Wedding Bells

At our family Christmas party in 1984, I played almost exclusively with my eighteen-month-old cousin Peggy.  She was an adorable kid with a head full of red curls, and after dealing with her wild and crazy older brothers for the first six years of my life, Peggy was a welcome change.

I told her dad, my uncle Mike, that I loved her and he looked at me and said, "You really do?  Well then you can keep her."  Immediately I began making plans in my head for where Peggy would sleep and how I would take care of her with my demanding first grade schedule.  I was nervous, but I was ready.  I would undoubtedly be a wonderful mother.

The end of the night came and I noticed Uncle Mike bundling Peggy up.  This is going to shock all of you, I'm sure, but apparently he was only joking when he gave his toddler to a six-year-old.  I was devastated and cried and made a gigantic and very maternal scene.  It was very Shirley MacLaine screaming for her daughter's pills in "Terms of Endearment."  It did not have the desired effect, however, and Peggy was raised by her biological parents, although I'm sure she secretly considers me her real mother.  Sorry, Aunt Jan.

Anyway, she grew up and on Saturday she married her boyfriend Matt.  I think we can all agree that my daughter, er, cousin was absolutely gorgeous and a truly radiant bride.