The Wedding

Pancho and Thumper left me this last week to go to Hawaii for our best friends' wedding.  Pancho met Beaver in school and Beaver's girlfriend Nurse and I became instant friends.  Ironically enough, I met Nurse for the first time through Skype!  They lived a bit north of us and we got together as often as we could but with school, work, and life it wasn't as often as we would have liked.  And then we accepted the offer to join the Department of State and moved to DC just after they got engaged.  We've only known them for a few years but it seems like a lifetime.  They are amazing people and a wonderful couple!

I am unable to take any leave while in language training and it just wasn't feasible to go to Hawaii for the weekend without missing a couple days of work.  I definitely looked at tickets until the night before the wedding hoping the timings would change!  In retrospect, I should have just done it.  I wanted to be there so badly and I thought that sending Pancho and Thumper was the best I could do...but I should have just bought the ticket and dealt with DoS later.

The good news is that I jokingly mentioned they should Skype me into the wedding...and they did.  Pancho and Beaver video called me, walked me through the hallway, set me on my own chair, and introduced me to guests.  I got to wave to my son, thank the family members who have been watching him, and see everything get set up.  I put my microphone on mute so no one would hear me crying or Drake barking :-)  And then the music started and the most beautiful, confident, kind, and amazingly gorgeous bride walked down the aisle to stand at her husband's side (you were handsome too B).  I got to be there...virtually...and it was unimaginable.

I know that distance is hard.  I know it because we are the ones who are far away from our friends and families.  But right now this experience and this opportunity is what we have decided is best for us.  The consequence that we have to accept is that we are going to miss weddings, babies, and other important events.  But technology is amazing and while it doesn't substitute for being there in person, I'd rather be virtually present than not present at all.  Being so far away, that's the best we can do and tonight I feel like grateful for the friends I have as well as my internet connection.

The wedding and I hung up...and then 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift came on Pandora and my night ended with lots of love, a few tears, and a full heart.

Congratulations Beaver and Nurse!

The Wedding...from my Living Room