Graduations & Weddings Oh My!

   This last week has been busy, but fun!  The girls and I traveled to my hometown to celebrate with my niece Heidi.  After four years of hard work and nights spent studying instead of sleeping, she has graduated from college!  She is a full fledged elementary teacher!  So proud of that girl!

The beautiful graduate!

My Kiddo just liked the hat.  And the tassel.

   She will be a wonderful teacher!  She has the patience of Job and kindness is woven into her DNA.  She loves little people and has an unusual knack for entertaining while slipping in educational tidbits here and there!  The school that hires her will definitely have one of the best teachers anywhere!

   So, we traveled out for her graduation, and then stayed at Grandma's for a few days before loading up and making the trek to Indiana for Victor's (Heidi's brother) wedding.  

   Heidi rode with me in my van and very skillfully entertained my two little squirts while I desperately tried to keep up with Charity in the lead car.  That girl... she drives like it's the Indy 500!  I admire her driving capabilities, but it's not a gift I possess.  Apparently.  

   Anyway, we arrived in one piece and got to help with the reception preparations.  It was so much fun!  The bride is a super organized woman and had stuff well prepared.  We swooped in and got to help with putting some of the last minute details together. 

   While being really organized, Chantelle (the bride) has a knack for decorating and making ordinary things elegant.  She has an eye for beauty.

   The reception was held in an old glass factory.  The brick walls added character and charm.  It really was beautiful.

Because I have absolutely no abilities with a camera,
I wasn't able to capture just how neat it really was.  They hung
chandeliers from the ceiling all over the large room.
Over the wedding party table, they hung lights and greenery with
branches.  It looked super neat.

My sister grew about a hundred or so baby tears plants.
She found old glass ware at garage sales and second hand stores
and they grew them in pretty pots.
Meanwhile, Chantelle planted "grass" in similar pretty pots.
While we were there, one of our jobs was to "mow" the grass.
Loved her table decorations!

The factory had big windows and this is one of the ledges
that was decorated.

And one more reason that we love Chantelle, she made a special
place for the kiddies to hang out.  I've heard that a lot of people
are starting to have weddings that ban the children.  I think it's a shame.
Children are a part of us.  They are the future brides and grooms.
We need to include them.  Yes, they can sometimes ruin a special
moment, but it's memories.  It's all good memories.  That's one thing that I
appreciate about the bride, she realizes this and makes a point to let
the littles know that they are important to her.

   And my girls were privileged to be flower girls in the wedding.

Talking about little people ruining a special moment, my
little J.J. absolutely refused to look at the camera for
pictures and wouldn't even look at Victor or Chantelle both
of whom she absolutely adores.  (Sigh) The stinker.

My handsome Farmer and the reluctant girl herself.  

The beautiful Cherry Berry!

The delightful Miss Emilee.  I must say,
I have some of the sweetest and nicest nieces and nephews!

Sister lovin's!  They were so cute, but also very
tired.  Which is why the reluctance to smile or even
look in the general direction of the photographer.

   We were all lined up and ready to go down the aisle when I was told that if J.J. wouldn't go on her own that I would have to lead her down the aisle.  I began to pray fervently that the little pipsqueak would go on her own!  I didn't really want to have to escort them down the aisle.  But at the last minute J.J. balked and I had to take her hand and walk them down the aisle.  Oh, well, memories!

   Their wedding was truly unique!  They wanted to portray the picture of Christ coming for His bride one day.  So instead of the groom waiting at the front, the bride went down the aisle first and waited for her groom.  The music swelled and Victor's twin announced, "Behold the bridegroom cometh!".  It was really neat.  They are a couple who are seeking to follow Christ with their everything.  Jesus was the center of the day.  Pretty neat. 

This is the beautiful bride and her handsome hubby!  

   I must say that it is kind of strange to think that my nephew is married.  I mean wasn't it just a few days ago that they were born?  I remember it well.  I was SO excited to have twin nephews!  I could not wait to get to the hospital to see them.  They were so cute!

   Heidi and I used to do tricks with them.  Flipping them over our arms and swinging them around.  We used to dress them up like little girls (This was when they were small and defenseless.  Poor guys.)  We used to mess with their minds and try to get them to believe outrageous things. 

   I distinctly remember the day that I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea to pick on them anymore.  They were about 10 and I challenged them.  Bad idea.  They took me down and sat on me.  In less than it took for me to write that sentence.  

   Now they are 6'4" and extremely handsome.  I love them both dearly.  They are awesome men of God and diligently seek to honor Him.  I pray that God blesses them abundantly!  I pray that someday my children will have the same desire to live for Christ that I see in my nieces and nephews.  My sister and brother-in-law did an excellent job of raising their arrows.  They're not perfect any of them, but they are all diligent Christ followers.

I caught my two little people holding hands on
the way home.  It warms my heart to see them love each
other without being prompted or coerced.  They are the
closest of sisters and I love it!

   After 11 days of living out of a suitcase, I'm grateful to be home.  We had a lot of fun, but home is always a welcome sight.  God was good to us.  We didn't have car trouble, no accidents, and no sickness.  May God be praised!