I look at this situation like crab rangoon.

Nine years ago today, Ching and I got married.  This isn't the anniversary of our wedding day (that stick up my ass day is a later entry ), but a day when we kept it very simple.

While we were planning our wedding, Ching had, what I would describe, a cartoon bad weather cloud over his head.  He couldn't shake it.  He knew that his grandmother couldn't attend the wedding that we were planning in Maine.  A family member would visit her everyday in her nursing home..Ching felt that with the wedding, he would be taking away all her visitors.  She wouldn't experience the wedding.   Not a problem, I thought..let's get married in Minnesota with your grandmother and the wedding could happen in Maine?  While it was such a simple suggestion to me, it took about 40 pounds off of Ching's shoulders.  So that is what we did.

On June 14, 2003..there were so many degrees of awesome.  Some obvious and some, an unexpected delicious treat that made others squirm.

Let's start with my mom.  Initially, the idea of the Minnesota wedding was to have the most intimate wedding.  I didn't want my mom there thinking it was more of a Wang family get together.  BUT then I saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding..two cultures melding.  I look at this situation like crab rangoon.  Who thought the awesomeness of cream cheese and fried wanton could mesh?  It did..just like my mom and Ching's family.  They were an amazing combination..(and the crab stick that makes the rangoon..think of it like Ching and me.  Holy Christ, this is weird but whatever..)

Secondly, my mom and I were in Minnesota!  My sister's boyfriend's family lived in Minnesota and just 20 minutes away from Ching's family.  (Yeah, I know that is weird and coincidental..we have never been able to explain that..)  Since we were out there, Jon's parents (Dick and Rita) wanted to meet us and we JUMPED at the opportunity.  My mom wanted to meet the parents of the man that my sister waxed poetic.  I just wanted to meet them because my little sister wasn't there to police us...this was freakin' gold.  The havoc that we could initiate..my God..but we were tame.  What I didn't plan, that morning, was a delicious spread that Rita gave us as her guests.  Have you ever had egg bake?  Incredible..I had two pieces and I would have had a third but I think my mom would have stabbed my hand with her fork.  (Jude, do you want them to think that you don't eat..what the hell?) The significance of me eating so much was the setting.  I just met them.  Usually in a new situation, I can't eat around people.  But Jon, my (now) brother-in-law's family made me feel so at ease and gave me such importance on the low key but important day.  I felt at home.

Then Mom and I went back to the hotel and had an amazing Cosmo...we only had one each...really.

Our ceremony, on a beautiful day,  was in the backyard of his Aunt Paulina and Uncle Paul's home  (no, I am not going to explain that name combo--that is what they, as a couple,  chose when they came to the US of A.)  Ching's aunt loves to garden and Ching's uncle is a doctor in horticulture so the gardens were incredible while on a lake.  There were no scheduled florists..but someone did buy me bouquet and Ching, a boutonniere.  There was no paid photographer..but assume the pictures were covered by Ching's family.  There was no huge dress..I bought a blue summer dress at Lord and Taylor and Ching wore his best suit.  There was no pomp or circumstance..we were casual in the surroundings but knew we were embarking on something important.  I walked up the Ching without music and laughed during our vows..this was my man...because he laughed back.

When you see the pictures, Ching's grandmother is in her wheelchair surrounded by her children (Ching's aunts and uncles) all which raised him.

We had a very simple dinner, not reception..eating a Chinese dinner and cutting a small grocery store cake.

I had my man on one side of me and then my mom on the other.  I got my moo-shi duck and Ching gave his grandmother the opportunity of seeing him get married.. At the time, I didn't know what the nine years would deliver..but I could take several more..