Grateful for all I have

Thank you all for all you have done! I have to say, that after this weekend, I have never felt so blessed. This weekend was filled with chaos and lots and lots of money spent on things that mostly got tossed at the end. It was stressful and crazy. But at the end, I have never felt so blessed. I originally told Nic that I had no interest in a reception. I am from Spokane and only know so many people in Portland. I knew I wouldn’t get a very large turn out for the amount of work that would go into it. While he agreed, his family did not. They pushed and pushed and finally we caved and said we’d do it. After all, after Nic’s last wedding, people were very upset he never had a reception in Portland.

After sending out about 200 invitations, mostly to Nic side, we began planning. Everyone sounded so excited. Then the day of the reception came. Nic’s mom, younger sister and five friends were all that came on his side. After all that he had been told, even the people that begged us to do it didn’t show. The majority of the gifts came from my two receptions, doctors who had gifts mailed to us, and my co-workers who not only gave us gifts at the reception, but gifts the day we got married.

After the reception, we hung out and played a very spirited game of keep away. While I walked away with more bruises then I can count and am so sore that every movement seems to be strained, it was a lot of fun. Then we all stayed up far too late laughing and joking.

After everyone left, I got a text message from Josh thanking me for letting him stay and hang out with the family. He doesn’t have a close or typical family situation and he said he doesn’t get to do that very often. I told him we didn’t mind at all and we would be more then happy to drag him to Spokane with us on our next visit. He told me I was very lucky to have such a family (which just shows you how bad his family must be).

I also had a long talk with a very sad Nic on Sunday. He was bummed his family never showed and that most of his friends bailed. Especially since no one had an even good excuse or even an excuse at all. I told him not to worry, that he now has a whole new family and we will obnoxiously be there whether he wants us or not.

But I look back on the weekend and I can’t help but be grateful. With people like Nic and Josh around, they help keep things in perspective. As dysfunctional as we are, we have always been there for each other. And together we have fun and stick together. That’s something I take for granted. It’s something that is rare in life these days.

I am grateful for you all.