We were given a very nice two-room motel suite where Glenda and I shared a king-sized bed in one room while Dylan, Simon Jones (Dylan's Best Man) and Bradley (Dylan's roommate) shared a couple of queen beds.
En route, traveling with Carly and Shem and their girls, Stella's foot and lower-leg began to swell dramatically (click here for Carly's version). It looked just like what happens to Glenda and Carly's mosquito bites so dismissed it until we arrived in Portland and it was not only quite swollen but very warm to the touch. The kids took her to the hospital ER where she was given some antibiotics that helped quickly to get rid of the infection! Where did that come from? Anyhow, by Saturday she was much better and ran about the Baker City reception for Dylan and Heather as if nothing had ever been amiss.
On Friday, Carly and Dylan left early (around 8:00 a.m.) to take some pictures prior to the ceremony. We met them around 9:30 or so, and joined Heather's family, the Harstons, for more pictures. Carly is amazing as a photographer and immediately took charge of a large group, directing them from place to place, where to stand, how to stand, etc. Her little frame seemed to swell with authority while her voice achieved a timbre of brass that not only cut through the noise of the very large fountain very close by, but silenced the crowd and compelled them to their stations. She is wonderful! We've only seen a couple of the pictures but they are wonderful. Such as:
Look how the girls seem to be floating in mid air - as if Heather is The White Queen and Amber Mozina (aka Mo) and Caitlin Lamb (aka Clamb), her bridesmaids are The White Queen's hench-women. Carly had them jump straight up, stiff-legged. Apparently it took several attempts to get this photo, but I think it was well worth it. The last photo of Dylan has him looking like some kind of celebrity dressed "to the nines." A good-looking young man, I say.
The ceremony in the temple is quiet and reverent. Many of Heather's family were there including all her older siblings and their spouses, her Uncle Tom and Aunt Vera, and her grandmother Harston. Carly, Shem, Glenda, and I represented the Isaacsons, and Jason & Stacy Bingham, Simon Jones, and Bradley joined us as well. The two of them came in, looking lovely, and listend whle a Brother Richardson offered some counsel and advise - almost none of it anyone can remember, sadly. I did take away his suggestion that if they wanted their marriage to endure and grow more rich each year, they needed to focus on each other and not themselves. I've surely found that when I've forgotten myself wanting things to be good for Glenda, and she doing the same for me, we each come away with much, much more than the sum of the sacrifice. Well, they kneeled across the alter, joined hands and Brother Richardson pronounced blessings and promises through the covenants they made with God. It was short, sweet, and moving. I was fine, emotionally, until Simon stepped up to congratulate his friend. Dylan wrapped his arms around his Best Man and kind of fell apart. That did it, and I was a bit gone - but only for a short while. We all made our congratulations to the newly weds and out we went. In the foyer, Stella and Olive were being well-tended by Heather's roommates; we were all reunited and welcomed Dylan and Heather as they came out of the temple. More pictures, more congratulations, and we were off.
We took the groomsmen and three of Dylan's friends (who showed up to the temple too late), as well as the Binghams out to lunch and made our way slowly north for the Enumclaw reception. The traffic was terrible, especially coming out of Portland and going into Fort Lewis and Tacoma. Whew! I hate that traffic - and most of the cars carrying only one person. It's maddening.
The Enumclaw reception was very enjoyable, the Harston's making a very good show. They didn't organize a formal reception line, which was a wonderful relief, and we milled about introducing ourselves and being introduced. After a short while, their bishop came by - he is an old friend from La Grande, Eldon Berry. He recognized me, of course, and I him. We visited, caught up the many years since last we visited and it was a good reunion. He comes from a very strong family and they were a wonderful influence upon me as I was growing up.
About 40 minutes into the reception, Heather's older brothers set up a cable with a pulley and made a Zip-line with one end of the cable connected to a tree, about 30-feet up, and the other attached to the hitch on the back of their pickup. Even the bridesmaids went down! It was fun.
Glenda and drove from there to Kennewick where we got a room for the night. We drove home and made final preparations for our reception at the Crown Courtyard in Baker City. All of Glenda's and Carly's planning made the thing come off without a hitch or worry and we followed the same template as in Enumclaw with no formal reception line. We enjoyed about 100 guests and lovely weather, despite a little bit of a strong breeze. The new couple took a room at the Crown Courtyard and left for their honeymoon the next day to Wallowa Lake for 5 days.
It was a tremendous weekend. I thrilled to see them become husband and wife, although were I to plan it they would have waited a few more years. But, inasmuch as Glenda and I raised Dylan to think and act for himself, and Glen and Diane seemingly did the same with Heather, it should come as no surprise that they would actually do so. It's a bit irritating that they did so, but not surprising. They make a lovely couple, and seeing them together creates as hopeful future for them. Today all is rosy, but that will wear off soon enough. Dylan has inherited my impatience, and hopefully Heather will be able to cool him down as well as Glenda has me. They will make it well I'm sure. They will make concession here and there, and will find things about the other that they might have changed had they known it earlier, but this is nothing new to any marriage. Surely they can weather the storms ahead and exercise some faith in each other, themselves, and the promises and blessings given through their covenants. We will certainly entertain them as best we can and support them always. We love them both, and are thrilled to have increased our family with one as lovely in spirit as is Heather.
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