I'm pretty sure this isn't normal

Does everyone become fast friends with the parents of the people their children marry?  Because that is what happened to us.

We love the Carlsons.  The whole family.  We spent a delightful few days with them in Charlottesville.  Amy fed us breakfast and we hung out visiting in their lovely home.  We went sightseeing around town.  We went to the University of Virginia and drove a bit on Skyline Drive which borders the Shenandoah National Park.  It is a beautiful (and humid) part of the world.

Amy and Natalie stayed home from the sightseeing to do some reception prep.  Mark Carlson, Braeden and Anna and Emma went in one car and Adam, Mark Davis, Owen and I went in the other. I loved hearing Mark and Owen talk as we drove.  They are a lot alike and talked about cars and schools.  We were going to make a stop for gas and drinks and Mark asked Owen if he was more a Coke or Pepsi guy.  Owen said, "Coke.  But my favorite is Dr. Pepper."

"That is the right answer!" Mark said.

He too is a Dr. Pepper man.

At UVA, we went into the rotunda Thomas Jefferson designed.  It was lovely.  Adam and Mark Carlson inspected photos and dived deep into how the building had been remodeled over the years.  They discussed at length and talked to the information desk and Braeden and Anna told me they were glad they could arrange this playdate for their dads.

We went back to their house for burgers and more visiting then we headed to the church to get ready for the reception.

Amy had made an amazing spread of delicious food and the room looked lovely.  We helped with last minute preparations and then spent an enjoyable evening.

I tasked Mark with taking some pictures.  He took one of the food and one of Owen, the things that mattered most to him:

Here we are, hanging out before the festivities started.  Natalie is pinning the boutonniere on her dad's jacket.

He did manage to get a picture of the happy couple.  Here they are next to the mother of Anna's best friend from high school:

I stood next to Amy most of the night.  We laughed at each other's stories and she introduced me to people. Everyone I talked to told me how lucky we were and how wonderful Anna is and how much they love her.

I know how lucky we are.  I promise I know.

Amy and I thought of things I could say in response to make for awkward moments.  I could say, "Really?!?" or "Will you tell me what you like about her because we are so worried!" or "I'm glad somebody thinks so."

(I didn't end up creating any awkward moments though.)

When the reception was winding down, Braeden changed the music from the 40s jazz stuff I'd been playing to more contemporary dance kind of music.  Mark Carlson said, "I don't want people to think this is the after party."

Adam said, "Maybe we could play, 'Saturday is a Special Day, It's the Day We Get Ready for Sunday.'"

Mark said, "Do you have it?"

We didn't.

Then Mark decided we should play, 'So Long, Farewell' from The Sound of Music.  I could find that on my phone but I said, "That seems rude!"

Mark said, "No, these are our friends."

So I went in the kitchen and told Amy that it was Mark's idea, not mine.

We cleaned up and Amy sent us back to our airbnb with bread and cheese and key lime tarts for our breakfast.

We sat with them at church and I felt sad that it was ending.  Adam said, "I feel like we've made these great new friends but I don't know when we'll see them again."

We need to live closer to each other.

After sacrament meeting, Amy loaded us up with more food and we said our good-byes.  Braeden and Anna were staying another day and it feels weird that he is his own person now; they are their own family.  We don't need to keep track of his comings and goings.

We drove to Baltimore and flew home.  It was a whirlwind, but a happy one.