The Bartered Bride, and other warblings

Going back to last Friday, Wigilia at Ciocia Helen's was very nice. Ciocia Helen and I spoke some Polish here and there, I ate the Herring (but couldn't choke down the Gevelta Fish this time- I just couldn't!) and met one of my cousins and her family for the first time. My cousin's name is Elizabeth and she has an uncanny resemblance to my mother in physical appearance (remember, these are Polish cousins on my Dad's side). Elizabeth's husaband is a Colonel in the Marines and together, they have three daughters who are simply gorgeous- very girly girls with pearls, make-up, and perky boobs.

I left for Ashley and Derek's wedding Monday morning from Wyalusing. It took me about 7 hours to get there thanks to the last leg of the directions being a little shady. Mental note: "fork in the road" apparently can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Upon my arrival, we went straight to the rehearsal dinner, and then to the church. The Rich family put us all up in the Hampton Hotel, which was really super. I shared a room with some friends from Southern: Esther and Kirsten. Tuesday from about 10-3 we were all at Ashley's house folding programs, doing hair, make-up, and all that other stuff. The wedding was at five, followed by a very nice reception at a near-by country club. Other than the second violinist in the quartet not showing up until 10 minutes before the wedding, everything went very smoothly and of course, Ashley looked beautiful. Instead of blubbering and wailing through this wedding, most of us were trying to not roll hysterically on the floor thanks to a very wide, wide vibrato of a family member who did some singing in the wedding- a very controlled and trained instrument, just a little over-kill on the vibrato.

I had a great time and am really glad I went. I was really happy that we got to spend so much time with Ashely. It didn't make me feel like I was loosing her so much, which is maybe the reason why I didn't cry as much as I normally do.

My emotions take such a beating at weddings, but unlike at Jenny's wedding where I just sobbed the entire time from the moment she told me she was on birth control until the processional, at Ashely's wedding I experience more of an emotional rollercoaster ride. Of course for starters there is that little bit of stress that comes with the performing you do in the wedding, but the freedom and pleasure that comes with the performance itself. Next is relief that my part is over and anticipation of everyone tromping down the isle followed by the realization as your bride friend walks down the isle that she is actually wearing a wedding dress and is about to sell her freedom forever. This is a distressing moment for me, but easily eclipsed by how beautiful the bride looks. When the pastor starts talking about all of this "before God" buisness of how marriage is the closest we can be to God (which, as a single person kind of pisses me off), and how this joining is being brought before Him, it is at this moment when I start to cry because I realize how much bigger than all of us this commitment is. Then Ashley sang to Derek and of course I cried then, but found myself clutching the pew during the reading of the wedding vows as if holding on to my own freedom for dear life! But by the end, it's over and you realize the pastor didn't even give you to option to object, so what can you do but listen to the postlude. Yeah. Weddings.

I left Massachusetts at 5 this morning and arrived in Hamburg, PA around 12. Bryce and I have just been chilling, froliking around the grocery store and cooking. Right now we are making Babka (the six hour project) and crepes with Bryce's very cool dad and crepe master, Eldon.