To most folks, it is no secret that I have seventeen nieces and nephews. From the first one,

Paul and Nicholas

to the last one,

I have always enjoyed being a part of their lives. Indeed, they have helped groom me for being a father myself, something that I hope Evie appreciates. And now they are teaching me another phase of life – watching them get married.

Daniel and Elizabeth were married a month ago, and it was a wonderful time of family and friends. I wrote a brief post on their engagement, and the wedding was very similar. A great blending of both their personalities and styles, coupled with a practical side that eschewed many pricy modern trends.

For us as a family, the best part was that Evie was invited to be a flower girl. Like most young girls, she has wanted to do this since she could be read to. We still have one of her favorite books from those days: I Am a Flower Girl. Not only was she a flower girl, but she got to share the joy with six of her cousins!

All of my nieces and nephews were there for the weekend, including all three of Daniel’s older brothers.

They were all unified in believing that Daniel was getting married too early. Hopefully they do not feel any pressure, but Karl was sure looking sharp the next day! He is starting to challenge his uncle for the best-dressed man award.

Kymberlee and I had a blast, helping out wherever we could and, of course, having a bit of fun with the photo props when no one else was looking.

The ceremony went off very well, and regardless of the one hitch that will go down in family lore (yes, Daniel, we’re talking about you), my sister and brother-in-law sure were happy when it was over!

So one down, sixteen to go. So who is next? Well, Aliyah is the one who caught the bouquet, but we’ll have to wait a few years.

For me, what makes this a bit strange is the change in a relationship. Going from being an uncle to a single person is different than being an uncle to a married person. I hope this helps prepare me for when my daughter is married.

Daniel and Elizabeth have a great life in front of them. They have started their marriage by spending the summer down in the tip of Texas, where Daniel is interning with United Launch Alliance. They’ll both be back in school this fall and are already starting to talk about next steps. You can read more about his plans in his blog, which I, perhaps wrongly, attribute to the influence of his uncle! He has a wonderful writing style coupled with refreshing points of view. I’m so proud of them and look forward to watching them grow as individuals and as a couple.