I was chased out of camp by an 800 pound black bear. I rafted down the ice fields of clear creek. And I was thrown the most beautiful rehearsal dinner. But the most amazing and loving event happens tonight.
Today my nephew, Linc my six year old Jr. groomsman, is going to help me with my vows. When April and I were selecting our wedding party Addi, my 8 year old niece, and Linc were two of the first people we wanted to ask. I had told Addi that she was going to be in the wedding party before I had even popped the question to April. Through screams of joy she told me she was more excited about my upcoming wedding than I was, which was not true. I mean come on, I have waited 33 years for this! And now it is today!!
This is where Linc comes in and how he is going to help me. To ask Linc to be in the wedding party I wrote him a letter. It asked him to be my Jr. groomsman, and according to my older sister, Linc carried that letter around for 4 hours. He wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do as a Jr. groomsman, but now Linc just finished Kindergarten and is all up on his reading and writing skills so he knows what will help me with my marriage.
No, Linc is not worried about helping me vow to love April patiently, even though I pray I will be able to do that. He told his dad that during the ceremony his job is to whisper the write vows into my ear. A. E. I. O. U. and maybe even Y.
As an English teacher, I never thought knowing my vowels would be so important to staying true to loving April, but last week he sent me a video telling me how to say my vows. A. E. I. O. U.
Maybe A. stands for Always be patient and E. Endure all things and I. It bears all things, but what about the O or the U? I think Linc’s little misunderstanding of vows and vowels is as important as me being able to tell April that I vow to love her with a patient, kind, enduring love. It shows me that he loves me and with his desire to help me say my vowels wants to help support me. The support I have felt from my family and friends this week has been amazing. I feel like without them I would be a word without a vowel.
Tonight as I say my vows to April because of the community of people around me I can tell her I love her. Without everyone I would just be a pile of lv and and be able to boldly tell her that I L.O.V.E. her.
So thank you to everyone who has helped support April and me on this adventure! My wedding party has blessed me by loving on April and taking me out adventuring on wild rivers, but nothing has compared to being prayed for and showered with hugs. I am not screaming and jumping up and down with excitement like Addi was, but I am that excited on the inside. Also, I might scream and jump tonight on the dance floor!
Adventure With Brendan 
Bravo!,… God bless!,… and Best Wishes to you and April, and your loving, supportive families!,… for best vowels, the musical advice is take a deep breath!