Introducing the newest Mr. & Mrs.

My little brother is a husband! Sam Miller (actual age: 26; age in my mind: 6) wed Jit Fong on July 15 under the huge oak tree in my parents' front yard. How to describe the wedding? It was beautiful, of course. The bride was radiant; the groom looked simultaneously shocked and satisfied. The Kiss was passionate (and looked quite well-practiced). But "homegrown" probably best captures the overall spirit of the day. My parents started making the house wedding-ready months ago, and their hard work paid off. They grew an arch in the middle of the lawn under which the bride and groom exchanged vows. Flowers bloomed in every corner of the yard. Mom made the cake and salads; dad set up tables and chairs, repaired the porch and ran innumerable errands. Aunt Judy served as florist. Eric and I decorated the getaway car. Jit Fong designed the programs. Sam made the wedding music mix. We all ripped up lettuce, sliced melons, set tables, folded napkins and completed the other tasks mom spelled out on the poster-size to-do lists that served as kitchen wallpaper in the weeks leading up to the Big Day. I can't recall our family ever teaming up on such a large project before.

But now it's all over. Visiting family members have headed home. Dad's back at work. Eric and I are focused again on SEND business, presentations, church visits and baby preparations. My mom's drifting in a sea of post-wedding bliss – and we can only hope that Sam and Jit Fong are doing the same!

Back from the (former) USSR

We’re back! Actually, we’ve been back for two weeks. Two reunion-packed, somewhat-chaotic weeks. Some highlights:

• We met with one of the three doctors who could deliver our baby, and we really liked him. There were some elements of the American medical system that we’d forgotten about (complicated insurance, long waits in the doctor’s office), but overall we feel pleased with the medical group we chose. The baby remains healthy and active, and the doctor was very impressed with the prenatal care we received in Kyiv. This means we won’t have to repeat any of the tests we did over there, which is great news.

• My little brother is getting married in 14 hours at my mom and dad’s house, which is where we’re staying at the moment. Naturally, these have been a hectic two weeks, but we can’t wait to see Sam and Jit Fong promise to have and to hold from this day forth. Family members (ours and hers) have been arriving all week, so we’ve enjoyed reunion after reunion. The groom, Eric, my dad and the best man are all at a Giants game tonight: Eric’s first baseball game in more than two years. I predict mass hot-dog consumption.

• We’ve already seen three movies! Two superhero movies and one wrestling movie – Eric’s clearly been in his movie-watching element. If only they’d release a baseball movie to complete the trifecta.

• We’ve enjoyed a very warm welcome at Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church, where Eric has already gotten the chance to give his testimony at a men’s breakfast, to preach and to hear lots of stories about me when I was growing up.

• We made our first round-trip drive down to SoCal and back last week, and the drive was much more comfortable than I thought it would be, considering the size of my belly. We crammed in lots of visits with family and friends. It was a joyful time, and I was so thankful to find that it still felt totally natural to spend time with old friends, despite the years of separation.

Overall, I’m surprised at how comfortable I feel in the States. Not much seems to have changed. Sure, there are lots of new Starbucks (two in Morgan Hill, and at least three in Whittier), but a Starbucks is still a Starbucks. I admit, I have forgotten a few things. For instance, today I did some wedding grocery shopping (the grocery stores – so big, so clean, so well-stocked!), and when I got to the register, I forgot what I’m supposed to do with the cart. Do I push it somewhere? Does the cashier handle that? We also got a little reminder of the joys of car ownership on Sunday when we rushed out to the car only to find a flat tire. Two months until Baby O arrives, and then life will seem unfamiliar all over again!