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Ryan, our cousin's son, and Meredith, his sweetheart, were wed in April 2009 on the gulf coast of Florida

The father of the bride, left, accompanies Meredith down the aisle before the ceremony. After the vows, friends and family, right, await Ryan to walk Meredith back up the aisle and out the church, where guests will shower them with rose petals.

The happy couple is all smiles as they walk the gauntlet of guests

The family, young and old, welcomes the couple to their brave new world Gary reaches out to give a manly shoulder squeeze to his newly married son. Why are all these guys grinning?

The Reception After the wedding the couple and their guests gathered at the Natchez House in Seaside for an afternoon of eating, drinking, laughter, discoveries, and reminiscences. One corner of the table did more drinking and laughing than usual, but that was to be expected, given the usual suspects: Seated from left, Andy, cousins Ilene and Nancy, Jeff, Tessa (Nancy's older daughter), Uncle Hugh, Bill, and my sister Betty. Standing from left, me, Cherie, Ryan, and Meredith.

Bill and Betty share a private joke. Hard not to laugh after margarita infused shrimp, Champaign, cheese, white wine, finger sandwiches, red wine, dinner, beer, cake, more Champaign, well...you get the picture.

T h e W e d d i n g

D a n c e

Family Photos What's a wedding without a few snapshots of the family to put in the ol' photo album? To that end, a few pics of the sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, cousins, uncles, nieces, and what have you... Cousin Nancy, her son Ryan and daughter Megan

Bill and Betty, Nancy and Gary

Nancy and Gary of El Paso, TX

Betty and Bill of Novi, MI

Ilene and Andy of Roscommon, MI

Hugh of Clinton Twsp, MI

Tessa and friend Jeff of Houston, TX

We spent a good deal of time on the gulf both before and after the wedding. Most of that time involved eating, but occasionally there was just some good ol' monkeying around

The welcoming party the night before the wedding was held at Buster and Alley's on the beach. A few of us stepped next door to the Shrimp Shack to roll up our sleeves (except for Bill, of course, who was probably still in his Michigan long johns) and eat steamed shrimp fresh from the gulf. Andy saved the last big Royal Red shrimp for me, asking "is this big enough for ya, big fella?" It was.

Ilene, Uncle Hugh, and Nancy enjoyed the opportunity to be together again

When I was the youngest cousin growing up in Michigan, I always looked up to my big sister and our cousin Nancy, who to a 10-year-old looked like the most sophisticated women in my world. They still do, almost looking like a couple of sophisticates sitting at a Parisian cafe table.

Okay, that's enough sophistication for one day. On day two Ilene and Andy, aka Chiquita and Poncho Villa, got down down on the beach

We may be getting old, but that doesn't mean that we can't act like teenagers when we get together again. Take lessons, kids. (That's Andy calling his parole officer..."no ma'am, I'm here at church with the fathers and sisters")

Not sure what Gary is doing, left, but it has something to do with his swim trunks. Yes, Gary, we're grateful that you're still wearing them and not indulging your teenaged impulse to go skinny dipping in the gulf.

This one is my fault. The night before, after we all "filled up" on gulf shrimp, I snuck over to the hot dog stand for what turned out to be the best hot dog in memory. The night of the wedding we all had to try them out, and sure enough, the vote was unanimous: best hot dog ever. If you go to Seaside, try one at "Pickle's" near the beach.

See what I mean? Ilene was so ravished by the hot dog, she accidently bit into her fingers ... oh, wait, wait ... that may only be the catsup she dipped her fries into. Whew!

This is what happens when you get old and blind and forget to bring your glasses--your children have to read the menu to you. Tessa gives her mom the rundown on the choices available at the Great Southern Cafe. Turns out it wasn't really necessary--everything was good there, especially the seafood, and you'd be safe choosing your meal dartboard style, pointing to anything on the menu results in a good meal.

And lastly ... The now classic photo at any wedding Cherie and Ilene attend together. The "let's drain the Champaign bottles" pose, this one to toast the wedding of Ryan and Meredith and to the passing of another day on the beach. It's a swell, or swill, way to say goodbye.

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