NOT THERE

Today my sister Merrit got married, and I was not there*. Physically.

But, thankfully, due to modern technology, and the heroic actions of sister Super Dana,
I got to watch the whole thing via web-cam and the Internet (thanks for inspiring the idea, Kim!).

(And when I say whole thing, I mean whole thing...from the picture taking in the background to the nose itching in the foreground...whole thing! Lesson learned: when on web cam, wear a high neck shirt, remember strangers are watching, and don't touch nose...)

It was awesome. Or 4w350m3, as my computer-savvy brothers might say :+)=!
Here is a recap of some of those awesome moments from Merrit and Matt's wedding:

• The first 45 minutes of online chatting with my brothers, who were also watching 45 minutes of...nothing...with me. I'm being serious; it was fun!
  

• The miracle of technology: I watched people talk on their cell phones as I talked to others on the computer while it streamed live video of a wedding taking place clear across the country from me. Amazing. Thank you, super smart people of the world.
  

• People turning their back to us during photo ops mise-en-scene.
  

• Dave welcoming the guests, and his beleaguered, "Um, I'm having a hard time hearing..." because Matt's sister (?)--who was amazing, by the way--was still singing her soulful, soundful rendition of "At Last."
  

• Dave re-welcoming the guests, with his "compliments" to the songstress: "Uh, I thought that was real music, and I was just waiting for someone to push the pause button..."
  

• My dad forgetting the words to the song he wrote. Typical.
  

• My dad getting all emotional as he sang the song he wrote. Touching.
  

• The flower girls--my two nieces and their cousin--coming to Grandpa's rescue and singing the song for him. Tremendously touching.
  

• Merrit's song for Matt. Great lyrics to a great song, Merrit...especially the part about the proof of your shopping prowess, use of the phrase "brain stem," and the part about choosing Matt even though he was poor... So sentimental!

• Merrit's succinct summation of her presentation with, "So...(pause, pause, pause,) yeah!"
  

• Matt and Merrit singing "The Prayer" together. Man, that boy can sing! Merrit, you were pretty good, too!
  

• Matt's one-upmanship of Merrit's temple picture. He blew that one out of the water with his one thousand million forty seven pictures/memories in one! All Merrit had was a postcard... All joking aside, seeing them both share the same surprise gift with one another was really one of the most endearing, special moments of all. It was truly lovely. See you guys in a year!
  

• Matt wiping away some of Merrit's happy tears. That was tender.
  

• Matt caressing Merrit's hand.
  

• Merrit's hair. I mean, Merrit's Hair.
  

• Rob scanning the room with the web cam during the musical numbers.
  

• Lighting the candles. (Lindsay-Dave-Colin-Amy-Dana, do you remember ever seeing one of the Eastern European wedding waltzes done with candles? Oh, my beautiful.) It reminded me of an Eastern European wedding waltz done with lit candles...
  

• Merrit leaning down towards the computer to say she loved us.
  

• And, finally, the closing song: an electric guitar/rock star version of the wedding processional. Who knew?!

And who knows what wonderful things are yet to come? I'm excited to be a part of them all, one way or another. Thank you to all who made it possible.






*And why was I not there? you may ask.
Because tomorrow morning, *sob*sob*, we are taking Evan to college in Idaho.
Because tomorrow morning, *sob*sob*, life as my little family knows it, is going to change.
Because tomorrow morning, *sob*sob*, I will feel older, Evan will feel bolder, and the temperature will be much colder. At least until summer.