In our family...

In our family....we do second chances...we do grace...we do real...we do mistakes...we do I'm sorry (and I forgive you)...we do loud really well...we do hugs...we do family...we do love.















Thursday, October 22, 2009

My Best Friends Wedding

 

It’s been over 3 weeks since I last posted or visited anyone around this wonderful  blog land. Can I just say how much I’ve missed all of you! And how glad I am to be back!

First it was because my children and grandson flew home for my brothers wedding and I was busy having fun with them.  In spite of my physical aches and pains, I had a blast with my kids. Some might say, “too much fun” but I say there is no such thing as too much fun.

To those of you that have young children or children not quite grown up yet, I must say, you have so much to look forward to. It’s not that I didn’t have a blast with them when they were growing up because I  did. But, there is something about sharing in laughter and the joy of life with your grown children. We even got to take a family picture, although my son-in-law and granddaughter from Florida and my step daughter and grandson from Nevada are missing (and were missed by all of us).

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And I even got a picture with my five kids…oh how they have grown up!PA030022

Then came the weekend and all the wedding festivities. In spite of our nasty cold wet weather, we all had a blast. The wedding ceremony had to be moved inside because of the weather but for the most part, the rain held off for most of their wedding day. It was a beautiful fall wedding in the middle of a place I call “heaven”. It’s actually my sister and her husband’s place and it’s right in the middle of a wooded area, surrounded by nature. It’s gorgeous, no matter what time of year we go there, so I call it “ a little piece of heaven”.  The falls colors were amazing.

My sister and her husband missed their calling in life as wedding planners because they did the most amazing job of planning, decorating and putting it all together.

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It was a risk in having the wedding at this time of year but thankfully they were prepared for whatever came in the way of weather. Thankfully they have large buildings for such things as this and thankfully there were a lot of us to help put it all together in the end. Their daughters are amazing too. The youngest one decorated the cake. The eldest one did my hair for the wedding and also took the guest book photo’s. This was all beside helping their parents with everything else.

jim and judie and girls

Both the bride and groom were beautiful and never stopped smiling. The pictures don’t do justice for the beauty of this most wonderful day.

The theme of their wedding “Falling in love” was perfect.

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jason and patty wedding

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I was honored to walk my best friend down the isle and to be his best woman. I even survived giving the best woman speech at the reception. I totally forgot that I had to do this until about 5 minutes before hand and as the matron of honor gave her planned and written out speech, I started to panic. I didn’t have a clue as to what I was going to say so I just spoke from my heart.

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My brother, married them and he did a wonderful job. They wrote their own vows and it was beautiful and from their hearts.

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Every family or group of people that came to the wedding had their picture taken in front of this old buggy seat, for a special photo guest book, that my sister made for them.

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This is my whole family, except we are missing about 14 or 15 people!

whole family

Yes, it was on the cool side, even for Minnesota at this time of year and those that flew in from much warmer parts of the country might have called it freezing and had on winter coats but I think everyone started warming up, once the party and dancing began! And boy did we dance….

PA030061 dancing with Aidyn at wedding

congo line dance line HPIM1606 HPIM1602 toni and aidyn dancing

My little people love to dance…just like me…

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…we danced the night away! And we might have gotten a little silly and crazy in our celebrating…

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They even got my mom to do a shot…

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…So that she would yodel. And she did!

mom yodeling

Lots and lots of love,laughter and smiles  shared with family that have become friends and friends that have become family. We made memories.

Between Grandma and granddaughter…

jennessa and mom

….between Grandpa and granddaughters…

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And the newly wed…

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Uncle and niece…

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And cousins…

Jennessa and Kristen at wedding

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Auntie and niece…PA030036

….and sisters that finally got to be together…

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…and more sisters…

leah and kaitlyn dancing

…and husbands and wives…

jim and kay

mom kissing dad

…and uncle and nephew…

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….Grandma and grandson…

joe and mom 

….and sisters and mom….

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…and a mom and her sons…(this was one of my most special moments because rarely will my eldest son pose for a picture and he not only sat for a picture with me, he actually smiled!)

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…and of course with my 3 little honeys…

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Sadly, I didn’t get any pictures with just  my husband because he was one of the bartenders (in a separate building)  and I spent most of the night on the dance floor….and other then the few times he came in and danced a song with me, I didn’t get to see him a whole lot. I am still hoping someone got a picture of us!

We had the time of our lives. We made new memories and one’s we will be talking about for years to come.  In spite of the weather, it really was a most perfect wedding day. It was perfect because all these 2 people wanted was to be married.

