So, as a surprise for our family at the wedding reception, Rebecca's sister-in-law, Bradi, contacted Mark (in Russia) and asked him to send a video home of him playing horn. It will come as no surprise that as soon as Mark's frozen face appeared on the video screen at the reception, there wasn't a dry Kennedy eye. Even stoic, non-emotional Ethan couldn't hold back the tears. If that was all we had seen, we would have been happy. The video, however, was very nice, especially since Mark chose a piece entitled "Romance" which he learned when he first started playing horn.
Wedding Video
Before we saw the video, Mark had made excuses about his horn playing in an email and on the phone at Christmas. I didn't understand why he thought I would even care (seeing as I didn't know anything about the video). After seeing the video, I can understand that he probably wasn't too happy with his playing standard. However, his mission president's wife said it best: if he sounded perfect, he probably wasn't being a very good missionary. Such a wise woman.
At the end of the evening, Bradi came up to us and handed us the disk. It sat on my desk for a week before John decided that we should see if there was anything else on it. Leave it to Mark to sneakily send us outtakes from his efforts to make the video. I just love hearing his voice, and seeing the same mannerisms he's had forever. He obviously hasn't gained any weight in Mother Russia. He still licks his lips before he plays, he still clears his throat afterwards, and yet I can see in the videos that he's all grown up. That is, the videos where it's not blurry :-)
Hear the signature "Mark cough"?
Try the window view….
That was CRAP.
I'm wondering exactly what kind of weapon is on the left side of the screen in these videos!
On my CROTCH?!
Super happy….that you're stealing my brother away….
Smile Mark!
There was one picture (and not a video). I love it, because we can see his apartment….as well as his white board. Leave it to Mark to draw one of his hilarious dragons in the middle of a blank space. And don't think we don't see the set of Babushka dolls in their Michigan finest on the shelf! I know it seems crazy, but it's these little details that mean so much to a family when their boy has been gone for so long. Man, we love Mark.
Wedding Video
Before we saw the video, Mark had made excuses about his horn playing in an email and on the phone at Christmas. I didn't understand why he thought I would even care (seeing as I didn't know anything about the video). After seeing the video, I can understand that he probably wasn't too happy with his playing standard. However, his mission president's wife said it best: if he sounded perfect, he probably wasn't being a very good missionary. Such a wise woman.
At the end of the evening, Bradi came up to us and handed us the disk. It sat on my desk for a week before John decided that we should see if there was anything else on it. Leave it to Mark to sneakily send us outtakes from his efforts to make the video. I just love hearing his voice, and seeing the same mannerisms he's had forever. He obviously hasn't gained any weight in Mother Russia. He still licks his lips before he plays, he still clears his throat afterwards, and yet I can see in the videos that he's all grown up. That is, the videos where it's not blurry :-)
Hear the signature "Mark cough"?
Try the window view….
That was CRAP.
I'm wondering exactly what kind of weapon is on the left side of the screen in these videos!
On my CROTCH?!
Super happy….that you're stealing my brother away….
Smile Mark!
There was one picture (and not a video). I love it, because we can see his apartment….as well as his white board. Leave it to Mark to draw one of his hilarious dragons in the middle of a blank space. And don't think we don't see the set of Babushka dolls in their Michigan finest on the shelf! I know it seems crazy, but it's these little details that mean so much to a family when their boy has been gone for so long. Man, we love Mark.
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