Meanwhile, Mom, Dad, Noah, and I drove up from Virginia and arrived in the late afternoon, just in time for me to take a train into to the city to meet up with the bachelorette party in midtown. Mom and Dad were so gracious to take Noah for the night and allow me the night out with the girls. We had dinner at a seemingly normal Italian restaurant, and then we found out why a lot of bachelorette parties go there...anyways, we went to a low-key club afterwards. I met up with Michael at Grand Central Station around midnight and we took the train back to the hotel in White Plains. Haven't had a night like that in a LONG time!
Friday, the family arrived! I saw my parents for the first time in a year and a half! It was a sweet reunion for all of us. Lots of Michael's relatives and parents' friends arrived that day too in time for the rehearsal dinner that evening. We went to the rehearsal, where Noah met the flower girl, Emily (4-yr-old cousin of Kerry's). He was immediately enamored with her, and most willing to hold her hand down the aisle! On the way to dinner, the ONLY thing he could talk about was Emily. Emily seemed to be okay with him too. They were the perfect match.
That evening, my Mom took Noah back to the hotel and put him to sleep so that Michael and I could stay longer and spend time with folks there. After the dinner, a lot of people returned to the hotel to keep hanging out in the hospitality room that was reserved for us to use. That was another great opportunity to visit with friends and family that had just arrived.
Then it was Saturday. Michael played tennis with his cousin, Gabriela, in the morning while Noah and I went out to breakfast with my parents. We returned in time to take a dip in the pool before getting changed and ready for the wedding at 3. Noah and I got to accompany the groomsmen to the church in the limo!
Noah and I waited for Kerry to arrive and then once the wedding was about to begin, I took my seat and Noah stayed with Kerry and Emily. The pair of them came down the aisle, hand-in-hand without any problem, preparing the way for Kerry's entry. The whole wedding was beautiful. Michael and Jeff Heck (groomsman) sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" on piano and guitar, and I read from Romans 12. Noah stayed with us the whole time and was only slightly distracting when he ran up and held Daddy's hand next to Uncle Matthew near the end of the service.
Soon after, we all fit into the limo with Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Salvatierra and went to the reception, on the grounds and in the fellowship hall of a beautiful Orthodox church. Noah had fallen asleep on the ride, but eventually was aroused for some bridal party pictures. The weather was perfect and the scene just right - we can't wait to see the professional shots taken!
The reception was a lot of fun, as you might imagine, when you put together the families and friends of the Salvatierras and the Houlihans. When ceremonial events and eating were not taking place, most people were dancing. It was a blast! Again my parents sweetly took Noah home and put him to bed when he got tired. We are so grateful for their willingness and joy in taking care of him over the weekend. Michael and I enjoyed celebrating with everyone, practicing some Salsa dancing along with the bride and groom, and trying to make the night last as long as possible before we'd have to say good-bye in the early morning before his return flight to Lima. When the end came, Matthew and Kerry slipped out while the party went on and they were off for their honeymoon the next day to Costa Rica.
Early Sunday morning, Michael took a taxi to the airport and returned safely to Lima that evening. Our Moms, Michael's Dad, and Noah drove back to Virginia. Now, my Dad and I had a date - thanks to the help of Kerry's Dad and his sister, I gave my Dad tickets to the Yankees game for Father's Day this year. This was particularly special for several reasons: I hadn't been with my Dad in over a year and a half, this is the Yankee's last season playing in the historic stadium, and my Dad - growing up in NY and being a life-long fan - had never once been to a game there. We arrived just in time to sing the national anthem, to which my Dad always proudly sings the bass line. Surely he didn't notice the others around him start to join in when they heard him. I was trying to sing, but the whole scene was too much for me - being home, hearing our anthem, seeing our "home flag" (as Noah calls it), and being with my Dad, I was fighting back the tears. The Yanks played a great game, defeating the Royals 15-6, with a grand slam homerun, and several other great moments. We sunned ourselves in the upper deck for the afternoon - it was a real treat. The Houlihans even welcomed us by name via the jumbotron during the 3rd inning! That night Dad and I had plenty of time to catch-up in the car as we sat in traffic for much of the way home, but it was a terrific memory made together.
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