It didn’t matter that things didn’t go perfectly as planned. What mattered the most is that 2 people that finally found each other, got married and a whole lot of people that love them, showed up anyways…in spite of the cold and rain.  It’s not about the wedding, it’s about the marriage. Now that the wedding is over and real life has began, I have never seen my brother and his wife happier. That’s what it’s all about. That’s why we celebrated! All because two people fell in love.

another of patty and jason

After 5 nights of minimal sleep and too much fun, I was exhausted…and I thought I was just getting a cold. I thought I was just tired from too much of everything. I wish. Instead I got sick with something…fever, head cold, sore throat, cough, sick to my stomach, body aches, chills and super tired. Even though I am still having a few symptoms, after over 2 weeks, I am finally back to the land of the living.  And I’m not the only one that got sick…sadly, many that attended the wedding got sick also….at least one person tested positive for the swine flu 2 days after the wedding and I was told that my symptoms matched those. Whatever I had, I’m thankful that it’s over.

Now that I am back to the land of the living, I hope to catch up with you in the near future. I will be stopping by real soon!

21 comments:

I Am Woody said...

What a wonderful, wonderful day! Thank you for sharing it with us. I love hearing that happy contentment in your voice. {{HUGS}}

Natalie said...

Ah! So,so lovely.xx♥

Brittany said...

What a beautiful post. It really was one of the most amazing times we've spent together as a family. I am so blessed to have a family like ours! I love you!

Bogey said...

There is no vocabulary
For love within a family, love that's lived in
But not looked at, love within the light of which
All else is seen, the love within which
All other love finds speech.
This love is silent. (T. S. Eliot)

I don't think I could improve upon these words. It sounds like your family, friends and you all had a wonderful time. Especially if each picture is worth a thousand words.

I hope you too, are feeling better. Been there, done that, cradled the porcelain princess! Take care Lori. Love & Hugs back at ya!

Anonymous said...

That made me tear up! This is exactly what a wedding should be. Exactly!!!! I loved these photos so much and I love seeing the family resemblances in your side of the family Lori. You, your mom and your brother especially!

It is good that you are feeling better now. I have been thinking a lot of your health and a little worried about your silence but we have all been a little quiet as the summer turned this year.

Love you you!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous family photos and it looks as though a wonderful time was had by all.

Oh, and hey..... rain on your wedding day is considered to be good luck. It rained on our day too!

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Anonymous said...

Precious - precious family, photos, memories. I could just hear the love in your words. The photos are wonderful and I agree that they missed their calling by not being wedding planners. Everything looked perfect.
Glad you are feeling better. Take it easy and don't have a relapse. Glad you are back.

Pseudo said...

I loved the Fall colors for the wedding. Absolutely beautiful Lori. And you all are haivng such a great time. I'm so happy for you.

Fragrant Liar said...

Congrats! So cool you were the Best Woman!

Looks like I missed a fun time! Everybody looks so happy (if cold), but I wonder how did you wear those flipflops when it was so cold???

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Thanks, Lori. You've put a very big smile on my face this morning. What a lovely wedding and so much fun! I loved all the pictures. Thanks so much for sharing with us. I hope you're feeling 100% soon.

SciFi Dad said...

Gorgeous photos. It sounds like a wonderful wedding. Congratulations to you and your brother.

Jan said...

Oh, Lori - I am SO glad you had such a good time! Your family is just beautiful, and they all look so happy.

I love the last picture of your brother and his new wife. Just lovely.

David said...

Wonderful post, wonderful pics and wonderful memories.
Thank you so much for sharing with us.
You have been missed and so nice to see you back and posting.

warmest,

David

Busy Bee Suz said...

What an amazing family you have!
I love this quote from you: "Lots and lots of love,laughter and smiles shared with family that have become friends and friends that have become family."
Isn't that what life is all about? Family, fun, love and laughter.
I am so glad they had a wonderful wedding, and you are so right though, the wedding is great, but the marriage is the most important.

Glad you are feeling better...
hugs to you Lori. You have been missed!

Suz

Unknown said...

what gorgeous pictures!!! That looked like a wonderful wedding and I love the theme and decorations! Everyone looks so happy and like they were having so much fun. I bet you were beside yourself with joy at having all your children together. I'm so happy for you!

I can't wait till the day all four of my kids are together. Hopefully that will be February or March.

KatBouska said...

Oh my goodness you HAVE been busy!! Love all the pictures. :) Welcome back!

Brian Miller said...

welcome back! beautiful pictures...love that sign! thanks for the big smiles for today.

bernthis said...

first of all, gorgeous bride there! Second, I'm so so so glad you are feeling well.

Jeannie said...

Looks like a wonderful day! Sorry to hear you were ill but glad you're better now!

Jo ~ said...

I love love, and joy, joy joy! and it jumps off this blog page, how wonderful!! It's great to see you're feeling better.

Jason, as himself said...

Perfect! Claire and I loved this.

Especially the part about your mom yodeling!