After they were done doing the wedding party photos out in the grand foyer of the hotel, everyone waited for my brother and his new wife to rejoin us so that we could start the reception. Finally, Greg walked in and went over to the DJ table, where he picked up a microphone. Everyone was quiet, expecting the traditional introduction of the new couple.

Instead, my brother began to sing, a capella:

Birds flyin’ high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by you know how I feel
Its a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life for me
And I’m feeling good…

As he finished the last line and we all picked our jaws up off the floor (well, not me, I have always known that my brother can sing), Alantra appeared beside him and on the sound system, the song picked up at the second verse, and they began to dance there alone on the wood floor in the middle of the ballroom. It was a dance they had choreographed and practiced together, and they had us all spellbound by it. Truly, and by far, the most memorable and romantic first dance I have ever seen, and it left me speechless and proud. I still get chills thinking about it!

Sure, the wedding had its unexpected missteps — mostly caused by using toddlers as ring bearer and flower girl — but those awkward moments were all washed away by the perfection of that scene. I am SO happy for my brother, and I am SO pleased and thrilled that Alantra is my sister-in-law!! I can’t wait to see them both again.

I was also able to see my nieces for the first time. Which is a shame given their age, but they have never traveled out west, and I had never been to Virginia. I am glad I finally got to be an aunt in person. I really wish it was easier to get to know them, but they are still young, and there is time…

The other most memorable part of our trip was the cold air of Virginia hitting me in the face as we exited the airport and walked to the rental car shuttle, and me exclaiming “Winter!” as I wrapped my scarf around my neck. As our plane descended into Dulles, I was like a kid seeing snow for the first time, only instead of snow, it was miles and miles of blood-red leaves hanging from the trees, mingled with forests of gold and orange. This just does not happen on the west coast. I was enchanted.