This was the weekend that was to be the gray, overcast, and stormy April showers kind.  Lots of family prayers went up for this outdoor wedding in the sunken Oleander Garden of the historic Galvez Hotel.  They were answered with a smile from above:)  Complete with Ruddy, the Nova Scotia Troller, bearing the rings; and the tiniest of flower girls being carried to the altar.  It was a memorable event filled with love, laughter and lots of family hugs.  Caitlin was stunning in a wedding dress that can only be described as perfectly fashioned just for her.  The groom, Brady Koch, was movie-star handsome, as were his nine groomsmen.  To top it all off, the mike was fought over through the night, as we heard stories of Brady diving in shark-infested Sabine Pass waters to retrieve an anchor for the potential father-in-law; and helping his friend capture the gargantuan speckled trout, only to save the large treble hook embedded in his hand instead:)  The band was New Orleans quality, of course.  I could go on for hours, as did the celebration, but I have another story to share.

This alone would have made this a weekend for the memory books; however, the next day was the perfect follow-up.  Inna and Dan, my neighbor Helen King’s son and daughter-in-law, were celebrating the upcoming birth of their second child, Lumi.  The sun shone, in spite of the forecast, the sky was robin blue with a gentle ocean breeze to keep the temperature comfortable all day.  The toddlers came to play in the Diamond Beach 3-tiered pool, complete with several waterfalls.

Ika and Matt brought my grandson Bo down to meet everyone, now that he has passed his 3-month birthday.  Yes, there were other baby’s there too, but I forgot to take their picture:)  While the kids played in the hot tub mostly (it was still a bit chilly in the pool), the adults enjoyed the most elaborate array of food I’ve seen.  Helen outdid herself, as it rivaled any San Luis buffet I’ve ever seen.  Of course we had to work for our dinner, as each of us designed an outfit for Lumi with our most creative art work on onsie’s and t’s.  It was so much fun, I’m sure we all overstayed until we were lobster-red.  First sun of the summer does it every time.  To make the weekend complete for me, my sisters Paige and Ruthie, with their significant others, stayed to share in the fun. As the sun set over the balcony, everyone gave a final hug and headed home to prepare for the inevitable Monday.  We have to do this again soon!