California Calisthenics

Oh the AGONY of long-anticipated events coming to an end! We learned that my cousin Heather would be getting married to Luke (her British beau!) in August of 2012 and began planning a whole family trip for May 2013. When we learned about the wedding and the trip to Santa Rosa/Sonoma Valley/San Fransicso area, I was 7 months pregnant and Eli was 10 days away from starting Kindergarten. While we were in California two weeks ago, Oakley turned 7 months old and Eli missed 5 days of the end of his kindergarten year!

Drew led our family efforts of saving and planning for the trip. We bought plane tickets in December, lodging in March, and a rental car in April. The anticipation mounted and the shopping/packing list took shape. I was asked to co-officiate the ceremony and my kids were graciously invited to be flower girl and ring bearer. We all 5 got some new spiffy clothes for the events of the wedding week. When packing time finally rolled around, my sister Natalie had put together a spreadsheet of days/events/outfits/shoes/accessories. While it might sound superfluous, the schedule of our time together in such an awesome place with great people called for some structure in the packing! Drew loved the spreadsheet Nat created but only took a third of the number of shoes- Nat: 9 pairs. Drew: 3 pairs. Me: 6 pairs.

Our Epic Family California Wedding Trip 2013 included:

• the gathering together of our spread out family: from Colorado, Canada, Seattle, California, and Kansas City.
• the expansion of family- meeting and enjoying Luke and the Sales family from the UK. They were a brave and “brilliant” family to be thrust into the “massive” love, chaos, hoop-la, emotion, and meaning of our family in all its nuances and an American wedding!
• Cultural mixing- many of Luke and Heather’s friends from the UK and around the world came for the wedding- such a great dynamic!
• Events: Wednesday:  Following an eventful and long airplane trip that started at 4:30 am KC time, we went to a 1:30pm Giants game straight from the airport where Drew explained every detail of baseball to some genuinely interested Brits while I breastfed an exhausted baby mid-stands and Eli and Andi were given cotton candy- the vacation was ON!
  

  John and Natalie at the wedding site

  

  The Bride and Groom

  

  Oaks and Auntie Kim

  

  Sweet San Fran hills

  

• Thursday: We toured two wineries, were treated to an amazing lunch at the wineries and then had a family dinner at my aunt and uncle’s home- which is hospitably gorgeous and amazingly set up to grow roses and host views of the surrounding hills of wine country! Thursday ended with the bachelorette party and an In&Out night cap.
• 

  Oakley’s first swim- at the Buchan’s pool

  Friday: Family photo shoot (this is no joke for my family- 22 people, 48 poses, 67 minutes). A hike, manis and pedis, and then some set up, the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.

• Saturday: Some relaxing by our pool/hot tub at our great rented house, followed by some stress about getting everyone ready on time, followed by everyone in my extended family looking awesome and gathering to witness the love of God imparted to, and supplying in full, the love Luke and Heather pledged to each other in their ceremony.
• The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour (wine again?! yes please!!!!!!), dinner (artisan pizza bar!), dancing, photo booth fun, gelato instead of cake (Yum!), and a sparkler send off!
• I won’t forget a moment on the dance floor when the bride took a moment to dance with Andi. Heather spun her beautiful wedding dress and Andi watched with awe. Andi spun her flowergirl dress and asked Heather to spin again. Later she would say, “I just couldn’t stop watching her pretty dress spin and spin!”
• It was all almost too much for Eli who reflected Sunday afternoon that “Yesterday was just the best day.” When Laura asked, “The wedding day? What did you like so much about the wedding Eli?”, he responded, “Sparklers!?! At a wedding? Are you kidding me?! AND, ice cream, pizza, a photo booth, and dancing?!! Ah, it was so fun.” His reflection and vocal inflection were priceless.
• Oakley was baby extraordinaire- friendly, sharing smiles easily and often, grunting (his favorite way to talk these days), sitting up, and  being so social. He was flexible and went everywhere at all times of the day/night!
• Sunday: We tore ourselves away from our family and the pool at the Buchan’s and drove to San Francisco to spend two nights in the very chic but very small Hotel California in Union Square downtown. My family was in two twin beds plus a pack-in-play, while my siblings slept 4 adults in a queen size bed and 1 rollaway- ah, small spaces!
  

  Our tour guides

• Monday: With James and Laura as tour guides and Natalie as Aunt with all-hands on deck, we saw the sights of San Fran! On a gorgeous day, we negotiated a stroller, cable cars, buses, trollies, crowded streets, overzealous “locals” and their unsolicited advice, and the hills that provided calf burns and amazing views. The steps down from Coit Tower with amazing lush foliage and views of the city and bay was my favorite attraction.  Eli liked the cable car, Andi loved the spaghetti noodles at this great restaurant set up in an alley in the business district we stumbled upon and fully enjoyed, Drew led us boldly to Ghirardelli Square where we indulged every ice cream whim, and Oakley smiled at people on each and
  

  Cable Car!!

  every mode of transportation and took maybe 2 hours of naps all day.

We got home around dinner time Tuesday night- almost a whole week after we had set out. As we ate Chipotle (thank you Geeg for the ariport pick up and dinner!) around our kitchen table that night. we listed modes of transportation we had taken, people we enjoyed meeting (Andi chose animals as her favorite new “people”- the Buchan’s two dogs), and favorite memories, moments, foods, and things we saw.

It’s only now, 7 days removed from the end of it all, that I can write about it all with only minor heartache. The time was so full, the moments so memorable, and the experiences and conversations with people I love so much so rich, there just isn’t much that can ease the pain of its ending. My anecdote is always to plan the next trip so I’ll close here and say a prayer that my cousin Bonnie’s boyfriend proposes soon…