Everyone in my loud, big family loves to tease and pull pranks on each other. Everything can get out of hand when new family members come home, though. I was sure that Jen, my fiancée, would have to go through a bunch of tests to see if she was ready to join our crazy family.
So, I told them not to play jokes or tease each other. I was sure they wouldn’t listen, though. As it turned out, every woman in my family wore white to our wedding. I was very angry. This wasn’t just a light-hearted joke; they were trying to steal the show from the bride and show who was boss.
There was no fear in Jen, though. She spoke into the microphone and made a speech that made everyone stand still. Then she dropped the bombshell: she had planned the whole thing with them and they agreed to support her. She thanked my family for going along with her plan to wear white.
But that was only the start. Jen took off her white covering with a sly grin on her face to show a beautiful golden gown underneath. People in the room gasped in shock, and my family looked like fools.
At that very moment, I realised Jen wasn’t just smart and pretty; she was also a great planner. I was shocked when she beat my family at their own game, and she did it with style and ease.
I can’t remember much else about the wedding, but I remember being proud and thankful to have Jen with me. I didn’t have to play their silly games for her to show my family that they shouldn’t underestimate her.
I can see now that Jen’s smart move that day made all the difference. My family still makes fun of and teases strangers, but they don’t try to scare or bother them. And Jen has become the measurement by which they check their own progress. They may have thought they were testing her, but she actually tested them, and they failed horribly.
I’m just thankful that I found a partner who can handle my crazy family and still make it through it all. I’m still amazed by how smart she is and how calm she is under pressure. I’m grateful to have her in my life.
