A new adventure for us was a "destination" wedding. Jen Affeldt, our surrogate daughter since she was itty bitty, was to get married to Shawn Day on June 30 in Glacier National Park.
Phil and I have been friends with Norb and Karyl - parents of the bride - for 35 (35!!!) years, meeting before any of the kids were born. Phil and Norb both worked for the State of Wisconsin DOT and rode together to a construction site over the Rock River, in Beloit, Wisconsin. Especially on Friday nights (I wonder why!) Karyl and I would commiserate as to where our husbands were, and that became the start of a long and wonderful friendship. We have been close since then and share in the joys of each others families.
So, off to Glacier Phil and I flew on June 28. Andy drove from Seattle, picking us up in Kalispell, Montana. What a trooper to put up with his parents for 5 days! We had a great time visiting with Andy, and old and new friends alike.
Some of the highlights of the trip:
Joan and Jen driving Friday in search of flowers for the wedding - in run down trailers, empty flower shops, and finally finding what we wanted in an Albertsons 50 miles away from East Glacier.
Joan helping Karyl with the wedding cakes. Karyl had the idea to make a cake for each table at the reception - that would be 8 in all. While Joan and Jen were off looking for flowers, the cakes were in their first stage of being frosted. The blue icing became Joan and Keta's (granddaughter of Karyl's cousin Vic) responsibility, which we took very seriously. We carefully measured the blue food coloring to the right hue, matching the blue on the invitations.
Joan spending Jen's wedding day helping her put corsages together. I am NOT artistic, so I did manage to cut the flowers while Jen worked her wonders with them.
Phil and Andy hiking on Friday with Norbert at Two Medicine Lake. Andy even got a chance to meet a girl at the water falls and gave her his e-mail address. Will she e-mail him - that is the question.
Phil, Andy and Brian Richgels hiking on Saturday. Brian was the photographer, Phil and Andy the soundmen. All had to be back, dressed, and ready to go at 3pm. So, when Phil called Joan at 2:10 and said they were at least an hour out, it seemed like it might all go downhill quickly from there. But, Andy, knowing how upset (best way to describe how I was feeling in words that can be put on paper) I was, drove like a madman on roads with no shoulders, only drop offs. White knuckling it all the way, he got Brian back in 35 minutes, and he and Phil made it to the lodge at 3pm to work on the sound system.
Trying to watch Bryn and Henry during the wedding ceremony. Hey Henry, how 'bout a bagel? That got his attention - that and the Choo Choo trains going by!
The dueling Andys. What the heck is that? It is Andy Becker and Andy Jacobs (good friend of Shawn's since forever) in their own made up dance contest at the wedding reception. Which Andy could best the other?? One and then the other, they showed their stuff to a cheering crowd of onlookers.
Andy hiking a 17 mile trail on Sunday with Shawn, his siblings and cousin. Jen (being with children) stayed with the parents, Jay and Sarah and family, Joan and Phil, and we went to Two Medicine Lake for a restful afternoon.
Frisbee playing at all hours of the day and night - with new friends and old. It was just amazing how well we all got along. Everyone stayed at Jacobson's cottages and just spent time with whoever happened to be there.
On Monday, our last day, we took the Going-to-the-Sun road back from East Glacier to Kalispell.
All in all, we had a fantastic time and were glad to help in getting Jen and Shawn married off in grand style.
Pictures to follow.
1 comment:
Good post.
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