Feeling old

Today I was invited to a beautiful young woman's wedding. She's a nurse, and she has two super cute sisters as well. What could be better?!

The problem is I have known Anna more than half her life - I started teaching her in 1993, when she was twelve. She got married to a very lucky chap (Ryosuke) on her 26th birthday today. She arrived at the hotel for the reception in a breath-taking white kimono - and made me feel great as she bounced over to me to say 'hello' & let me give her a proud kiss on the cheek. Her mum & dad both came over too, and we did the bowing thing; I taught all three of their daughters and coached Anna through high school in their front room. They're really nice people.

Of course, I didn't recognise Rina (who used to be 7) nor Maria (who I used to throw around!), both wearing amazing kimonos themselves & in their early twenties too. I did recognise Anna's nursing friends Miho & Yoshimi however, who studied with me before they went to study in Samoa, and they managed to help me survive the feast with translations.

I guess I'm going to have to get used to seeing kids I used to teach getting married? Don't think I'll be able to stop feeling chuffed to bits though, when favourites like Anna blossom and become friends I can talk to. Oh yes, and she looked great in her blue dress too...once again I couldn't think of the right things to say in Japanese, and walked home thinking I should start to learn someday.