Well, I suppose it is time to post my reflections from the weekend.

Friday night, Mike and I headed to Newport for Bridget and Byron's wedding rehearsal and dinner. We got kind of a late start, because I wanted to make sure my house was clean before we left. So, I called Mer and Scott on their cell phone, and we were almost equidistant from Newport at the time. Tried to call Stu-ie, but got his VM. So, Mike and I check into the Park Inn and then head out to the campus for the rehearsal. We get there and see Queen James and Rhonda and Chad, Bridget's family, Byron's family, Marc and Jill, and then FINALLY, I see Bridget. She's on stage, working on the set. Yes, you heard correctly...on stage. My Director of Theater big sister did her wedding as a stage production. And it was really cool. She's always threatened to get me in a stage production... now she's done it! :o)

Anyway, so she and I go to the kitchen, to make ice cream. (If you don't know Bridget... this is the woman that tries to make everyone feel at home. For those of you who DO know Bridget... you understand.) So, when the bride-to-be says "beat egg whites," you beat egg whites. So, we get the ice cream going and I decide to go look outside for Scott and Mer and Regan. Good timing, because they pull in the parking lot as I walk outside. Did I mention the weather? No? Okay, so the weather is YUCKY... heavy winds, dark clouds...icky. Well, I get to the van, and Regan is smiling and happy to see me. (You have no idea how that child makes my heart leap... it's good to be an aunt!) She comes to me and we hurry to get her inside out of the weather. So, everyone starts playing catch up and hugging and all that. Marc and Scott joked like they used to.. it was good to see.

Mer wanted to know if I'd heard from Stu. I said that I'd tried to call him, but got VM. Mer also wanted to know if he knew Jill was there. I said I didn't think so, but I'd call and tell him. So, I got through to Stu, and checked to see where he was and filled him in on what was going on so far. He was about 20 minutes away when I called.

They start serving dinner, so we all go and sit and wait to get in line. And, of course, it was the typical separation of people: Bridget's family here; Byron's family there; the friends somewhere else... but it was still fun. I suddenly thought I'd go check to see if Stu was there yet. I walked out (again) just as he pulled up. (Man, the McRegan radar was ON that night!) So, I get Stu hugs, Mer gets Stu hugs, and then we go in to eat and associate.

Okay, FINALLY around 8:30 we start to rehearse. Actually, we start to walk Regan (age 2) and Tucker (age 4) through their parts. Regan did VERY well. We all practiced until about 9:30 or so and then Scott and Stu, Mikey, and Mer, Regan and Me all loaded up and went to the hotel. We got the boys and the baby situated. Stu brought his wife, er, laptop with him and showed me his new project. DAMN, that boy is talented! :o) So, Stu worked on his projects, Scott read his book, and Mikey went to sleep.

Mer and I went back to the theater around 10. Why? Because Bridget said she'd be leaving around 10 to go home. Yeah, right. We get to the theater, and sure enough, they are still there, working on the set and stuff. Marc was doing the sound/lights, so they were working to get everything set up correctly. Finally, around 11:30 or so, Mer, Marc, Jette and I load up in Mer's van and head to Jette's house. Marc and Jill had to bail to go get Tot from work. (Jill and Mandy were at the house, working on bouquets - which were GORGEOUS, by the way!) Jette's mom and cousin were there too, as were Byron and some of his friends. Well, Mer and I tried on our bridesmaid dresses, which were very comfy, very cute and very GREEN! Byron headed out at 4 minutes til midnight; Mer and I left about 10 minutes later. Jette PROMISED she'd go to bed right then, but turned out that she didn't get to til 2 a.m. *sigh*

Mer and I get back to the hotel, and Stu and Mikey are snoozing. Scott is up and waiting for us. Mer and I are of course tired but still buzzing and chatting. Scott made some comment about Mer and I staying up and talking for a while.. so I took that as my cue to curl up on the other side of Scott! He said, "Like I didn't see that coming!" So the three of us talked and laughed for almost an hour. Scott kept mentioning "baseball.. baseball.." It was a good time.

Okay, so the next morning comes and Regan wakes up very early. She hadn't slept very much, but was in a good mood, considering. Stu got cold in the middle of the night, so he wound up curling up under the covers in the floor at the foot of Scott and Mer's bed. He was so cute! A Lasha ApStu is what Scott called him!! :o) We all get up and take showers and Mer and I do hair and makeup. We head out (Mer drove the Tracker because I like a doofus left my keys/license in Jonesboro.) and leave the boys to get ready. Might I add that both Mike and Stu were looking FINE in their dress-up clothes, and Scott was his usual babe-a-licious self. Lots of stressing (to try to get Jette to get READY, not to keep working on cake and flowers and all that stuff...), primping and preparing for me and Mer and Rhonda.

