Edinburgh Gang

It all started on a study abroad program. Anna, Ian, Cindy, Sharon, Jim and I became very good friends. Ian joked last weekend that we got together once in a while to elect new (or impeach old) officers. There are so many stories that accompany these pictures, but they are best left out of a family blog. We know the stories, recite them often and laugh until our sides hurt.

This is one of our first group pictures from Scotland. The Mylne's Court Ball. From left to right (and gang, help me fill in the blanks): Anna, Ian, Cindy, me, my Belgian roommate (oh and Jim crushed on her the entire year) Alexa , Sharon, Penny, Oooh what is his name, Anna, her English roommate Charlotte, Eeek another name I've forgotten, and Jim sporting a fabulous kilt. Walleye boxer shorts underneath :)

Cindy and Ian fell instantly in love on the trip to Scotland so it was no surprise that they were the first to get married. We all met in Newport, RI over the Thanksgiving weekend 1997 for their wedding. Anna, Jim, Sharon, Paul, Cindy, Ian and me out by the bridge. It was egg salad sandwiches in a bar for Thanksgiving dinner and plenty of food and beverages courtesy of Ian's parents for the UT / Texas A & M game the next day. A fun party before the wedding at the Red Parrot in Newport and the obligatory trip to IHOP on the way back to the hotel. It was a beautiful wedding although I think I'm still apologizing to Cindy's mom. The quotes and ribbing that still occur from events of this wedding weekend are epic.

And 11 years, 2 babies, 2 dogs later, these two kids are more in love than ever. It was inspiring to see them this weekend for Sharon's wedding; I even got to meet the kiddos - B and B - who are beautiful, smart, and engaging just like their parents.

I was married next several years later. Cindy, Sharon & Jim managed to make it to Sonoma, California for the event. Ian was somewhere in the Carribean on assignment. Anna was... Sharon commented several times how kind it was of me to wait the wedding a few minutes (!) until they showed up. They got lost. I assume because Jim was navigating. :) I want to know why everyone here has a drink but the bride??

Next was Anna who married her high school sweetheart, Jeff, in Minneapolis on a very snowy December night. The gang camped at the Beach House for the weekend. It was such a beautiful ceremony and reception. I think because of the weather we managed to behave ourselves this night. You'll have to ask Cindy about her first night in camp, however.

Jim was married next in Medford, Oregon to Colette - a gorgeous and talented woman whom we all liked very much. We were seated at the notorious Table #9... now a legend among wedding seating charts. Sharon was unable to attend and was sorely missed. I needed my wingman on this trip but something about Harvard... Masters Degree ... blah blah blah.

The wedding after-party is the stuff of legends and I was grateful to Ian for chaperoning. "Pretty girl, fist-full of one's... I'm pretty sure I know what's going on here." (Um... I was probably elected Treasurer on this trip.)

And as much as I'd love to post my photos from Sharon's wedding to the lovely Tom Castonguay, my husband deleted all of my Newport pictures from the camera disk. (Maybe there will be an opportunity for another wedding after all!) Thanks to Anna for coming through. Here we are!

We missed Jim & Colette desperately, but still managed to have one of our usual laugh-until-we-hurt weekends together. New officers were elected. I believe I was impeached... something about the Appalachian Trail. Sharon was calm, beautiful, extremely elegant and, in true form, threatened to give Ian the finger in church. It was a touching moment - one I'm sure he will cherish always.