of tears and changes

overheard during the wedding rehearsal; a conversation between one of the groomsmen and me...

"it hasn't hit yet?"
"what hasn't hit?"
"the 'my brother is getting married tomorrow' tears?"
"no, i don't think so."
"you should have seen my sisters the night before my wedding. they weren't taking it so well. they weren't ready to lose me."
"no, i'll be fine."

fast forward to the winter chapel, four and a half hours before the wedding. i'm in my black bridesmaid's dress, kristine's just slipped on her white dress. and she looks simply incredible. and it hits me.

my little brother is getting married.
and it won't be the two of us anymore.

for twenty seven years, it's been just mikey and me. through divine intervention, both adopted by tommy boy and big k. from the days we bonded together in filling our baby sitter's bed with crabs from the beach to my terrible junior high years (where i wasn't what you would consider a nice person) where mikey wanted nothing to do with me, onto high school at bellarmine and my senior year when mom nearly died and our family was faced with challenges we'd never dreamed of - our brother/sister relationship took a deeper turn. off to college - the seeds of a true friendship rooted and began to grow through phone calls, emails, road trips down to oregon, road trips home for mike's football games, and late nights when we couldn't sleep. packing up my stuff when i graduated. inviting me to experience plu football on a level most never see. packing him up and into my house when he student taught. helping me pick up my heart when it was broken a few years back. serving in youth ministry with him, growing in our faith, and serving god and one another over the years. him heading to seminary, and then onto western. and then meeting kristine.

and it was all about to change. the tears started flowing, and didn't stop for the next two hours.

that was the part i didn't expect.

when i was building the slideshow for the wedding, the first song i used was "a dream is a wish your heart makes" from cinderella. picked just for kristine...because mike is her dream, and she is his dream. and they've both found each other.

and in finding each other and starting their family, things will change. they need to. that is the essence of growth, and their marriage will be a place of love that's fruitful and honorable.

they are the best possible people for one another. though i give away my little brother, he gains a true treasure in his bride, and for that...my heart is overflowing with joy.

his eyes lighting up when she started down the aisle...seeing his face when he was saying his vows...the tears in his eyes when kristine was singing the song she'd written for him...

it's time to let go. ♥

mikey, i love you so very much. and i am so happy for you. you have found your perfect bride and future mother to your children.

kristine, i am so thrilled that you are his wife. he will love and honor you as christ honors his bride, the church.

i am so honored to be able to be part of your wedding in so many ways, it meant so much to me. mikey has been one of my very best friends over the years, and i hope to find that in you as well, kris, because you two are now one flesh. et erunt duo in carne una.

i love you.