the_matt79

This past weekend brought to you by Stella Artois, When you're drinking with adopted family drink Stella!

So Saturday I flew to Sacramento and was picked up by my sister Aimee. (I have quit using quotation marks when I refer to her as that since this weekend proved that I have been right to call her sister all this time. Perhaps you can choose your family after all). We went to her house so we could have some chow and I could meet some people. When we walked in her mom came over and gave me a big hug, I was glad to see her again she's a pretty damn good lady. Then Harry came over with a big smile and told me how great it was to meet me, and within a few short seconds all the stories I had heard about him made perfect sense, and I had no problem with him marrying my sister.

There were dogs under foot and their baby too. Evan is a cute little guy with a great way of talking and shaking his booty. Apparently my sis and Harry know how to grow em. Harry's mom and stepdad were there too, a couple nice people from East Texas, I had to pay attention when Tom talked to get through his accent, but after a bit I had it down, and he is a hell of a talker. He goes on, and flies from one topic to the next, but it's not annoying or boring, just long winded.

At one point Aimee took me on a tour of the rest of the house and I told her that I already liked Harry, she said "good cuz you're stuck with him". Then Harry came running upstairs to say he was glad Aimee saved me from Tom since he can be a little overwhelming. When I was offered a beer one of the options was Stella Artois, and since I hadn't ever had one, and I see it on blogs and in pics on here all the time I figured it was time to try it. It's good beer and I see why people like it, so it became my drink for the night.

Aimee's dad and I never did figure out if it was his wife or his girlfriend, but I think wife, came by soon after as well and so it was nice to meet them as well. There was ravioli cooking and roasted garlic bread, so we had a pretty good feed going soon as well. Gotta love getting into the midst of some Italians. Harry's best friend/best man came by and so I got to meet him as well. At 9 that night we could start taking things over to the museum/park where the ceremony was being held, so we loaded up all the beer, liquor, and things of that nature so we could get that going once the Oktoberfest was out of there. Finally at 11 I rode with her mom to the hotel to crash so we could wake up and go set up.

I overslept, but in my defense it was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in at a hotel ever, and I suddenly realized it was worth the cost. A nice big kingsize all to my self, yeah it was nice. The place had a great continental breakfast that I enjoyed after AImee called me and asked if I hadn't told her mom I would meet her at 730, luckily her aunt and uncle hadn't left yet so Vikki didn't have to make an extra trip for me. Went to the park and started putting up the tables, chairsand whatever else before we had to go get cleaned up.

Aimee was the epitome of a beautiful bride, truly glowed. The weather was perfect, the crowd was nice, the open bar was enjoyable, as was the bouncy house. She took pictures with us sliding down it and I can't wait to see those when she gets them. I will make sure to post pics as soon as I can steal em from her. When I finally got to meet he Nani, her mother's mother, within a few seconds she said, oh are you Bar Matt, I had to grin and say yes and that it was great to finally meet her after hearing so much.

(Quick aside, back when I first met Aimee she knew about 5 Matts so we got titles that said where we were known from, since I met her when we worked at the bar, I became Bar Matt. I heard it a few times this past weekend and it made me smile every time.)

Harry would hug me every time he saw me and tell me how glad he was that I came, one time he even apologized but said it was just cuz he was so glad. I told a few people that there was nowhere else I was going to be that day. Nani told me "that's a good friend that will come that far" I told her I had to, that not being there wasn't an option for me, she smiled.

I told a few people in Aimee's family that I love her family, how welcoming they are, and how giving, it's a blessing to meet people like that. I got to see a couple people I had known through Aimee from before, and meet a few new ones, which was great as well. When Aimee opened my card and read what I wrote I got yelled at, I had thanked them for making me feel like family, and she said that I was family so why was I writing that. Love that girl.

Monday I realized that I had left my phone at AImee's and wasn't quite sure what her number was. Once I was cleaned up I figured that I would walk to her house as it wasn't that far, and I was smart enough to find it. I wasn't. I walked around Woodland for like 5 hours, mostly because I was stubborn. I stopped for water and a snack at a gas station once, but otherwise I just kept going. Finally I decided to go back to the hotel, so I stopped at Jack in the Box since it was half a block away. When I got in my room, the little read light was flashing and I had 4 messages, so I knew it would start well and then get more serious. Yup.

I had added stress to her day and worried her to the point that she called the ER, the drunk tank went and asked a couple business there if they had seen me, and almost filed a missing person report. But she told me I was stupid and came and got me so we could hang out and watch my Braves play her Giants. I have a pretty good sunburn, and it's like I told her, it's a good thing I'm not stubborn and won't give up on something. Her Giants won and I had to get sad and watch my manager give a press conference for the last time in a Braves uniform.

When she dropped me off at the hotel we said our goodbyes and I felt sad, but I was exhausted so sleep came easy. The next morning she called and told me there had been an accident and she couldn't get to her class so she was going to be able to come say goodbye to me at the airport, so I got to see her again for about twenty minutes or so. When we said goodbye this time she gave me a hug from her mom and a smack on the head from her too.

Flights went well, the drive home kinda sucked as I got bugeyed a couple times, but not bad.

I definitely have to make a trip to see her again soon, a lot sooner than the last time since that was about 7 years. The next time I will know that I have even more to look forward too as before I knew AImee, her mom, sister and brother in law, but now I know more of the family that she came from, and the family she is forming. I thank God that I applied to work at Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse so that I could meet my sister.