Our Trip Back East for a Wedding: Part 1

26 September - 1 October, 2013

(This is part one, the narrative. Part two contains pictures: the F’s garden, architecture, the impromptu brass band, foosball championships, etc. that I. found interesting to shoot with her camera. By the way, when we refer to familial relations (cousin, uncle, oma, etc.) we are referring to a relationship to the F's kids).

This post is about our trip back to Beverly, MA (and exploring Salem and Marblehead). About 15 years ago, J attended seminary at Boston University School of Theology. This was the B.C. era: Before Children. As newlyweds, we lived in married student housing in Salem, MA for a year, then moved to an apartment in Beverly. L taught school in the area while J commuted in and out of Boston for classes. While attending the Memorial Church in Beverly, we became very good friends with KF and GF and their three kids L, Pl, and Pr. The kids were all little people when we left (L and Pl were in early grade school and Pr was just 3 years old).

In our previous life as dwellers in the Palouse Hills of Eastern Washington, the F’s came to visit. LF was about 15, Pl about 13, and Pr about 8. That was the last time we’d seen the kids. (GF and KF visited in early July 2010 for a day). So, we were a little surprised and very much excited when LF announced her engagement to SD. (Truth be told, we’d been watching their relationship for some time, and were kind of wondering when this would happen.) We immediately started saving and planning to attend the wedding.

Then, one day about 13 months ago, J received a telephone call from LF wondering if he would officiate the wedding. “You bet! I’d be honored!” So, LF, SD and J had lots of conversations and emails doing pre-marital counseling and general service planning.

Remember the phone call at Sucia Island this summer from the Father-of-the-bride-to-be? That fellow was GF, LF’s father. He generously offered the use of his frequent flyer miles. But that meant that the family would be split up for the trip out. It was cheaper to send the gals straight from Seattle to Boston, while the guys used GF’s miles and went via Atlanta.

After work on Thursday, September 27, we drove down to Seattle to catch flights back to Boston for a wedding in Beverly, MA. We split up at the airport, the gals going to the South terminal, and the guys to the North. These pictures are sunset pictures as we were leaving – heading down the Semiahmoo spit. The next shot is from the gals seeing the sunrise out the plane porthole over the Atlantic as they were landing in Boston.

Arriving at 6:45 a.m. (that’s 3:45 Pacific), L, I, and M were picked up by GF and taken back to the house, where they had breakfast. After breakfast, the girls jumped right into helping to decorate and load cars and set up for the wedding and the rehearsal.

(Uncle MU photo:
SD & M loading table centerpieces)

E and J arrived later (about 11:00 a.m.). Again GF met them at the airport, and then they made stops. First to the Tux Shop to pick up the suits for himself and Pl and Pr. Then the guys drove to the car shop. The F’s van was being fixed, and was still not done. But never fear, the mechanic gave the F’s his own car to use. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got my truck and my wife has the other car. It’s the least I can do.” So, J drove that back to the F’s house while G drove a sleeping E.

Some things change in MA (there were tons of new buildings!) and some things don’t (the terrible driving and the generosity of New Englanders! L and J often said when they lived back there, that New Englanders may come across as “cold,” but they are really just reserved and don’t want to make presumptions. Once you know them, they’ll give the shirts off your back for you).

Again, after eating and drinking coffee, E was ready to go and jumped in helping with all the wedding prep. J and L continued to think “Our kids are awesome!” Later that afternoon, the JLIME crew went to the hotel, unpacked, showered, and J even managed a short nap prior to the rehearsal.

The rehearsal went well. SD’s folks threw a fabulous rehearsal dinner. It was really great to catch up with all sorts of old friends and make new ones.

Saturday: The day was bright and sunny, a perfect day for a fall New England wedding. J officiated the wedding with Memorial Church’s pastor. The wedding was perfect. The F’s are a musical family (KF is the organist and choir director at the church), consequently the wedding had lots of music in it. During the first hymn KF sang out in her soprano voice, and J and L both started to lose it. J told himself, “Hang in there, Hang in there. We’ve got to get through the service.” The wedding was beautiful.

The reception was great. What a fun time to celebrate and visit with old friends. When we were living back there, we got to know both K’s and G’s extended families. How fun to see them all again at this celebration. We danced into the night.

Sunday found us all gathered at the F’s house for brunch. Brunch quickly turned into eating all day and into the late evening. The newlyweds did finally make a break and head off for their honeymoon (by noon), while the rest of us continued to visit and catch up.

The kids (including G’s brother (H) and sister-in-law’s (A) children, S & M) got together as a brass band and brass band plus piano. They also challenged each other and us adults to foosball terminates.

The plan for Monday was to go explore Boston. But when we awoke, we decided to just spend the day in Beverly (turning in the marriage license was on the agenda), and look at Salem and Marblehead. We decided to show the kids (I, M & E) where we used to live in Beverly and Salem.

From the hotel we drove past our old Beverly apartment on our way to the Department of Licensing to turn in the marriage license. As an out of state “solemnizer,” J wanted to make sure everything was properly done. It was. Then off to Independence Park, and putting our feet in the Atlantic Ocean and playing on the beach for a while.

The next stop was Salem, where we first toured the Salem Library (bathroom break). We walked down to our old apartment building, pointed out our apartment, and then took in the old buildings. The oldest we saw (from the car) was dated 1680-something). Walking on a circuitous way back to the car, we stopped to look at an old cemetery and chuckle at the irony of the Senior Center being housed right next to the cemetery. Then it was off to explore Marblehead (via drive by).

We came back through Salem and were looking for some place to eat. L spied Brother’s Restaurant (formally owned by one of her previous student’s families) and we decided to eat there. After dinner, J spied the masts of a tall ship, and we wondered down to the old Salem dock to take in FRIENDSHIP, a replica of the first post-colony trading ship. That evening we ended up back at the F’s where we visited some more and looked at pictures from the wedding.

Tuesday found us up and out of the hotel, to the airport and ready to board our plane for Seattle. This time, all five of us were traveling together on a non-stop flight back. Our return was uneventful and the cat was excited to see us!

What a wonderful weekend! We sure miss the F’s and can't wait to see them again.

God Blessings on the new Mr. and Mrs. L and S D.

May your home always be a haven of blessing and Peace!