Prep

The night before Harmony's wedding was girl time. I blew the dust off a bottle of red for little sis and she presented me with a chilled bottle of white. Sisterly love. Then we were ready to work! slurp, sip and tie. We sat around the dining room table (literally) tying up loose ends. Harmony had asked people to bring along a favourite recipe to her bridal shower. Then she and her beloved combined them with art they created, and bundled them with homemade lavender sachets as thank you favours.

My three daughters and my sister and I spent the evening happily chatting as we worked. Kidlet was wired and provided colour commentary and distractions. (Thus the crazy staged photos.) She disappeared and we found her stretched out on her bed with the lights on - sleeping as she did as a child, with her eyelids partially open. creepy then - creepy now

We were all tired after a long day of last-minute shopping and beauty treatments; but were in the home stretch with the wrapping of the favours and the finalizing of the seating map. We loaded laundry baskets with the bolts of burlap for table runners; the paint cans of candy; extra clothes and shoes; candles; bulletin boards and seating charts; favours and kiddie bags to have them ready by the door.

By eleven-thirty Harmony and I said good-night and wished one another a good sleep, and she headed to the spare room to call her beloved. I lay back on my pillow - spent - and grateful for the plushness and kindness of my mattress. And then the slide show started--  and repeated over and over again -- images of my positive pregnancy test; her wrinkled face as they pulled her from me; her blonde pig tails bouncing as she pranced; the sound of her singing to herself in bed; her school performance of "Clowns"; her directorial debut; her first piercing; her shaved head; the day we moved her out to university; her performance in the Vagina Monologues; and a continuous looping of many other dusty images. Everything that went before, led us to this important milestone. And it all happened in a blink of an eye.

Just as it would seem that I am about to plunge us into somber reflection, I look at these silly pictures and shake my head. Kidlet is doing her best impression of Jack from The Shining and tossed in amongst the intensity and focus of all things wedding prep, it made for quite an evening. See for yourself...

Harmony's artwork

Kidlet was giddy beyond belief and did her best to terrorize the blushing bride.

I think this was the final straw...

And so went the wedding prep!