The Wedding/Fourth of July

The reason I had to pick Lee up from Creation was because we had to go to a family wedding on Saturday, before it was over.


Lee's cousin Mike and his girlfriend (now wife) Tricia have been together as long as Lee and I, though I think they may have broken up once or twice. Tricia is a dear girl and has been considered family for a loong time. She is a school teacher. Everybody loves her. We love Mike, too, as he and Lee were cousins that played together. So it was always going to be a very special wedding.

They were married in the capitol building. The wedding party came down the big beautiful steps inside. The dresses all matched. It was a short ceremony presided over by a judge.


Lee loved being in the capitol building because he could feel the hum of the politicians. While they were taking pictures, Lee went off to visit Senator Piccola. Lee says likes him because he is an idealist, and because his first degree was in History. He wasn't in, so Lee talked to his chief of staff for awhile.

The reception was in the Zembo building. It was a very pretty interior. In the receiving line, Lee's cousin gave me a hug. That made me really happy. I don't know Mike well, but he is one of the few relatives Lee has who is not condescending to him. that came out negative. What I really mean is, I really like Mike, and I really like Tricia, too.

Lee had to go back to Creation to help tear down. No problem, except that left me without a phone or a car, so he left me to sleep at Nan's so I wouldn't be lonely. That was nice and peaceful... but not having a car I had no way to go to church. That made me a little grumpy.

Anyway, Monday and Tuesday it was right back to work. Peaceful, quick days, and evenings of catching up with Lee. We had a fight Monday night (or was it Tuesday?) but it was a good one because I think I might actually understand what he was getting at. Lee was bubbly all week (bubbly for Lee, anyway), telling me all about Creation and how uplifting it was. Next year, we are all going to go. There is apparently a great kids tent, lots of food vendors, and they even had a Mass there... that made me happy. I can't wait to go next year.

Anyway, Wednesday was a great Fourth. We did NOTHING all day. Lee needed a day to just RELAX. When I am at work he has to mind the kids, and that's not really relaxing. So we just relaxed all day.

Then at night we went to see Nan. She was really surprised to see us, because usually we spend any holiday that involves eating (yes, that is in fact all of them, sigh) with Lee's paternal family (previously referred to as the heathens). I was surprised myself, as Lee's father called him earlier in the day and invited him to a barbecue at Jackie's house, but Lee turned him down, letting them know that we were going to see fireworks with Jon. Yay! And then the rain started. And when it rained, it poured. And then some. So that's how we ended up at Nan's house. (Is it any wonder I have never kept a journal before? Staying in chronological order is such a challenge for me...)

After hanging out with Nan for awhile, the rain let up enough that we decided to brace the fireworks after all. It was too late to meet up with Jon (who had to tape the fireworks for his job), but not too late to find a spot along the river and park our lawn chairs. The kids and I LOVED it. Lee says it was one of the lamest fireworks displays Harrisburg has ever put on, and everyone we've talked to has said the same, but it didn't make any difference to us. The following are pictures taken on the lowest quality setting of Lee's phone. They capture the mood well.





Immediately after the fireworks, the rain began again in earnest. We took the kids back to Nan's and went to see a movie with Jon and his girlfriend, Jill. We saw Fantastic Four, which was pretty good for a comic book movie. Lots of showing off in the special effects, sometimes a little over the top, but fun.

I was thinking during the fireworks that as human beings, we so need to have the "special" days. I haven't "felt" patriotic in a long time, although I do and have always loved our country very much and felt strongly about the personal freedoms that were ensured for us by our forefathers. It's not that I am a cynic, I have just been taking it all for granted. So it was nice to see fireworks and remember that you don't need "feelings" to love deeply, not even your country.