Weddings, wonderful weddings

A rare photo of the our little family together

I'm back again. You probably didn't expect me so soon did you? I really am trying to document a lot of this summer.

It seems like many people like to get married in the summer months, so it is always fun to hear of a new crop of weddings each year. This weird phenomenon is happening. The weddings that we're being invited to are weddings of the kids of friends of ours. How'd that happen??? How can we be old enough to have friends whose kids are getting married and how is it I have a pre-schooler and one on the way? Actually, the special thing is that we're so hip, young, and cool (ha ha), that we're friends with many of these kids, too.

I already wrote about Ashley and Matt's beautiful wedding here. This was an especially exciting event as Lindy was the flower girl and we were so proud of our beautiful girl.

Three weeks after Ashley's wedding, we had the privilege and honor to attend Katie and Blake's wedding. Katie is the oldest daughter of Jenn and Karl, more sweet friends we've met through adoption and blogging. (Lots of you might know her as one of Karleigh Mei's big sisters!) It is a small world folks and not long into the relationship we discovered Blake is the son of one of Don's work associates and that Katie and Blake are also friends of our friends, Kara and Houston.

I like to watch shows like Say Yes to the Dre*ss but it really blows my mind when I see how much emphasis and MONEY (yikes) is placed on finding the perfect dress, having an outlandish reception, etc., and how less emphasis seems (I could be wrong) to be placed on the actual ceremony. I guess this is really not anything new. Anyway, their wedding had to be one of the sweetest and most thoughtful weddings I've ever attended. It was a beautiful ceremony and Katie just glowed the entire evening. I know her parents were beaming with pride as they watched this special moment. It was a family affair and Karleigh Mei was the flower girl. Lindy was especially interested in Karleigh Mei's execution of her job and I had to keep her from giving pointers from the stands. Lindy and Karleigh Mei got to spend some time together at the reception which was a joy to watch, considering we had met Jenn and Karl right after they were logged in for China and had helped pray this child home.

Here are some pictures from the evening. I put Don in charge of the camera and there weren't many at the end of the night. ;-)

Jenn, the lovely Mommy-of-the bride, and I

I pretty much can see Lindy tugging on KM's hand saying, "C'mon, let's go!"

Sweet friends

Solving the world's problems

I know this isn't supposed to happen but it is indicative of what the girls looked like that evening...Very busy; very blurry!

Katie with Houston and Kara

Houston and Kara (less than one month from their wedding here)

Unfortunately, I ran out of the house without either camera for Houston and Kara's wedding on July 25th so you'll have to picture them about 100 times more amazing looking than the above picture (if possible). Grrr...I'm still kind of mad about that because it was another beautiful evening. Kara looked angelic and Houston just looked so in love with his bride. I did that I'm not going to cry, suppressed snort thing, again, as I watched her walk down the aisle and saw the tears in her eyes (and maybe Daddy Garry's, too?!) as she approached the altar. We have had the privilege of watching Houston and Kara grow up and grow in love. They are a special couple who first met each other in the 3s & 4s bible class at the church we attend and the class Lindy is in now. They both have incredibly godly parents whom we love, are wonderful individuals, and together I know they'll be a strong, Christian couple who'll do great things for the Lord.

It was another tear-jerker wedding as I listened to each carefully chosen and prepared word Houston's father, Daryl, spoke to his son and now daughter-in-love. At one point he acknowledged that each one was an answer to the many prayers each set of parents had prayed. I recall my dad saying those same things to Don when we were married. It reminded me that not only do I need to be praying for Lindy during the here and now but that I also need to be CONTINUALLY asking God to be preparing a special boy just for her--when she's 30! ;-)

Well, it appears the summer weddings are over. I pray that all these couples will grow more and more in love with each other and as Lindy says, "...live happily ever after--AMEN!"