Meanwhile, I am not sure where Stu was, but Mike and Scott drove Regan around to try to get her to take a nap. That didn't work. So they thought they'd take her to the park to try to tire her out. That resulted in her landing in a mud puddle and causing much trauma... and still no nap. So, it was around 1:15, no boys, no flower girl... I hop on the cell phone and hear that they are at US Pizza, waiting for lunch to get ready....poor boys.. they were trying so hard to take care of the baby and get food for all of us so nobody would pass out...Somewhere in all of this, Jeff showed up. Man, he was fine too. :o) (Our boys are gorgeous, just in case you might have wondered what I thought of them!)

Everyone finally made it to the theater. Bridget was simply gorgeous. There is just no way to describe it. My girl wore a TIARA with her veil, and it was just smashing! Her dress was off the shoulder, beaded and pearled, man... she was the perfect bride. Her uncle was her escort, and he was quite a funny guy.

Okay, so show time... We get in our alcove, the groomsmen get in theirs...cue the music... minister and groom walk out... Florence (Jette's real sister and Matron of Honor) walks out from our alcove... best man and ring bearer walk out from their alcove... HOLD IT! Ring bearer? He was not supposed to go out yet! Well, come to find out, he got nervous and wanted to go with the best man - who was Byron's dad, btw. Okay, everyone breathe...Chris walks out from their alcove.. I walk out from ours..we smile and meet in the middle... walk up with no problem... I stand by Florence... turn around to see Chris 2 and Mer walking out... good job... Queen James and Rhonda... giggling and coming down the aisle... good, good... cue the crecendo... here come Bridget and her uncle.... minister asks everyone to stand... Bride and Uncle make it on stage... music fades out...ceremony, ceremony. ...who gives this woman? Her mother and I. Thank you uncle, be seated. Everyone step closer...exchange of vows... Jette starts to cry, Byron makes her laugh.. exchange the rings... say a prayer, AMEN. Present Mr. and Mrs. Byron Collins. I bend down to streighten the train so my girl can walk without tripping. Bride and groom walk up aisle, exit stage left. Best man and Matron of honor walk up aisle, seperate... SEPERATE? Hold it! They were supposed to stay together and exit stage right... so, Chris and I meet, and seperate too instead of exiting stage left. Hey, when the first couple set a trend, everyone else should follow it. So, Mer and Chris 2 did what me and Chris 1 did.. Rhonda and James stayed together (which afterward Rhonda said that it looked like THEY were the only ones who did it wrong... they had the Minister behind them saying "Stay together" which was the original plan.)

Okay, so after that we have lots of pictures, then the reception...then we strike the set and clean up the scene shop. The cake was VERY good! Finally got to see Misty (cuz I didn't see her before the wedding!) Also, James and Teresa and Andrew were there too. Marc had to bail early, so he left way before we did. We all get hugs from the new bride and groom, and the gang caravans back to J'bro.

We all converge on China Garden. James, Teresa, Andrew, Scott, Mer, Regan, Stu, Jeff, Mike and Me. Misty catches up with us later. We eat and then head back to our house. Much laughing and hugging and, ahem, an appearance of the beast. (Poor Misty!) We stayed up pretty late. Guess nobody wanted the night to end. But Jeff headed home, as did Misty, and the rest of us went to bed.

Got up the next morning, and Stu was too tired to get up. So, the rest of us went to IHOP for breakfast, and then said goodbye to Scott and Mer and Regan. (I did very well: no tears, but it hurts everytime we have to say goodbye. Mer and I don't have to say it - we're sisters. I wish they lived closer.) Regan smiled and waved goodbye as they drove off. It was so cute! Anyway, Mike, Misty and I went to K-Mart, and then home for a nap. Stu and his wif.., er, laptop, were playing a game when we got home. So, I woke up to go conduct the monthly business meeting, which went very well. Also, when we got to the park, we found that Jeff had bought us (mainly Mikey) a sheet of aluminum so he could make some new armor. Go JEFF! Thanks a bunch, babes!

After the meeting, Mike and Stu went to help Mike's dad move something heavy, (THANK YOU STU!) then met Jeff, Misty, and me at Ryans. We were joined shortly thereafter by Blue, Zanna and Ian. Dinner was great (Poor Stu-ie... he got so very full!) and then we went back to our house again. Dee and Dave came by for a while. Stu left around 10. Broke my heart to see him go. I miss him so very much.

So, Dee and Dave left around 11 or so, and then Jeff left and then Misty left around 11:30. It was a great weekend.

For MY summary:
Stu may not be MARRIED to his laptop, but.... :o)
Baseball.. Baseball..
My sisters are beautiful and wonderful and amazing.
So is my niece.
I have the most outstanding, gorgeous, and terrific men in my life.
Tenacious D is naughty, but cool!!!
I love my Clan more than I can ever adequately express.