But despite the busy-ness, September was a month of pauses... moments of meditation on love, life, and family. It was a whirlwind of changes and new beginnings, with memories that will live in my mind forever.
The beginning of the month was first cast with a dark shadow. After my Grandma Rae went to the hospital for some mysterious pains, my family was bestowed with the most saddening of news: her diagnosis was stage 4 cancer, which began in the lungs, and had spread to her liver, lymph nodes, and spleen. The doctors estimated without chemo she'd have 4-6 months; but with treatment, they could buy her another year, hopefully more. After the reality of the situation set in, the family instead focused on the positive, and making Grandma as comfortable as possible. I decided that I would make a website (in progress...) to raise money to send Gram to Italy after her treatments are over. She's never been out of the country, and has always wanted to see the Vatican. I'll keep you posted on when the site is complete...
Not long after Gram's diagnosis John and I were driving home to Rochester for my little sister Natalie's wedding. (What better time for the family to come together for both my sister and Grandma all at once?) It's one of those events that you wait for your whole life... Natalie is my only sibling, and for our entire lives we've been pretty much inseparable. As children, we were as close to best friends as sisters can be. While distance and time has pushed us into completely different directions, we still love, support, and visit each other as much as possible.
Natalie and Mike's wedding was beautiful in every possible way. I went home late Wednesday night so that I could begin Thursday at home with my family... Natalie's bridesmaids and fellow Navy girlfriends Candy and Meghan were already there, and us girls spent most of Thursday putting together the biscotti wedding favors I'd brought from the Rock Hill Bake House in Glens Falls.
Our biscotti favors.That night, my Mom and Dad hosted a family party at our house. The whole family as well as the groom, Mike's, parents and sisters were all there. John and I had the memorable (or, forgettable) experience of losing a game of beer pong to none other than my parents... beginner's luck!
Me and Natalie with cousins Rosie, Rachel and Gramma at the Thursday Night party.Friday was pretty relaxing, surprisingly. My sister had scheduled everything so comfortably that there was ample time for sitting on the porch with coffee and catching up with the parents - one of my favorite home activities. And Dad, of course, hi-jacked the stereo and made everyone listen to Neil Young while we were getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal left butterflies in my tummy... being the Matron of Honor for a Catholic ceremony meant I had to stand up on the altar with the bride and groom for half the ceremony, as well as remember a bunch of random tasks: take Natalie's bouquet, straighten her dress, move the chair, participate in communion... But all of that quickly faded as we headed to our dinner at the Village Inn, a historic restaurant in our hometown, Albion. My sister handed out her gifts for the bridal party, and I almost cried when I read the engraving on my new beautiful bracelet: "My Sister, My Friend."
Mom and Dad with a sleepy Gavin at the rehearsal dinner. Saturday... ah, Saturday. It was such a gorgeous day - sunny, clear skies, 72 degrees - just perfect. We girls began the day by hopping in our limo at 10am and being escorted to Battisti's hair salon in Chili, where we spent the next four hours getting beautiful. Not long before we decided to go, Candy and Meghan took off in the limo to the liquor store and came back with a bottle of Patron for the ride home...
The ladies before the big day! 
This was pre-Patron :)
And me, Nat, and Mom after our cute 'dos :)Everything, thereafter, went just a smoothly as the tequila (which Candy and Lindon, Natalie's best friend from high school and also a bridesmaid, nearly polished off before we even made it to the church...).
Natalie heads nervously to her wedding ceremony... The ceremony went off without a hitch (my butterflies for nothing) and the newlyweds and rest of the bridal party all crammed into the limo and headed to the reception at Hickory Ridge Country Club. The night is a bit of a blur, but I remember lots of hugs, delicious food, dancing to Madonna and Paula Abdul, and bringing everyone to tears with my speech :)
The newlyweds head for their reception.We partied late into the night, and when we finally came home the tired bride and groom opened all of their cards and presents in preparation for their flight the next day... they were leaving for their Italian honeymoon at 10am the next morning!
We left shortly after I kissed Natalie and Mike goodbye... a four-hour Thruway drive between my family and home. I couldn't have possibly asked for a better time at home or a more perfect wedding day for my sister - my best friend.
See all of my wedding photos
Four days later we were heading to the airport in New Haven, CT for our next September adventure: a five-day holiday in Mexico in celebration of my in-laws upcoming 40th Anniversary! More time to celebrate family and love, more time to rest my mind and take a break from work.
Neil, John's brother, and his girlfriend, Sol-Ana, met us at the airport bright and early, and we began our 3-flight trek to Riviera Maya, just south of Cancun. We arrived at our all-inclusive resort hotel, the Ocean Maya, just after dinner time, and were greeted with frozen cocktails and the humid, salty air of the Carribbean Sea.
The beach at Ocean Maya resort, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.For the next three days we did little more than lay on the beach, order Margaritas and Pina Coladas from the swim-up bar, indulge in fresh Mexican delicacies, cookies, and cakes, lounge around the pool, do yoga on the balcony, hang out over drinks in the lobby bar... basically, a lot of resting and indulging, which everyone deserves now and then.
Yoga on the balcony!Highlights of the trip were on Saturday afternoon after a rainy day, us "kids" took the shuttle into the nearest town, Playa del Carmen, where we watched the sunset, shopped, saw a monkey(!), and made friends with our bartender over slushy margaritas. On our final day, I decided to splurge and get pampered with my first-ever full-body massage at the resort spa, which helped me sink into a state of complete and utter relaxation, if I wasn't already there already!
On the beach in Playa del Carmen, a policeman takes our photo.
Sol-Ana gets peed on by the monkey!We finished our venture with a night out at the resort Japanese Steak House, were we reserved a space at the Hibachi table and surprised the Yosts with an Anniversary cake, which was presented by the resort entertainment staff. Instead of dessert, a full ensemble of dancers and singers in full Mexican dress appeared, complete with confetti, whistles, and of course, cake. It was awesome - and they were totally surprised!
Hibachi de Mexico?
The Yosts get their Anniversary surprise!The next morning we boarded our shuttle back to the airport, another three flights between us and home. It was over pints of ale at the Cleveland airport that we heard the news of the first bailout's rejection in the senate, and just like that, reality slowly descended back upon us.
See all of my Mexico photos
Now, back at home and back into the swing of things, fall is getting crisper, the leaves are now falling, and the world is in a tailspin with an economic crisis and election buzz. But if I close my eyes, I can transport myself back to the moments of peace I found in September... with a hot cup of coffee in hand on my parent's front porch.... with my feet up in a hammock peering out at the aqua blue of ocean.
It's there that I find myself retreating as the whir of change tumbles forth...
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