For the Love of My Mother in Law and All Things Mongolian

My Mother In Law

has this insane memory
for names and faces
Her address book is about a mile thick.
She remembers and keeps in contact with
friends from 50 years ago.
And considers them friends still.

And so two weeks ago,
while having a family reunion of sorts,

The MIL anounced with undisguised excitement
That we were all expected to attend a wedding reception.
All of us.
All 6 of the kids, All of the spouses
and all of the grand kids.

For whom?
you ask
I have no idea,
I went to the reception
and I still have no idea.
A family friend
from the military's daughter
is all I remember

It was at the Provo Library
In the smallest of the small rooms,
that was quite possibly
smaller than my bedroom.
We couldn't even fit in the door.
Half of the people there couldn't
We all ended up loitering in the hallway.

This gave us the perfect view however,
when the blond haired, blue eyed
bride
came out
dressed like this
to throw the bouquet.

I was confused
because I had seen bridesmaids
that looked like this,
and from the glimpses I had seen from the doorway
of the inside of the reception
the swags and decorations and such
were sage green and lilac.

We finally got into the room
as everyone else was exiting
in order to catch the bouquet
so we could get the cake
that the kids were screeching for

Notice the lilac table clothes,
(Now picture the bride's screaming red dress)
Confused?
See what I mean?


The food threw me off too.
Normal wedding food
at a
half Mongolian
themed wedding.

We had just settled down at a table,
when the brides father,
in full military dress
to add one more genre of clothing to the mix,
announced
that reception was over,
and could everyone start helping take things down.

Ryan shoveled in a few more bites of his plate,
and got up to help.

All the girls and the kids escaped
to hang out on the Provo Library Steps
While the boys helped with the tear down inside.


I told my sister in law Tiffany
That when she got married
If she even thought that I would wear a dress like that
she had another think coming to her

and that if she decided to wear a dress like the bride wore,
I would laugh through the entire day.
Not that it wasn't stunning in its own way,
but I decided that I am big on finding one theme,
and one culture,
and sticking with it
for the entire two hour reception.

As we were walking to our car
I caught sight of this,
and had to run over for one more picture

Seriously?
I have no idea what the Chinese
(or whatever that is)
says
but if my family even thought
about writing that on my car,

We would have a serious throw down,
and just when I was getting over that

I saw the back.

Wow.

To my new acquaintances (the newlyweds)
Ashley and Munktur
(I had to text the MIL
and of course she remembered their names on the spot)
Best of luck in your future together.

and to the MIL
I still and always will
love you
Thank you
for providing me and the fam
with such a diverse cultural experience

and
in case you were wondering
the Coconut Chocolate Things were delish.