I Now Pronounce You Darren & Mark!

Last weekend was the first "next generation" wedding in my family as my nephew Brenton and his fiance Sarah were married. 

We have been eagerly awaiting this wedding as the reception included something sadly missing from all the previous weddings in my family...a DANCE!  Seriously, I could never become a full-fledged Baptist because I really love to dance. 

Not that I have any rhythm or talent. After all, my dance experience ranged from junior high dances (stiff-armed embraces while shifting from foot-to-foot, rotating slowly in a circle) to our lackluster show choir choreography (we couldn't really call ourselves "Gleeks" back then...when our choreography was pretty much box steps and jazz hands)

 But I do have next-to-no inhibitions about lookin' like a fool on the floor.  Whenever the music starts, my feet start moving on their own.  Maybe I was born a Pentecostal...who knows?

At any rate, Husband doesn't have the same level of freedom...which was why I was suitably impressed when he told me that if the DJ played a slow song, he would dance with me.  My sister Renee's husband also told her the same thing so Renee and I decided it was time to dedicate a song to the two shy husbands and get them out on the dance floor. 

Renee excitedly raced up to the DJ and asked him to play a slow song and send the dedication out to "Darren and Mark".  The DJ looked a bit puzzled and asked which song and Renee dismissively said, "I don't care.  Just pick one."

Clearly we didn't think this through...as we soon realized when the DJ put on a slow number, then called out "This song goes out to all your married couples...and Darren & Mark".  YIKES!  Looks like he was dedicating the song to a same sex couple named "Darren and Mark"! 

Ah well, the husbands didn't seem to notice and dutifully ambled out to the floor to twirl their spastic wives around.  Then retreated to their chairs to wonder what overcaffeinated drink we had consumed to be able to shake, rattle, and roll until 11 PM. 

Some pix from the night:

Look for me in the background...hollah!

My nephew Abe (Aber Baber) was the (as he called it) "Ring Barrier":

My niece Megan (Maggie Sue) - who looked FABULOUS - and nephew Bennett (Benny) - who thankfully shaved his Amish-looking beard!

The Squirrels and I awaiting the wedding party to exit the church:

My niece Rebekah (Bucky) who decided that she would bring her own tiara and veil (unbeknownst to her mother...my sister Mary):

We felt it necessarily to provide Beth with some protective head gear, given her history of having objects fall on her head (like a bathroom door, a frying pan, a meteorite/satellite...ok, that one just hit her moon roof while she was driving)...and of course, since the helmet was for Beth, it had to be bejeweled!

The Mother/Son Dance

Katybird having the time of her life...

 We are fond of Rachel's (Woo/Rudy/Duke) hair in the lower right of this photo...

 Hattie (Hats), Grace, Rachel, and Eli captured center stage...

 The Haerrs display some "Hairography" (or should I say "Haerr-ography"!)

 Grace and Abigail (Sass) are "Stayin' Alive"!

 The dance award for the night goes to my fantastic niece Lauren (Lorsban, Laursie Pie) in the purple dress.  I can find her in practically every one of my dance photos...guess the "no inhibition" gene runs in families!



Back in Mint Green Again

Last Friday night was the long-awaited premiere of "Courageous".  I went online and bought tickets ahead of time as I remembered the opening night of "Fireproof" was pretty much sold out. 

After the movie, Husband was taking the babysitter home when he felt his heart go out of rhythm.  He came home and extended his wrist to me to double-check.  Sure enough...his heart was in a-fib again.  I remembered all too well the last time he went into a-fib and figured this time, I wouldn't send him to prompt care by himself! 

Luckily, my sister Erin was out our house, having spent the day being honored as the 2011 Outstanding Alum from E College.  We whispered to her that we were going to tuck the kids in bed and then head over to the Big O hospital ER. 

30 minutes later, we pulled into the zoo, I mean, ER and had the privilege of encountering every belligerent drunk in P town.  Several were milling around the ER while the male nurse at the triage desk looked like he could use a stiff cup of coffee and 18 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  There was a lady in a wheel chair right inside the door who was hyperventilating and moaning while her friend fluttered around her asking questions.  The triage desk paid her nary one iota of attention.  She could be in there every Friday night, for all I know.  After all, the hospital is a not-for-profit so they do not turn anyone away. 

But I digress...

One quick pulse check later, Husband was being wheeled down to Room 211 for what looked to be a very long stay.  The last time he went into a-fib, they tried shocking him twice to no avail.  36 hours later, his heart corrected itself.  This time we were in the first 2 hours of a-fib so we hoped for different results. 

After donning yet another fashion-forward mint green hospital gown, getting laden with lots of sticky pads, lines, IVs, monitor beeps, and much consultation by three doctors, the best course of action was determined to be shocking again.  I was told that I would need to leave the room since it was unpleasant to watch and Husband was administered a heavy dose of what the doctors now call the "Michael Jackson" drug...a conscious sedation with amnesiac after-effects (I gotta get me some of that...for me or the Squirrels...either way, a clear winner!)

By this time, it was 1:30 in the morning and I had been playing several Solitaire games on my company iPad and trying to read to stay awake.  A quick prayer of "Lord, please heal him completely.  I'd sure like to go home tonight." later, the doctor poked his head out of the room and told me Husband had converted to normal rhythm after the first jolt.  HALLELUJAH!  Discharge took another 45 minutes and by 3:00 AM, we were both back home and in bed. 

Which was a good thing...because I was about ready to do a flying leap and land an elbow thump to his rib cage if his heart was going to be stubborn.  Evidently date nights with me are dangerous!