Gatlinburg Vacation Contest Winner

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Gatlinburg Vacation Contest Winner

Short Story and Picture Essay - Becker's

It had been three years since we were all together. Three years of missed birthdays, anniversaries, new babies and a wedding. I was bound and determined to make sure we remembered this Thanksgiving celebration. Family came from North and South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky to meet for four days of laugher and fun and great fellowship; three generations of Becker's together under one roof.

There was great noise, lots of photos and lots of food. We hugged and held new babies in between football games and hiking but one occasion was celebrated more than any other. My nephew Nathan was married in April with no fanfare. No family was present and as his only Aunt I could not let this reunion pass without some festive acknowledgement. With the help of my own family, a “mock wedding” was planned. This old traditional fun meant males and females switching roles and reciting vows just like it "might have been" if we would have attended the real thing.

My son-in-law played the wedding coordinator while dressed in flamboyant colors of yellow and lavender. He distributed programs, welcomed guests and flitted from camera to candles to flowers and back again. I was the proud Father of the Groom and my bearded husband played the weeping Mother of the Groom, his sister. The beard color didn’t quite match his lovely blonde tresses but the dress and tight shoes filled the bill.

My daughter-in-law was our spiritual intermediary and kept the group going between hysterical laughter and snapshots. Her moving words inspired us all to giggle even more. There were words of wisdom from Disney among others.

The men in my family were great sports as we dressed them in drag, especially my son the bride. A chemistry teacher by day, he sported a red bra, white suit, long black flowing hair and a veil complete with Mickey Mouse Ears. I thought he would draw the line at the fake lashes and nails but he rode the wave of craziness with us and abided me. His walk down the aisle on platform flip-flops was something out of an animated cartoon. Most of us didn’t hear the music "White Wedding" for the laughter. He swayed and flirted and batted his eyes and was wed to his sister the groom.

My daughter wrote a romantic song to his/her beloved sung to the tune of “Put me in Coach” complete with back up singers. Had our bride not fainted at the thought of keeping his shoes on much longer that moving rendition would have brought us all to tears. A bouquet was thrown, a wedding certificate signed and enough video was taken to fill an hour of "America's Funniest."

Rather than run off to a honeymoon anywhere else in the world, our lovely couple chose to stay with family and play the "Not so Newlywed" game before we called it a night that we will not long forget.

I am enclosing with this submission a photo of our very special family at the wedding for your enjoyment or you might not really believe we could be so foolish. The Gatlinburg accommodations were fun, perfectly nestled in the middle of where we wanted to be. The Packers won, the weather cooperated, everyone got home safe and sound and all is right with the world. Thanks for having us.

This group rented the Aaron's Lodge Cabin
 


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