Dallas, TX

Dear Friends:

This post comes a little late, but I wanted to make sure I posted it before my next trip. I just returned from Dallas, Texas. I was there for a very personal reason - my oldest son's wedding!

It's one of the most amazing times in a person's life.  Not only for the bride and groom, but everyone involved.  As a father, I've been lucky enough to experience several critical "points-in-time" during my children's lives: birth, first day at school, baptism, priesthood ordination, graduation from high school and college graduation.  There are many more that I could go on to list, but I think you get the idea.  Marriage is one of those big ones.

I'm very proud of my son. He's an exceptional man and I believe he will be an exceptional husband.  His wife is a delightful woman who has been an extraordinary addition to our family.

The other great thing about this experience in Dallas, was having my family gather for the event. This was just two weeks after my Grandmother's funeral, so it was nice to get-together for a much better reason. 

We spent the day before the wedding running all over the Dallas area on errands. We had to pick-up flowers, tuxedos, and decorations. We had to pick people up as they streamed in to the Dallas airport. It seems that all we did was drive around. None of us knew the Dallas area, so we were at the mercy of GPS units - not always picking the best ways to get around.

We did get to go to one of my favorite places to eat in the Dallas area - Cane's. It's a fast-food restaurant that serves chicken, but more like chicken strips. But these aren't any ordinary chicken strips...they're the BEST in the world.

My brother-in-law, nephew and me at Cane's

That afternoon, we met at the wedding ceremony location - the Lebanon Historical Church in Plano, Texas - for the wedding rehearsal. My father, who is a regional leader or our Church in Canada, was given permission to perform the ceremony. I can't imagine what a treat that would be to have my Grandfather be such an intimate part of the occasion. 

The bridesmaids

My youngest son, G-Man, was one of the ring bearers. We practiced with him walking down the aisle and he had fun holding what he called the "baby pillow" for the rings.

The rehearsal went well - we had some "stand-ins" for people that hadn't arrived yet, but it was a great experience. We then departed for the rehearsal dinner. This took place at a small restaurant called the Italian Villa. We were able to have an entire corner of the establishment to ourselves. The food was great and the sentiments expressed in several toasts were heart-felt and touching.

On of my son's best men - a friend since childhood

The next day was spent running more errands - surprise!  My sister is a professional hair-stylist and agreed to help work on all of the bridesmaids' hair. She did a great job, and worked for several hours straight to get everyone looking good.  We also had to get G-Man fitted with his tux.  His favorite part, was playing in front of the mirrors:

G-Man and his cousin M.

It was getting close to wedding time, so I went to my son's apartment to take pictures with the rest of the groomsmen.  My son's friends are great young men. They've known each other for years and have been a positive influence on my son. One of his "best men" has known him since Kindergarten. 

Then, it was time to head to the church for the big event.  Everyone looked great:

Our little ring bearer

The ladies - Mom, sister, sister, daughter, aunt and wife

The groomsmen

My daughter and I

The ceremony was beautiful.  Everyone did a great job.  I think that one of the best moments for me, was watching my son while his bride walked down the aisle.  He has a tender heart and you could see the emotion in his eyes, as his wife-to-be was walking towards him.  I'll never forget those precious seconds.

C-Rob and H. lighting a "unity" candle

Then, after what seemed like an eternity of photographs - we headed for the reception at the Prestonwood Country Club, also in Plano.

It was an awesome reception - everyone had a great time.  The food was fantastic and we all danced our heads off.  Even my youngest sister, who had a cast on her leg, was workin' it on the dance floor.

The bride and groom during their "first dance"

Yup, that's me - showing the young kids how to keep it "real" on the dance floor ; )

My family - having a great time...sober!

Trying to figure out if they'll be nice to each other with the cake...

The best part about the whole thing is that everyone in the family contributed.  My ex-wife was instrumental in the whole thing, her aunt made the table overlays, my wife handled the design and printing of programs, name cards, signs and pictures.  Everyone pitched in to make it an awesome experience.

The next day, we went to Church at the local Ward.  Afterwards, we hit the Waffle House for a tradition when we're in the South.

My ex-wife was kind enough to host a BBQ at her house.  It was another way to relax and enjoy the spirit of the occasion.  G-Man had a blast swimming in the pool and hanging out with his grandparents.

As you can tell from the pictures, we simply had a blast - exactly how you want this whole experience to be like.  I'm grateful for how much work we all put into it, and the gratitude expressed by my son and his wife.  Now, we have about 8 weeks before the next weddding....YIKES!