Ok - here we go with more wedding stuff. I'm sorry if it is boring but I am trying to write down stuff so I don't forget. I would love to include a million more pics but that just takes way too long!!
So . . .on to the rehearsal. It was time to go and all of a sudden, I remembered that Laura was supposed to make a bouquet for the rehearsal from all of the left over bows . . .so I ran to the basement and grabbed the bag of bows, the scotch tape and the stapler and a paper plate. Amazing what we were able to throw together in just a few moments!! I thought it was lovely (but that could be because I thought everything was lovely that weekend!!)
I took this picture as we were waiting for everyone to arrive - John Carl, Glenn, Jerel, Laura and Kaylor. I had the sweetest sense of joyful anticipation (thanks for that word, Holley!) as we gathered in our church - the place where my children have encountered Jesus, the place where I have experienced awesome moments of worship, the place that is so special to our family, the same altar area, the same church where Mark and I were married almost 27 years ago.
Glenn found a great gift for the groomsmen. Levi is opening his gift. . .blue and orange argyle socks. I never dreamed it would be so hard to locate these socks. Glenn finally found them on some golf site on the Internet and they arrived just days before the rehearsal. Glenn had not planned to wrap them - he said, "I'll just hand them to the guys." (doesn't that sound just like a man??). I did purchase blue gift bags and orange tissue and we did at least use those.
Everyone was laughing and having a good time. We enjoyed hanging out with all of Glenn's friends. The evening just felt "so right." Good friends gathering in God's house - a young couple with Christ as the center of their soon-to-be marriage - WOW!
I always wanted four children. That was the plan I TOLD God. Then we were blessed with twins and they told us our chances of conceiving twins again were about 75-80% . . .and so we stopped. But now that Lauren is in the family, I have three children!! (when God sends Mr. Right to Laura and she gets married, I will have FOUR - wonder if that was God's plan along??) I know that I'm partial and I know this is tacky, but aren't they beautiful???
Glenn and Kaylor (Mark always calls Kaylor "my good son" - been a joke for a long time). I was trying to remember how long these boys have been best friends. I know that it has been a long time. They have experienced many things together. I hope they will always remain good friends.
We were still waiting on folks to arrive so I grabbed a few snapshots - here are the beautiful girls. There is such joy and such "freshness" on their faces. Sweet girls and I'm so thankful that Lauren has surrounded herself with good Christian friends.
Look at those guy's face -- the instructions had begun. The guys were listening intently (right?) to instructions from either the wedding director (Shelley - she was great!) or Wade (the preacher).
Shelley was lining up the girls . ..
I love these two men - my son and my hubby. I thank God for them each and every day!!
Shelley lined up the boys in the picture - long time friends and college roommates - memories among that group!!
Once again, this is just practice but I love the fact that they are kneeling before God. Wade was kneeling on the other side. I love Wade - have I told you that? He is a man of God - preaching God's word - doing God's business here on earth . . .and I claim him as mine, too!! (and he claims me :-)
This was so cute in the rehearsal and brought lots of chuckles during the wedding. How fitting and appropriate that the last two groomsmen would escort Laura!! Makes my heart smile and as I said, "I thought everything was lovely" and this was like a marshmallow on top - all good!
I don't have a picture of one of my favorite parts of the rehearsal. Last year, I ran into an old friend in Walmart and she told me how she and the groom's father had layed (laid - spell check won't recognize either so I'm sure I'm not saying this right) hands on the couple and prayed for them and I thought to myself, "I want to do that when our kids get married." Well, I forgot all about it until I was sitting on that front pew watching the rehearsal and I thought, "shoot - I forgot about that and now it is too late." I can just imagine God chuckling at this point. All of the attendants and the musicians ran through everything a couple of times and then Wade (I told you I love him!!) said, "Before we leave for the rehearsal dinner, we have one more thing I want to do. Glenn and Lauren, could you come and kneel at the altar. I want to pray with you. Mark and Lisa - could you come and lay hands on them? The rest of the wedding party - come on up." Oh my goodness - my heart was singing. Glenn and Lauren knelt at the altar rail where we have participated in holy communion a million times over the years. Wade knelt on the other side of the altar rail. Mark and Laura and I and Bradley (Lauren's brother) and Ann (Lauren's mother) were right behind them and then all those young adults circled around and Wade prayed a wonderful prayer. I have no idea what he said but it was wonderful. Several folks asked me if I cried and my reply was, "I was so caught up in the moment and in the holiness of it that I was filled with joy - no tears." Oh my - I wanted to make sure to write this in my blog so that I WILL NEVER FORGET. It was truly a priceless moment - a snapshot into our lives and our priorities. Thank you, God, for a wonderful and "lovely" and fun time!! Just call me a middle-aged mom with a heart full to overflowing!!
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