Day 4 of the 4 Day Wedding Whirlwind

3/20...Saturday... Sad-urday if you ask me. It was hard to leave that beautiful resort, that perfect weather, the food that I didn't have to cook or clean up after, that daughter and her new husband....and head home and back to reality. Spring Break was coming to an end and my other 2 kids had to get back to their college campuses on Sunday, so we booked our flight home for Saturday. I wish we could have had one more day. But really at the end of that day, I would have wanted another.



This day started with my eyes popping wide open around 7:00 am...even though we weren't officially waking up until 8. I realized that the one thing Jordan had asked us to do for her was to take all the gifts to their townhouse before we left for the airport. Of course we could do that for her. The hotel staff had brought all of the gifts and decorations to our room the night before.


Only there was a slight problem. And it was this that woke me up.


I had forgotten to get a key to Jordan and Chris' place ....and an address. I knew I could look the address up...but with no key, how were we going to get in there? I couldn't call her because she was ......in the.........honeymoon suite. And even I knew that you don't call the honeymoon suite. I was in a pickle. I suffer from CRS syndrome and it had attacked again. (CaN't ReMeMbEr Sh#*)


I thought and thought....and woke Chuck up and worried some more. And then....I fretted.


And I tried to go back to sleep and I got back up and made coffee. Then I got back in bed and then got back up and started packing. Stopping a hundred times to think, think, think. Which wasn't easy because I had a major headache. Could be the adrenaline, the lack of sleep or the champagne. Pick one. No, pick all three.

And while I was busy packing and thinking...

Around 8:30 am, she text me!

And the text said we were all going to meet for lunch (with Chris' family, too) before everyone headed out of town. The newlyweds weren't leaving for their honeymoon until Sunday. So the valet service would unload all of the stuff into Chris and Jordan's car for us. Hallelujah! Problem solved. I would like to think my worrying helped.



The hotel staff came with 3 carts and loaded up the gifts, the boxes of decorative items and our luggage and we reluctantly left the place. But not before I walked around and took some more pictures. I wanted to commit all of this...ALL of this to memory. But I don't trust my memory so bear with me once again with all the pictures. The first few were taken the night before on our walk back to our casita.

Goodbye cute patio and birdcage.

Will went this way....

And Chuck and I went that way....

Only I stopped to get a closer look....goodbye gorgeous fountain.


See the yellow lights glowing up ahead on the right?
That's our casita.

#127

While my morning shower water was warming up,

I grabbed my camera

so I could remember this color forever.

And just a hint of it in the floor.

Our walk in closet.....as big or bigger than my utility room.

A built in chest of drawers, a full length mirror.....

a dream closet.

To the left was the closet rod with a shelf above....with 2 wicker baskets on it.

Below the rod were 2 suitcase valets.

They really were prepared for us to stay awhile.

Robes.

The rug....with the morning sun peaking in.

Remember I am fretting at this point...

so yes, I took a picture of the rug.

Cactus on a staircase.

Yes, God. I did think of you.

Seeing this cross the morning after the wedding made me tear up.

So much to be thankful for.

Doorways.

Rooster on a cross.

Kids on a bench.

Iron door.

Mark and Jack coming through the doorway

to the center courtyard.

Behind them is the entrance to the resort.

Sweet cherub.

Looking the other way....to Camelback Mountain.

It was about 63' outside.

And to all my fellow Houstonians,

they have this thing called NO HUMIDITY.

It's awesome.

Mark ...singer, dancer extraordinaire.

Feeling relief and sadness and joy.

And a serious headache.

Goodbye doorway.

Heading through towards the car.

Goodbye fountain.

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Whitlach.

Mark, Will, Chuck, Kim and Jack waiting on their Zipps burger.

Sofia and Jack....who may or

may not have partied too much at the reception.

I handed them my air sickness bag just in case they needed an extra.

If you haven't flown lately, the video screen

now has a debit machine embedded for you to swipe your card to activate it.

$6.00 for your viewing pleasure.

I caught up on some episodes of The Office and The Middle.

Will's checking on the clouds.

They looked like a blanket of snow.

I left out a lot of detail from this day....but I can sum it up

by saying we were all very happy,

very tired,

very sad about leaving,

very hungry,

very ready to just get the getting back home over with.

Day 4 was:

Packing up and checking out of the resort.

Meeting Jordan and Chris and Chris' brothers

and wives and mother at Zipps for lunch.

Getting to the airport.

Getting to the plane.

Getting back to Houston.

Getting back to our cars.

Getting back to our houses.

Getting back in our own bed.

Insert a few grouchy moments here and there during the day.......

Husbands dropped all of us off at baggage to return the rental cars...leaving the mamas and the kids to wait on them for what seemed like hours..... finally checked in, went through security which has just gotten to be a ridiculous circus act, getting to the gate 2 hours early thanks to a very uptight traveling man, having some go shopping, some go cruising for coffee, some just sitting, some run into an old friend, and some excel at being cranky.

Grouchy a little, maybe...but all of us were still reeling from the fun of the last 3 1/2 days.

What a milestone for us.

And now I want to give credit where credit is due..............

To Jordan and Chris,

When I say "you".....I mean both of you.....

Your wedding and the activities leading up to it and after it were perfect. You found a beautiful venue and with the connections you had, the florist, photographer, deejay and minister...it could not have been better. You planned this wedding and your personalities were evident through the entire event.

My wish for you, from the moment you were engaged, was for this wedding to be about the 2 of you. You, your friends, your music, your colors, your food choices. It was your day and watching the 2 of you on that alter.......so calm (maybe you weren't but you looked like you were) and so sure of your decision was such a joy for the people who love you the most.

From the engagement pictures to the Save the Date cards, to the invitations, to the notes at the Bridal Luncheon, to the fun Rehearsal Dinner....to the wedding ceremony and finally to the fun, fun reception......it was all so you.

Playing the game, "What's your favorite part?" .....mine would have to be watching the 2 of you on the dance floor surrounded by all of your friends. That is exactly what I wanted for you. I couldn't have imagined it would be so perfect.

Thank you for making it happen.

And on that day when you are surrounded by bills and laundry and dirty dishes ........remember that you are committed to each other and when the two of you work together......great things can happen. You pulled off a wonderful wedding and reception. What's a little dirty laundry? Nothing you can't handle.

Smile at each other. Be nice to each other. Look at your wedding pictures often.

We love you both.