We Survived the Wedding....

... and it went well! My mom watched Ben during dinner, and he stayed at the reception until 8 o'clock (an hour past his usual bedtime). My mom then earned the Mother of the Year award by taking Ben back to the hotel and sitting with him in a darkened room while he slept, so that Tom and I could enjoy ourselves.

Tom and I got to swing dance at the reception; we were partners in ballroom dance class freshman year in college (even though we weren't dating at the time), and once every few years we dance together at a wedding. When we finished and went back to our table, though, I looked over at my Grandma Jean and felt sad. She tells a story about a time she and my grandfather were dancing at a party: they didn't realize there was a dance competition going on until someone told them they'd won. Now, though, she has been a widow for nearly 28 years. She was able to dance with her sons last night, but seeing her sit by herself while I held hands with my husband reminded me of how fleeting this all is.

Traveling and going to weddings tires Ben out....