A Wedding Toast

It is my pleasure to toast the beautiful bride and the dashing groom.

For those of you who do not know - I am the Bride's sister which is odd for me because until recently the Bride has been my little sister - I was introducing her to my friends and my new family. Now she is introducing me to hers. This new role was not an easy one for me to accept as Jennie knows. Even though I knew New York held fantastic opportunities for her, ones that would let her flourish, I was not willing to let my little sister go - I loved her too much. She was my confidante, my comedian, my best friend. But, because I loved her, and because she was going anyway, I let her go. I marveled at her growth and life in New York, in many ways I wished it were mine, but I wanted my best friend back. I asked her frequently when she was going to come home knowing that eventually she would come back to me. Then she met the Groom. I knew then that she wasn't coming home. Her home now was where he was. I could hear it in her voice the first time she described meeting him, skiing in some far off area. She was in love. I knew this because only a girl in love could enjoy watch an Englishman ski. Soon pictures were rolling in of the two of them together and I thought "good Lord Jennie is in love with Peter Fonda". But, I smiled because the Bride was smiling, smiling like she hadn't in a long time. I wondered though, did this man love my sister as much as she loved him - would he break her heart? After meeting him, I immediately knew that he would not break heart and he loved her. I saw the way he looked at her, smiled at her, talked with her and kissed her - he was in love as well. Nothing would have pleased me more than to dislike him, to pick him apart so I could keep the idea that my best friend would return, but he was too damn good. He laughed with me and paid me compliments. He took naturally to my children as did they. Even my husband could talk to him...and he listened to my mother without rolling his eyes. I thought my dream was over and it was. But, the reality is so much better - I have not lost my best friend but gained a new friend, a brother. He has brought his family into our lives with all their loving kindness that I couldn't have imagined anything better. Unfortunately, we could only offer him - my family, sorry sir. So join me now and toasting my best friend and my brother - Cheers!