An African Wedding

Miss Alex was the official photographer.  She did a great job.  It was FULL cultural immersion for my little introverted photographer.  :)

These fancy little people are the bride's children plus the ring bearer.

Junior.  :)  We always have lots of pictures of Junior.

Then all those little people, plus another, loaded into a taxi with us.  We thought we were fully loaded on the trip TO the wedding with 11 of us plus the driver in a little 5 seater with a hatchback.  But wait until the end of this post.  :)

The wedding started a couple hours late. But the ceremony was nice.  More good pictures...

After the ceremony Alex and Eric went with the wedding party to go take formal pictures.  The rest of us found ourselves waiting at the church for a very, very long time.  :)

But, within minutes we were totally surrounded by about 40 kids.  The kids scream and giggle when I tell them Jake is 15.  Or Lucy is 10.  Or whomever of my children I'm referring to.  We grow 'em much taller and bigger in America than in Africa.

The kids sang their school anthem to us.  And took us on a little tour of their school (attached to the church).  Then they sat me in a chair in the shade (a sign of respect).  They stood around me in a huge mob.  I loved it.  :)  They touched my hair and asked me a ton of questions.  They wanted to hold my hand.  They wanted me to know each of their names.  I did my best to repeat them and remember them.

Then I made a little mistake and showed them a gray hair.  They were touching my hair and I plucked one.  And then about 4 different boys began plucking my gray hair. It was pretty funny. And painful. :)

Alex took some wonderful formal pictures.

And captured some candid shots.

They returned from taking pictures and then served a big meal.  It was nearing dark and we started the day around 9:30 am with photos so we were all wearing out. 

Our taxi showed up to take us home so we said goodbye.  But those cute kids needed a ride home so they came along too.

And just to make it memorable (ha!) we added 2 more people in the little taxi.  Amos and Sackie jumped in.  Amos squeezed in the back seat with Alex, me, Jake and 3 kids.  Sackie sat on Eric's lap in the front.  It was very comical to watch the driver use the stick shift. 14 people in a little "Sunny".

Not long after leaving the wedding most of the kids were out like a light.

It was a great day!