 miles to be a part of a small wedding in an even smaller town in Rothsay, MN. The event may have been small in numbers, but in love - enormous. Friends and family  from all around the country attended to support Frank and Ali; they all knew, as Scott and I knew, that the union of Frank and Ali was not to be missed; this was the event of 2014; a love story with a picture-perfect ending.

Two weeks ago I reluctantly said bye to Scott as he left for St. Louis for the bachelor party: Three days on a farm in Missouri with out potable water, but enough whiskey and beer to keep forty guys entertained for days. I finally reunited with my husband in Kansas City a week later and we journeyed through Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota to northwestern Minnesota.

We spent three days in the small town of Fergus Falls, MN disrupting and arrogantly taking over the town.

Scott has the best friends. I admire that he established and has maintained contact with this group for more than twenty years. They are SO MUCH fun; the kind of fun that leaves tears in your eyes and your heart full of joy. The stories they tell about each other are better than any 7 pm reality show.

Frank and Ali brought us all together in MN. This group occasionally gets together throughout the year, but this time this group descended upon this small town like locusts with laughter.

The ceremony brought tears to my eyes minutes before another friend officiated the marriage. Just simply seeing Frank and Ali walking separately down the aisle with their parents melted my heart. I cried again when the Mr. and Mrs. Frank T were announced.That was the moment that all of his friends had been wanting: Frank did it - he found a beautiful person and will now continue his beautiful life with another pretty awesome friend - Ali. And we are the ones that were truly blessed to be apart of  it.



 Cows and an abandoned limousine in Minnesota..

Before the wedding...

 A few W selfies along the way...and wine of course


 Good friends for over 25 years!
The super-awesome wives.