ForgivenOlsons: Amilia Getting Married

Last weekend, my "baby" twin sister--hey, forty-five seconds of seniority counts big!--got married to Chris, a quiet, laid-back, witty man who is a definite kindred spirit to Amilia. We all like him, and it was wonderful to meet his awesome family and share their joy as our loved ones were united in Christ!

Mil and Chris at the Rehearsal Dinner - they already look happy!

Amid some down time, including P's first major league baseball game with Papa--the Cards at home, beating the Dodgers--we had a great experience with extended family and friends, eating, visiting, laughing, and (not surprisingly) crying. And per usual, we got a handful of pictures, but I'll post (or at the very least, link) more later because our small repertoire doesn't nearly do the weekend justice.

What do you get when you take good food...

...good company (AND good coffee!)...

...and a little saintliness? A great family weekend, that's what.

It was a lovely time, one that we will remember always. To best articulate my feelings about the whole gala event, read my matron of honor speech. You'll have to imagine the laughter and the tears yourselves, though.

Here comes the bride!

I love you, Mil! Vivid flowers, blue skies, sparkly dresses, chocolate-chip cookies, men even better than Gene Kelly (hey, his name is a requirement here!), and forever two made for each other.

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Great afternoon everyone! It’s wonderful to have so many family and friends here—from near and from far!—to celebrate Chris and Amilia’s wedding today. As they head into their future life together, I’d like to especially thank you, Mil, for asking me to be your matron of honor. I’m so pleased to “stand up” next to you as you marry the man you love. AND I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to roast you today.

(Pause)

What? What, Jon? Oh, I’m sorry. I meant toast. Yeah, toast.

Sisters on a big day.

In thinking about what I wanted to say on this festive occasion, I spent a lot of time thinking about dresses. Yes, Mil, DRESSES. You know—the long, trippy, frilly frocks you spent the first decade of your life detesting. From our earliest days, you clearly expressed an aversion to anything remotely smelling of femininity. When we’d play house, Charles would be the dad, I’d be the mom, and Amilia would be the boy. Yes, the boy. While I’d be running for lace! Sequins! Bows!, you’d be begging to wear t-shirts and pants…AGAIN. Overall, you put up a pretty good fight whenever you had to wear girly-looking attire.

And speaking of a good fight, you put up pretty good ones generally whenever you were upset. At Christmas, we’d get these little report cards from Santa, and inevitably Charles would be told not to aggravate (or “avregate”), I’d be told not to be so bossy (shocking, I know!), and you, Mil, would be told not to “pitch fits.” You were—and still are—an opinionated person, and when you got your mind set on something, you’d passionately fight for it. (Remember at the Mock U.N. when you got a little carried away, and the moderator recognized you by saying, “The chair now recognizes the hysterical delegate from Israel?”) But I admit, sometimes we got a little too much fun out of ticking you off on purpose—hoarding toys or books that you wanted, for instance. Of course, that all ended YEARS ago. We wouldn’t DREAM of teasing you or egging you on now that we’re mature adults. :)

A-MAZ-ING flowers!

You used to get especially incensed when we’d tell you what kind of guy you’d eventually marry. You beautifully set up years of torment by insisting, at the ripe old age of twelve, that you’d never get married. And it wasn’t enough to declare it with all the authority you could muster as a sixth-grader. You had to go on shake on it with Dad, who bet you ten dollars that you were wrong. (And by the way, Dad, you owe me five bucks after the dollar dance for that shout-out. :))

Nope, you had no idea what I was going to say just a few hours later. So enjoy the girl-glam!

So needless to say, Mil, you’ve changed a bit from the little girl who disliked dresses and swore off marriage. Here you are, looking lovely as you don a gorgeous dress to marry Chris. And you’ve not only bridged your aversions to frocks and matrimony; you’ve actually learned that dresses can be fun and marriage is a gift, a wonderful gift.

You’ve learned that change can be hard (or at the very least fought tooth and nail), but thank goodness—as days like today remind us—it can also be awesome (and a reason for a little teasing, for old time’s sake)!

Mil, though sometimes I want to "wrang your neck" (and I know, the feeling’s mutual!), it’s a privilege and a joy to be your sister, and I’m so happy for you. (And Chris, the same goes for you, too. :)) So, in celebration with our libations, let us all raise our glasses—to happy change and a lifetime of joy for Amilia and Chris!

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