Larger than Life
I wondered how it was possible that Prince William and my nephew could even fathom getting married the first weekend of Jazz Fest – I mean really? But I never suspected that when I woke this morning to my 52nd birthday that the news greeting me would be Bin Laden is dead. Okay. Pretty busy weekend wouldn’t you say?
When Tatjana and I were trying to adopt we had to put together a 25 page book narrating who we are and what sort of parents we hope to become. Under the section family, I put this photo blown up:
I felt this picture said a 1000 words about what my family was to me. Large, loud and always surrounded by music and dancing. So yesterday Tin and I flew to Hotlanta for my nephew’s wedding because a) it’s my brother’s son, b) it’s a Namer party and I wanted Tin to see it firsthand, and c) he’s my nephew. Despite the fact that this fell right smack in the midst of Jazz Fest and my fest, but whatyagonnado?
We were treated like royalty by my high school pal and her partner who own the Ponce de Leon Bed and Breakfast in the Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta. I dressed Tin in his traditional Indian garb care of Alice and his new desert boots care of Jerri – only I didn’t know until we left the B&B that his shoes squeak like large ducks:
I wondered how the wedding would be as my nephew’s fiance is Korean and I wasn’t sure whether to expect a typical Namer wedding or what. First my older nephew from the same brother gets up and treats us to the wedding march on his violin:
Then a traditional Jewish service follows with my Korean niece-in-law saying her vows in Hebrew:
Once my nephew had smashed the glass they both secreted away and returned in traditional Korean dress:
And then there was all the usual sort of boring wedding stuff but I told the guys at the table next to me to get ready because they were able young men and there was going to be some Hora dancing and they both looked at me like I had just said I was wearing candy panties. Next thing you know the party started, and when you get the Namer party started, well it just is where it’s at. We started with Hava Nagila and the bride and groom, but soon the parents of each were up on those chairs too.
So Tin got his indoctrination to a Jewish wedding with a Korean twist. Gotta love it.