This past weekend, I flew back to Ontario for the second time in as many weeks to celebrate the marriage of my baby bro and his beautiful fiancé. Rob and Holli-Ann met when he was posted at Base Borden in the summer of 2010. He had just finished basic training and was starting his training as a supply tech, when he found himself working alongside a beautiful civilian worker. The two of them took a trip to her family’s home province of Newfoundland, and have been together ever since.
The event was made extra special by the presence of my mom. She has been low on energy the last few weeks due to radiation and chemo therapy treatments, but managed to not only attend the wedding but to stay out for the entire duration of the reception. I may have even caught her sipping a few sips of wine during the toasts. Her dance with my brother brought both my sister and I to tears.
I don’t do well at events like this, because I’m intimately involved and want to make sure everything goes perfectly. Not only was I the best man, but also the MC for the reception and a jack-of-all-trades prior to the event. It took a while—and perhaps a few bottles of wine—but I somehow I eventually made the audience made up of close friends and family laugh. Tough crowd.
Overall, the wedding was fantastic. I’m so proud of you, Rob. And Holli-Ann, remember my advice from my speech: let him win once in a while.
