By request...

Jenny asked me to tell her about a heart-wrenching event that happened at Lyn and Jared's wedding this summer. So, the rest of you get to come along for the ride!

Let me give you some background. It's June in Las Vegas. It's between 90 and 100 degrees already. The Iowa contingent hasn't gotten used to temperatures quite that hot yet so we're basking in the heat and bitching about it at the same time...and we are getting things lined up for an outdoor wedding to boot. That means pantyhose for the women in the wedding party, and suits for the guys...including Luke.

Luke is a trooper. But, like any little guy he gets overwhelmed when his world view becomes distorted by lack of routine...and that includes a Mommy who is missing in action for most of the day.

Lyn and Vaughn had to be at the beauty shop fairly early. Lyn was getting her hair, nails, and makeup done. Vaughn had opted for getting her hair done. I'd opted for makeup. So, Vaughn was picked up when I was dropped off. She got back to the motel (where the wedding was held) early enough to help with the final touches. She found Jared going nuts because the cooperation he had expected from his family was just not there. (I'm not even going to begin that story.) I had put Luke down for a nap before I left, but he'd gotten up and needed to have a bath, which my granddaughter Isabelle was trying to help with. Jared is trying to get himself ready, do finishing things, and get Luke and Lainie ready and dressed, too. It was about two steps down from total chaos.

Now, Luke was the ring-bearer. Because he'd been 'gung-ho' on pirates, Lyn had gotten a small "treasure chest" to carry the rings in; the theory was that after he brought the rings down the aisle, some candy would be placed in the chest as the 'treasure'. But, Lyn had not shown him the chest, for it was pretty clear he'd probably want to play with it prior to the wedding.

Anyway, Lyn and I get back to the motel about 3:20. The wedding is at 5, the photographer wanted to start pictures at 4. We were not dressed. Vaughn grabbed Lyn and basically threw her into one suite to begin dressing her, and I ran to my suite to start dressing me. When I got myself together, I hurried to Lyn's suite to help finish dress the bride.

Although none of the above had anything to do with heart-wrenching moments, I felt it was important to tell you about it in order for you to understand the level of stress we were at as we rushed to meet the next deadline.

When we were pretty much all together, we sent someone to get Luke so he could be shown the pirate's chest and have it explained to him.

He comes into the bridal suite in his little suit; he looked so cute and yet so grown up. He was so proud because he had a tie just like Daddy's.

And he looked around the room. He looked up at Aunt Vaughn. She looked different. Her hair was not like usual. It was piled on top of her head. It didn't look right. And she was in a dress. So, he looked around and saw me. And I was different, too. I had my hair pulled back, too, and more makeup on than he'd ever seen me with. And I was in a dress, too...and heels...and I was taller than usual. So was Aunt Vaughn. He felt smaller than usual.

And then he looked around and saw his Mommy. He'd *never* seen Mommy like that ever ever before! His eyes traveled slowly up all that expanse of white fabric, to a woman whose voice sounded like Mommy's but she didn't look right either...her face looked different and her hair was different and she looked all shiny and stiff and not like that Mommy who he was used to...

And his eyes got big, and then they filled with tears. And Lyn said, "The HELL with wrinkles!" and she crouched down in all her finery and gathered her little boy in her arms. He wrapped his arms around her head and buried his head in her neck and as the tears flowed, sobbed, "I want to go Hooo...oooommmmm.....eeeee.........."

And Mommy, Aunt Vaughn, and Grandma all burst into tears.