Spleen-rupturing laughter.  Face-contorting sobs.  Mild to moderate constipation.  Hilarious reminiscing.  Last-minute scurrying.  Button-popping buffets.  Renewed friendships.  A stunning wedding.  This past weekend had it all.

When I arrived in Calgary after a gloriously quiet plane ride, free from a writhing toddler on my lap demanding another episode of Arthur and some fruit snacks, it was peeing rain.  It had been peeing rain for a few days already.  Then it kept on peeing rain the whole time I was there.  Normally rain is good:  it greens the grass and boosts the flowers.  However, Kristin’s wedding was intended to be an outdoor wedding at a huge camp in Canmore, Alberta.  They had planned for their guests to partake of rousing activities like canoeing, rock wall climbing, hiking, and playing ultimate frisbee in between the ceremony and reception.  As the wedding day neared it became clear that the hopes for an outdoor wedding were being dashed a little with each drop of rain and they had to start making plans to bring the festivities inside, since the whole camp was a muddy mess.  Kristin was understandably disappointed, but she kept her chin up and we did all we could to make Plan B a success.

On the morning of the wedding she slipped into her dress and I was overwhelmed by her beauty and grace.  She was a vision in white, with a scarlet sash.

The ceremony was brilliant.  It was personal and meaningful, but not contrived or cheesy.  Kristin and her husband, Martin, share a unique bond of understanding and love and we were all moved by the vows they had prepared for one another.  I was a gaping mess of snot and tears for the duration of the ceremony, so touched by seeing my dear friend so happy and content and cherished.

Apparently, Kristin and Martin have many die-hard friends who, after the ceremony, slipped into their rain gear and went outside to canoe, and do the ropes course, and play slick games in the mud.  Crazy fools.  Didn’t they know there were snacks inside?

After the bride and groom had their photos taken in the drizzling rain(by Dustin and Christy of Emblem Photography, no less!) the reception began and I had the pleasure of reconnecting with many old friends and loved ones.

Kendra and I got into plenty of trouble all weekend long, since she had flown out early as well to help with the wedding preparations.

The weekend was phenomenal.  I stayed up way too late; I ate far too much; I laughed too hard; I loved every minute of it.

It sure was nice to come home, though, and see Avelyn standing at the top of the stairs, her scraggly mullet having grown another inch while I was gone, happily hollering, “MOMMAY!”

Life is good.  Friends are swell.  Love is grand.