Poetry Friday: Anne-with-an-e got married!

The bride at age ten. 

We haven't had a wedding in the family since the pandemic, when our beautiful "Betsy Ray" (Lizzy) got married. That was a magical weekend and it was time for another. Now our eldest daughter, "Anne-with-an-e" (Emily) has tied the knot too. 

We didn't have to wear masks for the dress shopping this time: 

This one was a top choice from the first try-on
last autumn (though she did go with a different veil.) 

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, our beautiful Ramona Quimby (Katy) was busy with a delightful community theater production in which she played three roles: 

She and I both thought we were struggling with terrible tree pollen allergies the whole week before her opening night (and maybe that's what it was?) but she persevered through all four performances without a single cough onstage. Brava! Brava!  👏👏👏  The show must go on, and it did! (This once-upon-a-time  theater major was beyond proud.) 

I can't say that I, as a four-time-attending audience member, was able to stifle as many coughs as Katy did. To my fellow attendees, I'm so sorry. I went through multiple cough drops that Saturday night. Yes, that was me. 

Meanwhile, back at Wedding Planning Central, that show was also going on: 

The wedding day was a few days after Katy's play wrapped. Emily and Rich planned just about everything in the months leading up to their big day and we pitched in wherever/whenever/as needed. 

We played around with making table decorations for the reception: 

                                                                                            

          

Katy shopped for the Jenga-style blocks they wanted to use as their guest book and made the sign:

      

Katy and I also handled the gluten-free/dairy-free cupcakes: 

    

And everything else is a blur. (Thanks, tree-pollen-turned-bronchitis.) 

Over the wedding weekend, several people asked how I was doing and I kept saying, "I'm fine, I'm upright — like a shark, or Dori — just keep swimming." I didn't give in to Atticus's plea to check in with the doctor until the Tuesday after the wedding but none of that matters now, because the day was all about these two gloriously happy people: 

It was a beautiful day for two beautiful people. A gorgeous wedding, a joyous reception, and the next step in the story of Emily and Richard. 

And speaking of stories, just one more thing to add: 

while on their honeymoon, my Anne-with-an-e had the chance to hug Ramona Quimby in Portland: 

Maybe Anne-with-an-e and her husband's next trip will be to Prince Edward Island? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I almost forgot: it's Poetry Friday! Time to reshare the poem I shared after Lizzy's wedding. 

For a Daughter Who Leaves

by Janice Mirikitani 

More than gems in my comb box shaped by the

God of the Sea, I prize you, my daughter. . .

 ~ Lady Otomo, 8th century, Japan

A woman weaves 

her daughter's wedding 

slippers that will carry 

her steps into a new life. 

... 

[Skipping to the end of the poem again, but do read the whole thing. It's short and enormously moving.] 

... 

Now she captures all eyes 

with her hair combed smooth 

and her hips gently 

swaying like bamboo. 

The woman

spins her thread 

from the spool of her heart, 

knotted to her daughter's 

departing

wedding slippers.

(Read the whole poem here, at Poets.org.) 

~~~~~~~~~~

Michelle Kogan is hosting the Poetry Friday round-up this week. Be sure to visit her for loads of poetic goodness. 

P.S. If you're new to my blog, a quick explanation: 

Anne-with-an-e, Betsy Ray, and Ramona were the "blog names" I gave my (then-very-young) kids when I first started blogging ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO.