The big day is almost here! The wedding of my son and his Sweetie. The wedding will be on the Texas coast at sunset in 2 days with about 50 people in attendance. The excitement is building! The plans are coming together! The clans are gathering!

One of the greatest things about a family wedding is seeing all the relatives you haven’t seen since. . . . well, since the last family wedding. And we haven’t been blessed with one of those for years. We have spent time with our precious family members during this time, but now we get them all at the same time and at the same place AND dressed nicely. It doesn’t get much better than that! Well, actually, it does when you add good food and the reason for the gathering. Now that’s a primo event!!

Because this wedding is at a destination location and is occurring after school is out, many people are bringing their children and staying for the weekend. We estimate at least 16 kids from age 4 to 15 years old. This will add a special flavor to the occasion and keep us all from getting too formal and hoittie-toittie. The children will most definitely remind us adults to relax and have fun, and not get too wound up in the details of the wedding.

Family members and friends are coming from all over the state, surrounding areas and from several days travel away. My niece and her husband have made the ultimate sacrifice by driving 2 full days in a car with 5 children to join the festivities. But our family is not whole without all the parts, so everyone desperately wants to be together.

Once a person becomes a member of our clan, they are forever and always a precious and irreplaceable part. They are loved for who they are and not just what they produce. We can never do without them again or tolerate life if they leave. They are family.

This wedding  is not only about the joining of 2 people we love but also the joining of our 2 families. My son gains a wife and 2 sweet sons. Gramps and I will have 2 more grandsons. The other family will increase by a son-in-law. Then there are numerous cousins on each side, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters.

What a magnificent thing this marriage ceremony will be! The binding of 2 people, 4 lives and more than two dozen members of family. I can hardly wait! Two more days!