When did he grow up?

Not my son.  (though he is growing at an alarming rate these days ~ those pants I bought him for fall/winter may not get us through until shorts season)

I'm talking about my oldest 'practice child.'

It seems inconceivable to me that 25 years ago, this young man was a two year old, and I was his 'regular babysitter.'

I mean, I remember days praying to keep he and his brother alive chasing two preschoolers around.  Pushing them on swings, fixing meals of chicken nuggets or peanut butter and jelly, running madly down the long, STEEP, CURVED driveway after two daredevils on a Big Wheel.

Oh the stories I could tell on Nick and Aaron.

Don't worry boys, many of those secrets are safe with me. 
(Though I'll be expecting payment to keep them that way.  ;)  )

Anyway, these guys were my training ground.  I had the distinct pleasure of spending about six years being very involved in their lives pre-college, and then even hanging out with them as a youth volunteer when I came back post-college.  Oh how I've loved them!   From applying hundreds of band-aids for various injuries to driving them to sports practices while their folks were out of town to playing punch bug to getting CREAMED on x-box games by them.   Even when Nick showed up to be a junior groomsman for my wedding with white, and I do mean WHITE, bleached out spiky hair.  They were 'my guys.'

But when their college years came both boys moved to the coast as they always said they would.  Since that time they rarely come inland and I've seen them just once or twice.

And so imagine my surprise when late this summer I get a wedding invitation in the mail.  Nicholas?  Getting married?  When I saw that the wedding was taking place on the beach I figured that she must be one special girl.  And of course, of course we responded that we'd come...

What a beautiful day it was!  Upper 70s, not a cloud in the Carolina blue sky, gentle ocean breeze blowing.  Combine the weather with the fact that there were only chairs for family ~ which meant our kids could plop in the sand and quietly play ~ and it was perfect.

exploring while waiting for the ceremony to begin

these two cousins remind me a lot of Nick and Aaron as boys

perhaps the most thrilled to see the ocean again

getting some serious snuggle time from my niece

the wedding party

so simple, so elegant, and two kids so very much in love

Ky intently watching ~ she's now lobbying for Ian and I to get married again.  on the beach.  so she can be there to see.

my boy making sand angles ~ at least he was quiet!

mom and her grandbabies ~ missing one

my sister's beautiful family

us

I'm pretty sure that all three of our kids were incredulous that we actually saw the ocean and weren't getting in the water, but the promise of a party with cake was enough to get them back to the car without too many complaints.  And a party it was...

that's the mischievous grin I remember

groom's daddy bustin' a move with some of the kids

perfect way for the groom to show his muscles

and I can so hear the words, "Oh yeah, if you can do it then so can I!" ringing from yesteryear...

and just to end with the upper hand in "look what I can do"

Oh how I've missed their family!  And how thankful I was after all these years to have been included in such a special day. I said as much to Nick before he and Liz headed out.  He just flashed that grin and said, "You played a big role, of course you are here!"  Quickly followed by, "And after surviving Aaron and I you decided to have two boys the same age distance?  I thought you knew better..."  Then he winked, hugged me and was off to dance with his beautiful wife.