last saturday was the highlight of my year to date. of course i knew it would be wonderful but the run of events from the big sisters wedding proved to be more than ordinary. the night played out as an unexpected show of true, genuine love and emotion by not just my now brother in law, but by all the family and friends who attended.
what happened? my sister, who anxiously waited for last saturday was hit by not just one but multiple panic attacks that lasted hours leading up to the time she was supposed to walk down the aisle. anxiety attacks are not uncommon for her but none have been as crippling as those. as time came closer to the ceremony, worrying thoughts of ruining the day for ross {and her} seemed to drown any potential avenue of her escaping those feelings. needless to say the ceremony was pushed back a half an hour, then an hour, then an hour and a half. family members that are doctors and nurses came to the room to monitor and calm her while other people respected her privacy. bridesmaids played messenger from the bridal suite door to the guests downstairs while groomsmen kept waiting guests entertained. i became spokesperson for my big sister and messenger to my soon to be brother in law.
eventually, big sister was able to muster up enough energy to get in the dress and one at a time came an earring, then another, then a necklace and a bouquet. she slowly walked out to the hallway sitting on a bench outside the room, trying to breath and not to cry. that's when we realized, and she admitted, she would not be able to walk down the aisle.
we called ross to have him come upstairs so they could decide how they wanted the next few hours to play out. when we heard him come off the elevators the bridesmaids and i formed a half circle around the big sister so the two of them could still experience the unveiling of seeing each other. when ross saw lindsay he started to cry, which of course made lindsay cry, then me, then others. my dad came off the elevator and seeing lindsay hunched over on the bench outside of her room he told her "i carried you home from the hospital when you were born, i'll carry you down the aisle if i have too"
que more water works.
at that point both ross and lindsay decided to have a private ceremony upstairs moving from the bench to the window by the elevators. everyone scattered to make sure immediate family were there while i announced to the seated guests what was about to happen. i grabbed the husband and hurried off to the 12th floor to witness what was the best wedding i have not only been a part of, but have ever been too.
one shortened ceremony and two i do's later the hurry of the day was erased by ross holding lindsay through the hallway by the elevators and the excitement that this actually happened, not as expected, but better, honest and genuine.
seriously, best wedding ever.
EVER.
