Wedding reception and Sunday brunch

I think God knew I needed a lot of extra time in my week to document everything from this past week, so he sent me a snow day!  To those of you who aren't happy about it, just blame me, haha!!  Unfortunately, we are supposed to once again get freezing rain later in the day.  Since last week's snow our friend Bill worked on our old snow blower and got it running.  Not sure how that will work if we get ice on top of the snow, however.  

Saturday, February 16

So now, back to wedding day!  Like I said at the end of my previous post, the reception was held at the John Wright Restaurant right along the Susquehanna River in Wrightsville.  Absolutely beautiful venue.  I regret that I never did go out on the balcony that overlooks the river.  Too busy being with people, I guess.   

Miki and Ingo first of all arranged the gift bags on a table in the entrance hallway where we waited. 

Destiny and I were ready for some FOOD!!  She hadn't eaten anything all day!

There was a wonderful display of crackers, chips, dips, veggies, etc for everyone to snack on when we first went into the reception hall. Just what we needed!  Servers also came around offering fancy hors d'oeuvres.  I walked around taking pictures.

Mother and stepdad of the groom; grandparents of the groom.

Our crew, except for Anthony and Lori's family.  One of them was at the bathroom when I was taking pictures of everybody, and then I forgot to take one of them later.  So disappointed.  

But here's a selfie that Anthony took at the wedding, haha!

And here's another one he took during the wedding.  So sweet!

At last the party got started!

Mother/groom dance.  What a happy moment for Miki!

The two dads gave really touching speeches.  I didn't know Jess until she and Bjorn started dating at the end of their senior year.  But after hearing all the things her dad said, I love her even more than ever.  It was such a tender and funny tribute to her.  I love a dad that cries when he talks about his daughter and how he'll miss her.  

Bjorn's dad told some really great back stories about the Bjorn he has always known, stories that showed that the Bjorn everyone here in the states now knows and admires was always one to do the hard things he decided to do, always the one who was kindhearted and compassionate.  Both dads made me cry, both made me laugh.  So very heartwarming.  

And then it was Katrina's turn.  She said she had thought about what to say for such a long time, and then recently came upon a poem written by a Swedish 8th grader that was just perfect.  She read it first in Swedish and then in English.  Then she spoke directly to Bjorn and Jess.  I was weeping the entire time as I took this video.  When she was finished I wanted to go somewhere and sob.  It was SO BEAUTIFUL and simple and sweet and heartbreaking and precious.  I'm crying now just remembering it.

When it was finally time to dance, guess who were the first two on the dance floor??  Sammy and Bianca danced the night away!  Sammy does NOT get tired!  The cutest thing was when another little girl started dancing with Sammy, and Bianca cut right in!!  She was NOT about to let anyone else dance with her big brother, hahaha!

It was such a fantastic, fun evening!  Along the way we went through a buffet line for our main course.  Later there was a dessert table, and later still the wedding cake.  But there was always dancing!

At one point we saw Austin get up to dance to a Justin Timberlake song, not out where everyone could see him though.  We knew how good he is, even though he seldom lets anyone else see him.  So Dick went behind him and got this great video.  When I showed it to him the next day he said, "I didn't think I was was very good, but I guess I was pretty good."  

Hunter was getting tired and ended up sitting on our laps playing games on our phones.  It was a long day for a little boy.  He was so handsome in his little vest.  

I have no idea how long it lasted.  I don't even know what time it was when we left.  I just know I was TIRED and tired of being in dressy clothes.  We took Destiny and her friend Hennessy home after we left, then went to a grocery store to get some things for the next day.  It felt SO GOOD to get back to our Airbnb and get into comfortable clothes and eventually our comfy bed.  My heart was so, so full, and it was hard to get my brain to settle down from all the memories and moments of the day.  


Sunday, February 17

Sunday morning started out with a lovely sunrise.

When Jeremy had suggested that we all come to their Airbnb for Sunday brunch I could not imagine it.  I pictured the children racing around in that beautiful house, breaking things, getting on people's nerves, etc.  But Jeremy insisted, and I'm SO GLAD he did!!  We had a MUCH better time together than we would have had in a restaurant.  It was the PERFECT place to hang out together.    The children were angels.  

Jeremy's friends had made a yummy breakfast casserole, they also had cheeses, breads, and crackers. And we all brought things to add.  We had SUCH A GREAT TIME!!  

After we said our goodbyes to everyone and left to take Destiny home, we stopped first of all at That Fish Place, the biggest pet store ever.  Destiny had good memories of going there as a child, and now that it's practically in her neighborhood, she really wanted to go.  Ray, Ashley, and RJ came also.  Unfortunately, Dick and I were very aware of a forecast for freezing rain in our area later in the day, so we wanted to hit the road.  He took a nap in the van while the rest of us went in.  We probably stayed about half an hour, which really was not long enough to see everything.  But it was interesting and fun.

And then we headed for home.  There was a problem that day that was gradually becoming a bigger problem.  Jenn did not come to our brunch because she had been throwing up during the night.  Miki, Ingo, and Kicki did not stay at the brunch very long because Miki was spending most of the time in the bathroom.  Bjorn texted me that Jess was sick.  I found out that Deb and some of Mark and Laura's family was sick. And as we drove home that day, Dick became more and more uncomfortable.  During the night he became sick, throwing up, and could not go to work on Monday.  Jeremy and Mike headed to Newark Airport on Monday where Mike was catching a flight home and Jeremy was renting a car and a hotel for some work he had in New Jersey the next few days.  Jeremy was feeling worse and worse as the day progressed and was sick with a fever and throwing up that night.  We were thankful to find out that Mike was fine on his flight to Portland.

So of course Jess was immediately thinking food poisoning from something at the reception, and she felt horrible on top of feeling horrible!   But we really don't think it was that.  Not nearly everyone there got sick.   I think that probably someone already had a stomach bug germ and probably didn't know it yet, and it just spread it to others at the reception and then afterward.  This too shall pass!

UPDATE: I just had a phone call from Miki.  She wanted to let me know that they arrived slowly, but safely to the Newark, NJ airport today.  We got on the subject of the stomach bug/food poisoning.  I guess they are convinced it was food poisoning, that over 20 people got sick.  Jess's parents have been in touch with the restaurant and found out that some people who ate in the regular restaurant also have gotten sick.  I guess any of us who have avoided it should count our blessings.  It's too bad, really.  It was such a lovely venue and such a GREAT time.  Stuff happens.  

So now, I have plenty of other things to do.  My church and choir music have been taking a back seat the past week or so, and I've got plenty to work on!  And piles of laundry this week too!  I'm not about to try to get over to Anthony and Lori's today.  All the area schools, as well as Penn State, are closed for the day.  Dick just texted that his work place might close early today because of the freezing rain.  I'm SO THANKFUL we did not have this kind of weather for the wedding weekend!!!