A Beach Affair to Remember

We arrived late Friday afternoon to the island. It was humid, green, and made us feel like we were really on vacation.  All thoughts of Colorado were left behind us.  Not a single thought about school and all the testing and deadlines ahead of me. I breathed in the muggy air and felt relaxed for the first time in months. I think our baby girl could feel it too...I wonder if she liked the sound of the waves?

I hadn't see my twin sister since December and she was in awe at how much my belly had grown. We see each other on Skype almost every day, but now she could finally feel her little niece kicking away. 

We spent the days before the wedding walking along the shell covered beach, wading out into the shallow ocean where dolphins swam only hundreds of feet away. Sanibel Island is a magical place.

By Saturday all of the family had arrived.  We celebrated at a tiny Italian restaurant on the island.  And while the wine flowed and the homemade pasta was enjoyed, two families began to merge into one. 

Sunday was the day we had been anticipating for almost a year.  We surveyed our sunburned skin and hoped the wedding photographer would be able to photoshop it out.  My sister and I got up early with the sun rise and rolled her hair into curlers, whispering and laughing while Martin snoozed away on the foldout couch.  
Finally it was her wedding day.  

 

At six o'clock we made our way to the beach.  There were lots of beach spectators awaiting to catch a glimpse of the bride...people had even come out from their hotel rooms and waited on their balconies. I knew that would make my sister even more nervous.  The simplicity of the beach was the only decorations needed and as we faced the waves crashing to the shore the music started. 

  

I love weddings.  I love standing next to my husband and thinking about the vows the bride and groom are saying to each other.  Remembering our own vows and how sacred and special our own marriage is. 

There was dancing and dinner under the bright orange super moon that we watched rise out of the ocean.  I felt like I was in a vintage Florida postcard with The Girl from Ipanema playing in the background.  


 When it was time to say goodnight my sister and I hugged for a long time. I tried not to cry, knowing I would see her again in June. I told her that she looked so beautiful and that everything had been perfect...because it truly had been.