As I savor the sweet memories made last week, I can only say that I am so thankful for all the blessings God rained down on us.
Thankful for family and friends who stepped in to help to give Ryan and Dani a wonderful wedding.
Thankful for our friends, Mark and Margie who allowed us to use their beautiful property for the reception.
Thankful to Dean and Barb who provided gorgeous flowers.
Thankful to my parents' friends who spent all day preparing and serving food in 95 degree heat.
Thankful that although it did rain, it only shortened the wedding reception by two hours.
The flu...ahhh...yes. That was special.
A few of our kids had gotten a stomach bug over the past few weeks and I ended up getting it the day of the rehearsal. I made it to the Thursday rehearsal but missed the dinner, swimming and fireworks that night. I was feeling fine by Friday night. Friday morning, Ryan was sick but felt pretty good by that night. Our big fear was that the Bride would be sick on Saturday, but thankfully she wasn't. She started to feel a bit unwell by the end of the reception but it's hard to say if it was flu or exhaustion.
There was one very special person who DID have the flu that day, though. :( Dani has been living with a very special couple and the wife, Regina, had helped Dani with all the wedding plans. She sent me a text Saturday morning telling me she was deathly sick and I thought she was joking. Sadly, she was not. She missed the wedding and the reception. She had a much more virulent strain than we did. I am still just so sad for her.
So anyway....the wedding. It was sunny, hot and humid. As in 95 degrees and humid. The girls met at the church to get their hair done, which was very fun to watch.
Pre-wedding photos:
SaraGrace admires her new big sister
And then it was time for all of us to get ready to walk down the aisle. We were all milling around when suddenly the music cuing the Grandma's and Mom's started. I looked at Jeff and noticed he had gotten teary eyed. I asked if he was okay and he said, "It's starting. Our Ryan is getting married."
{My pictures inside the church are very dark and grainy because I do not have the flash equipment needed to do the job correctly.}
I should have focused on Ryan rather than my dad...but you can still see the expression on Ryan's face as Dani stood in front of him.
My dad married them which was so special. He talked about how Ryan was his first grandchild and that he had been given the privilege of explaining to Dani how to become a Christian and to baptize her.
Taylor using the down time to check his messages.
Then it was off to the reception. It was held in a beautiful setting that was owned by friends of ours who were kind enough to let us use it.
So fun to see sweet Emma again! She was one of 'my' babies when I was a foster care coordinator for Love Without Boundaries and it was amazing when God brought her home to a dear friend.
Jeff and his sister
Dollar dance...my girls all paid their dollar to dance with Ryan, although some of them chickened out. Not SaraGrace...she is all about being a princess and going to the ball.
And then there were my crazy friends... :)
Jake dances with Mama. Notice the little tongue hanging out. {I think my brother took this pic. He took several and now I can't remember which ones he took and which ones I took. So, Mark...if I am not crediting you...so sorry.}
Ok--I know I took this one since Mark is in it...with his beautiful wife, Meredith.
The reception had to be cut short by a storm rolling in. Thankfully, we were warned in time to get everything put away and taken down before it hit. It was incredibly hot and humid, so we all were sweating buckets but we had lots of water and just made the best of it. We had so much fun and are so thankful for everyone who helped make it happen.
