a big day, a bright future

Today my little brother Ant gets hitched.  By the time this post is published, he and Flic will have promised each other all manner of things in the chapel of the school where they spent lots of time as kids.

When Ant first popped the question, I wondered how on earth my baby brother was old enough to get married.  Then I remembered; it was that same baby who eulogised his big brother with dignity and composure, while I sat mute, rendered speechless by the sight of the wooden box that held our beloved David.

I feel for Ant getting married without his big brother and best man.  Leading up to today, my thoughts have been awash with an impossible mix of happiness and longing.  I found an Etsy store that sells monogrammed cufflinks and made some made with David's initials - one for each of my men - Ant, Bearhands and Dad.

Flic is getting a good man. A man who is capable of great levity and love. A man who delivers a killer birthday message and is a hell of a dancer. A bloke whose fire-side poems make you smile in the dark. A man whose quiet, steady way calms nervous breakers and inspires small brown calves to adopt him as their own.

And Flic is the right bird for Ant.  She’s happily cooked up the venison, rabbit and anything else that found itself in Ant’s crosshairs.  Her smile never faltered as she swapped a hot tub for a molasses drum. They've been buddies since they were just sixteen years old, she knows what he looked like before he grew that ridiculous moustache.

Congrats Ant and Flic!

I wish you a lifetime of happiness, a partnership that will weather life’s storms and enough laughter to sustain you through midnight feeds and the week that the rego and the electricity bill arrive in the same week. Enough tenderness to help you hold your tongue when your other half leaves the key on and flattens the car battery.  Enough good humour to navigate your way back from lost without ruining your trip.

I spent an hour laying in the dark last night pondering the big questions:

• should I wear the nude shoes or the black?
• will the blokes wear the cufflinks?
• what have I forgotten to pack?
• what song have the happy couple chosen for their first dance?
• will the Little Sister fulfil her flower girl duties (or at least decide not to quietly)?

Tune in next week for all these answers and more (or click here for a sneak peak on Instagram)

Have a great weekend! xx