Punta What?!

When my cousin told us she was getting married, of course we were all ecstatic. She and her now husband were one of the lucky couples who met on Jdate and it actually worked out. Lucky bitches! Anyway..... they decided they were going to have a destination wedding... Thanksgiving week... Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

I met the entire group down in the DR... there was no way I was going to take two extra days of travel just to take a bus and plane with my entire family. We were going to be together for an entire week with nowhere to go to escape, two extra days was not in my plans. When I got to the resort, Stephanie had already checked into our room, so once I got my all-inclusive wrist band, I rolled my suitcase up to our room and my parents, sister, and I headed to the beach to dip our feet in the sand and get a drink.

The entire week was pretty relaxed. Just what I needed -- nothing to do, no newspapers, emails, and $3.2 billion fraud bosses to stress about..... just a week to chill and drink on the beach. A little sunburn never stops me anyway. And that's just what we did. We basqued in the sun on the beach during the day and drank on the beach and in the disco at night. Stephanie and I played a fair amount of Scrabble (ok, she kicked my ass, but I put up a fight... kind of) and I even got in some Mah Jong with my aunts and mom.

The wedding was gorgeous -- under the chuppah right on the beach overlooking the ocean. My cousin, as always, was gorgeous, and her husband quite handsome. In order to be considered a legal marriage, Robyn and David had to be married by a judge, so a totally Spanish-speaking judge from the Tourism Bureau and his translator walked them through the ceremony. Once that was complete, a friend of my cousin's family, an Israeli, preformed a traditional Jewish ceremony, complete with the breaking of the glass.

It was so nice to be able to hang out with my family as well. I don't get to spend much time with my parents and sister... when I make it home, it's just usually just for the weekend and I have to rush to get back to Minneapolis. This week was nice not have to worry about getting home or anywhere in general and we could just hang out. And I know my grandma cherished being able to hang out too. She never gets to see me (nor does any of my family, really), so being able to spend a nice week with her was nice. That, and I have patience with her and will help her when needed, so I know she was appreciative of that too. Overall, a nice time with the family.

Then.... after what was a nice week on the beach and a joyous simcha, I headed home.

But not without a three-hour layover in Atlanta.... where Nathan and Shelley were able to meet me ... a mere 3 hours after their own wedding!!! Crushed I couldn't be there for the ceremony (Yes, I will leave it at that, Nathan!), I settled for 20 minutes (damn US Customs and Border Patrol!) of Mazel Tovs and hugs in the airport. It was so great to see Nathan and Shelley so happy -- I could go on and on here too, but I'll leave it at that. Nathan, Shelley -- you know the rest.

So to Robyn & David and Shelley & Nathan: May every day going forward be as joyous as the day you got married. Mazel Tov!