Wedding Bells

A month ago I held a bridal shower for my adorable niece.
Tomorrow is her wedding.

We are heading north to the events and I honestly can't wait to see SOME of my family. :-)

My dad will walk her down the aisle, but not the complete aisle. He is frail at 88.
My parents raised my niece so this will be perfect. She really wanted him to walk her down the aisle and he really wanted to. But he was afraid of falling and he didn't want to do this with a walker or cane. So they came up with a solution for him to meet her half way down.  I think that is a good compromise.

My sister and I had a discussion about my father hanging on for this day.
I really feel he is not going to be in this world for much longer.
I miss that big strong robust man. He is small now and frail.
But here is something he did the last time I saw him that I found so very funny.

We were talking and I was close to him. He remembers me MOST of the time as he does most people and things. He does have dementia. But he can go an hour or 2 and be fine and then, snap, just like that he is confused.
We were talking when he took his hands and grabbed both sides of my face.
He held my face in his hands and just looked at me and said, "Peg you're so old" I burst out laughing.
I think in his confused mind he still thought of me as a young girl instead of the old broad I am now.

After I burst out laughing I told him I indeed was. He patted my face and said, "you're still my pretty girl"  I then welled up with tears. And just like that, he was confused. I moved to the other side of the sofa and grabbed a kleenex and he asked my mother who I was. It is rather heartbreaking.

I know it's normal to be sad at a funeral but when my father passes I won't just be sad. I will be relieved that he is not in pain as he is now and that all that confusion is gone. Because there are days when he is clear and tells everyone he is ready to go. Hard to hear, but I understand it as I watch him now.

So I am heading north to see a bunch of crazy dagos at a wedding and watch the faces on this other family who will be sitting in shock watching us all. You know it is exactly like the movie,"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" the only difference is the food and booze. Instead of ouzo, it's wine or liquor. Otherwise, it is exactly the same. Just ask Rick.