Here come the questions

We're going to the chapel. A church, really.

And we're going to get married. Well, not really us, but Jason's cousin Julie and her finance, Todd.

So we've been packing, and talking about weddings.

Due to the fact that virtually everyone we know is now old and married, Alena has never been to a wedding that she remembers. I think her last was at the ripe old age of ten months.

The little pixie hasn't ever been to a wedding, well, not outside of my uterus, anyway. She was two months shy of delivery when she and I attended our last wedding. And knowing the two have questions about EVERYTHING, I've been trying to prepare them for the big day.

We're going to go to a church. "No," there's no water involved and our babies will not be a part of the ceremony, I had to reassure Alena as she was quick to associate church with the recent baptism of Trace and Alysse.

Julie will wear a beautiful wedding dress and probably carry flowers. There will be other girls wearing pretty dresses, too. "No," Aunt Mandy will not be one of the girls wearing the pretty dresses.

We'll have to sit quietly during the service and try to be good big girls. That means no yelling, no bursting into the chorus of "Johnny Cash" and absolutely no monkey business. Alena's concerned she'll be thirsty and need a drink. Check ... a small bottle of water has been packed for each so she need not worry about dehydration.

After the wedding, we'll go to a party. There will be dinner, dancing and a big cake. "Yes," Alena can dance with Aunt Jeanne and Alivia can dance with daddy. Guess I'm odd man out.

We've looked at pictures of mommy and daddy's wedding. The tall cake, the church, the dresses. Of most interest, so far, has been mom and dad feeding the wedding cake to each other.

We've practiced this amongst ourselves. Alena feeds mommy the cake, and mommy feeds Alena the cake. Alivia feeds mommy the cake, and mommy feeds Alivia the cake. "Yes," we can feed each other wedding cake at the reception. Please, just don't let them witness Julie smashing the cake in Todd's face or vice versa, as I might come to meet the same fate.

We've looked at the flower daddy wore on his tuxedo jacket. "It's a boutonniere," I told them. Okay, that's a big word for little mouths, even for our little parrots.

We've looked at mommy's wedding dress. "Yes, you're right, mommy didn't have a big belly then," I had to agree. But I didn't have you either, I thought to myself, and I wouldn't trade back for anything.