my best friend's wedding

*Whoops! I published my last post before this one and now they are out of chronological order!  Too late now, but it just bugs me.

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Cory has been my best friend since we were four years old.  

Here is a picture of an Easter morning when we are around 8 maybe?

We lived down the street from one another.  While we shared a mutual love of Barbies, we also fought with each other all the time.  It is a wonder our mothers let us keep playing together because they often ended in one of us going home angry.  We got over that eventually and stayed close despite always being at different schools.  We did Girl Scouts together so we had mutual friends there, but it was actually great to have one friend who was separate from school and all the friend drama that girls seem to have.  I always knew I could have Cory over to spend the night without any issues about some other girl having her feelings hurt. We had all sorts of silly inside jokes and loved watching Saturday Night Live together.  We also love making this silly face in pictures:

Cory was in my wedding and I would never have dreamt of missing hers until I found out that I was going to be 8 months pregnant when she was getting married at the end of May.  Blast! Not about the baby, of course, we really wanted that.  I just knew the timing was going to be tricky since the wedding was across the country.  However, despite what I expected, my midwife gave me the green light to fly.  Apparently, you can fly up to 36 weeks.  I was going to be 35... or basically 36.  I had a few weeks warning so we were able to make all the needed reservations.  I was so excited when I got to call and tell Cory the news.  I am so happy I could be there for her big day.  For the photographer's amazing photos go here or you can just look at mine which are really almost as good right?... ok, not really.  Also, there are some from the fun Photo Booth here (Check out page 2 and 9 for Zach and I). It was a beautiful day with a beautiful bride which makes any photographer's job easy.  Unless the people you photograph insist on making this face:

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree because Cory's mom Vicki is an awesome lady as well.  She was my Girl Scout leader and has always been there to look out for me.  And you can see where Cory gets her beauty.

She looked stunning in her beautiful lace dress.

The little baby in my belly got lots of attention.

Her husband is pretty great, too.  His name is Matt and I couldn't pick someone better for her.

I love watching the groom when the bride comes down the aisle.

Cory's dad, Frank, is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.  He looked very proud (and choked up a bit) as he walked her down the aisle.

(Is that Dean Stockwell from Quantum Leap and Battlestar Galactica saying the ceremony?  He is my distant relative after all.  Maybe I pulled some strings.  That will be my little secret... or lie... you decide.)

So Happy!

We ain't such a bad couple either...

The setting was just gorgeous on the vineyard in Charlottesville, VA.

Cory got to know my baby a little better, but now I am anxious for her to meet the real thing so we can all play Barbie's together.

And Zach got to know Cory's crazy brothers a little better.

Then it was time for the party.

I love the Balint kids!

I didn't think I could handle the dance floor with my swollen feet, but I did pretty well and made it out for quite a few songs.  I am glad it wasn't photographed though.

Then it was time to say goodbye.

The next day Cory's dad set up a group tour of Monticello.

It was beautiful and interesting and such a treat for us without kids!

We spent some time wandering around Charlottesville and came across "The White Spot" which is apparently a late night favorite for the college crowd.  It is also home of the "Gus Burger" which appropriately has a fried egg on it... one of our Gus' favorites.

We walked around the beautiful grounds of the University of Virginia.

My scientist liked the science building with famous scientific names all around the facade.

Here is the famous rotunda.

(The big Z and the IMP are the emblems of some of their secret societies)

Cory and Matt stuck around so we got to hang out with them before we left. 

Cory's good friend Kim from high school was around with her fiance, too, so we all had a nice dinner together.

I can't really express how happy I was that I got to go on this trip.  Zach and I left the boys for the first time.  They split time between Baabee, Mimi, and the Burches so they didn't miss us one bit. I was sort of dreading being super uncomfortable on the long flights, but it really wasn't bad at all.  My feet got super fat and swollen despite the compression socks, but that was happpening at home, too.  The baby cooperated and stayed put and the trip was a success.  It was a wedding I will never forget and am so blessed to have been at.  I love you Cory!