I'll know when...

It's over. The whole wedding weekend was a great success. The bride and groom couldn't have been happier. I found I learned something, and maybe this will help any future MOBs out there. Remember to stay focused on your daughter; it's her day and she is under even more stress than you are. My girl had this supposedly easy rotation starting in September, toxicology. No call, nine to five, just doing consults....but two days before she left for the wedding, she was running a code on a three year old who was bit by a brown recluse spider. In emergency medicine, losing a child takes its toll on the whole hospital staff. This was her first loss.

The next night, I'm having barbecue at my house for the early arrivals. My older brother promptly walks in, and asks to lay down in the guest room. From there, we made our way to the ER until 3 am and then he was admitted to rule out a stroke (it wasn't). Ever the funny and likable psychologist, when the nurse asked him, "When was the last time you felt normal?" he turned to me and gave me the look! I had to explain, there is a large spectrum of normal when you're a psychologist. Thank God for my step-brother from ST Louis and my NYC sister. They tended to him once he was discharged from the hospital, only suffering from vertigo but unable to walk. A NY cousin kept saying, "Better it couldn't be," and then repeated a little too much to the new in-laws "How impressed we are with your family...." No one tripped in the field and sprained an ankle. The wine kept coming and the food was divine, particularly the crab cake appetizers and of course the shrimp and grits. Oh and best of all, the hurricane brought cooler temperatures, with sun, a slight breeze and a high of 79! Perfection.

Did our minister/Grandfather Hudson have everyone in the palm of his hand, telling personal stories that included not being able to find a VCR to play the old film our daughter made when she was little? Yes, our wedding planner wants to hire him! Did our daughter actually whisper her future husband's name right before walking down the path past the big wooden apple and tell him she may need to sit down once they get up there? Yes, and he said, "Don't worry baby, I'll know when you're going to faint. Your eyes will roll back in your head and you'll hit the floor." Cracked us up so much, we had to stifle laughter instead of tears on the promenade. And did I hitch a ride to the wedding with my sister-in-law and her daughter and new grandbaby, getting lost and arriving a little late? Yes, but we got there before the bride and the officiant!

So when people started trying to give me presents before the ceremony, I said, "Find the wedding planner." When they asked for directions, I said, "They are on the itinerary in the gift bag in your room." I let my cousin take charge of the hospitality suite (and she did a great job btw) and I found I could rely on my siblings to pick up and take care of my sick brother so that I could attend the wonderful rehearsal dinner complete with a powerpoint trip down memory lane, and the spa/pool lunch with the bride the day before the wedding. I had a big chill friend's son pick up the Whole Foods brunch on Monday. Oh yeah, and I left the management of my old dog's swollen snout (bee bite?) to our faithful pet sitter. Fog happens.

The day before the wedding my husband handed me a blue bird feather he found on the lawn. Feathers mean hope to me, and he said everything would be alright. When I opened the curtain in the hotel, I saw two hot air balloons coming over the trees. My daughter has lift off. The couple may not know where they're going next, after the chief year, but they have an abiding love for each other.