A toast to my only sister

I could not be more humbled to be standing here today, as the matron of honor and Carrie’s older sister, Katie, to honor Carrie and Kevin and stand next to them as they begin this journey of marriage together. Thank you all for coming!

Kevin, as I thought about what to share with you I settled on this…thoughts on marrying a Lullo woman. I polled the men in our family and got a few thoughts. Though we are each uniquely different, there are a few things that we hold in common.

1)      We are not shy about our opinions.

a.       Pro: You will always know what is on our minds.

b.      Con: You will always know what is on our minds.

2)      We remember everything.

a.       Pro: You will never forget a commitment, birthday or special memory.

b.      Con: We don’t forget anything. And I mean anything.

3)      We are fiercely loyal.

a.       Pro: You will always know that you have someone on your side.

b.      Con: Don’t even think of breathing a bad word about our family, even if you are just repeating something we just said.

4)      We love with everything we have.

a.       Pro: You will never be without our utmost devotion.

b.      Con: I’m pretty sure there is not one.

And Jerry wanted to be sure to add this: Don’t mess with the brother!

Kevin, as Carrie’s big sister, I have been amazed at your ability to put Carrie’s needs and dreams before your own. You are humble and gentle in spirit and I couldn’t be happier to have you as my brother-in-law.

Carrie. You look stunning and radiate true joy. I am so proud of you for waiting until the right man made his appearance in your life.

Thank you for inviting me into this day to stand beside you. It really is an honor and a privilege. This stage of our lives is so sweet to walk together as sisters, but more importantly, friends.  God chose to put us together in this family, and only time has revealed why.

My all time favorite memories with you and our whole family is when we would get just a bit overtired, and the laughing would start. We would try to stop the giggles but sometimes they would go on and on until someone would let out just the smallest toot and then we would lose it all together.

Between the two of us, we were the keepers of the rules. When we shared a room in California, there was always a clear definition of where your half stopped and started. Unfortunately for me, you had the half with the door and somehow I believed that when you drew the line down the center of the room, I could no longer leave.

But even through all of our pushing and prodding and let’s face it, fighting, we loved each other deeply. The pride I felt when you stepped on the ice was exhilarating. And when you were hooded for your PhD, I cried like a baby.

And today we stand together as wives. We are so blessed to have incredible examples of what a wife is to go before us. Not one would claim to have it right, but I’d say they are pretty darn close.

As I think about what you and Kevin will face in the years to come, I will share with you what Grandma Carpenter shared with me. She told me that the love she felt for Grandpa was stronger and sweeter the older she got. I may have only 6 years into this marriage business, but I would already agree. Know that the love you feel right now will go through its fair share of hard times, some desperately hard. But know this, the love you feel will only grow more true and real with time.

Please raise your glass: To Kevin and Carolyn: may your love age into a love that grows sweeter and truer with time.