Wichita tastes like hell, but the wedding sure was nice

This weekend, my girlfriend and I hopped in the car and took a lil’ trip down to Wichita, KS to see my best friend tie the knot. After almost 4 hours of some serious car bonding time and all the dully beautiful, open spaces Kansas can offer, we made it—Wichita, KS.

Now, if you don’t know me yet, let me fill you in on a little secret. I hate Wichita, KS. I’ve never had a good experience there. I always performed like crap there for state track meets in high school. Last two times I’ve been down there my dad almost got in fist fights with some of the most trailer-y people I’ve seen since….the gut bucket of Alabama. (no offense…but Alabama isn’t the most advanced place in the world. I mean come on, car insurance isn’t even required in that state and I guess neither is having your wife not be related to you. Cliché’s aren’t bad if they’re true, right?!)

This time started off the same way my stints in Wichita always start off, horribly. For the first two hours we were lost, frustrated, hot, anxious and upset. Classic Wichita.

But as the rehearsal dinner started and toasts were made during day one, I started to realize a couple things:

1) This wasn’t my girlfriend and mine’s trip. It was a trip to see my best friend get married and be the happiest man on Earth for at least a day.

2) There is a kick ass, swanky wine bar named Oeno in Old Town down in the heart of Wichita. It doesn’t even fit the rest of the Wichita motif.

3) That my girlfriend is the most awesome gal ever and that she keeps me level headed when I act like a whiny three-year-old in K-mart who just can’t seem to take “no, you can’t have it” for some reason. I can never tell her how much I love her, nor can I ever express how much I appreciate her in my life. Cheesy, but true.

The wedding was beautiful—traditional and fancy, stress-free and well-run. It was a chance to see folks that I hadn’t seen in years, reminisce, make new friends and realize just how great it is to see someone I care about so much be so damn happy.

So, to keep it short, sweet and real, I want to wish Mark and Jaclyn all the best in their journey through life together. May God bring you all of the world’s best and may you cherish every last breath. Love ya guys.

I still hate Wichita, though. My gal and I, we ain’t goin’ back.