Thursday started out with a little yard work at Patrick's and Jessica's. Mowed the front and back yards with the bagger, which took a while to do. The very back field which was the back drop of the wedding was cut without bagger. That took up most of the morning but allowed time to get home and complete the weed eating around our place. Picked up some strawberries in the afternoon and sat down to a simple dinner with Gin, Jean and Susan. After a quick meal and conversation, I was off to Patrick's to hang out with the groom party.
We drove out to the mall to pick up the monkey suits, then back to Patrick's porch to shoot the breeze.
Friday started out with a wake-up call from Patrick informing us to get over to his house and start helping. I brought back the weed eater for some final touches to the yard. Gin worked in the house preparing the evening fare for the party. Patrick and I hitched up our trailers and picked up the chairs and tables from down town Spartanburg. We unloaded the trailers just in time for me to head back out with Dad to meet another Hairston.
Dad and I drove out to Taylors to meet Helen Hairston who was born and raised in Greenville, SC. I met her a few years ago after her daughter met me in the hospital. Dad and Helen discussed family trees and were trying to find the connection between families.
After Helen's we made it back to Patrick's and a delayed rehersal due to the rain storms that rolled through. Dinner started late, but was worth it. I grilled the Demo's pork chops on my grill while I tended to burgers and hot dogs on Patrick's. We finally walked through the rehersal just before dark. The rest of the night was spent catching up with friends and family.
Saturday morning was an indication that it was going to be a beautiful day, and it was. Mom called and made a wrong turn on the right road ending up on the west side of Spartanburg. I helped her find the way out and arranged for her to meet Caris and on to the beauty salon. Patrick stopped over for a while and we rode out to the grocery store to pick up some final items for the day. Chris called from inside the store and with a wild guess figured out we were there too. We met up with Chris and Alicia and talked a little. We decided to meet at our house for lunch and to continue the visit.
Lunch was a pot luck chicken and rice stir fry and a few games of Blokus. Mom stopped by as well as Caris and her friend Summer. Gin made it back in time to get ready to head back out for the wedding.
We made it Patrick's after picking up Jean. The photographer was late and the waiting was boring. We finally had pictures tken around 4:30. Then it was the anticipation of the feature event.
The wedding was fantastic. Jessica was so beautiful and emotional, the tears of joy spread like wild fire. I would see her and tear up a little, then I look at Caris and so was she. OK, so I'll look at Gin, nope that didn't work, she's crying. How about Mom, nope same result. Let's take a look at Debbie and Jeff, same thing. OK look at Jessica's sister Nikki, hey now there's a happy face. I found out later she cried her self dry earlier in the week. Well the saving grace from the flood of tears was the two cat fights over in the kudzoo field. It was hard to contain the laughter after the first fight. It happened some time around Patrick saying his vows.
The marriage was finally complete and the celabration began. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was festive. There was dancing and laughter as friends and family enjoyed the new couple's union of love.
I am so proud of Patrick and how he has handled himself with Jessica, in his dating, proposal, engagement and wedding. He has set the bar high for those who follow.
I am pleased to finally be able to call Jessica my daughter-in-law. She has been a blessing to our family and we look forward to the seeing their own family develop as the years greet us.
Sunday morning Gin and I entertained all the Sloan and Hairston visitors for breakfast and conversation. Not to mention a tour of the project we call home. The kitchen recieved a great test of functionality and the breakfast will help in the final design details.
Gin and I went back out to Patrick's and Jessica's to clean up the rental items and prepare them for return. Monday morning we went back again to pick up everything and return to the rental store. Then a short trip to the dump with a trailer full of trash. One more retun back to the wedding site to pick up my grill, weed eater and corn hole game for a cook out Tuesday night with the Glengarry Bhoys.
We will rest next weekend, so will the BLOG.
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