Wedding Weekend

This past weekend we went to Becca and Preston's wedding in Salt Lake. It was a busy weekend, but our girls were amazing! We asked a lot of them and they were troopers.

On Friday morning, at 4 am, we got the girls up. We hoped that they would go back to sleep in the car. They didn't. BUT...they were so good. They watched Elmo and Baby Einstein for 12 hours (they did take a 40 minute nap before lunch). Jonathan rigged his laptop so the girls could see it in the backseat and it saved our trip.

We pulled in to J's dad's condo around 6 pm, got the girls some dinner, and then my old roommate and very dear friend, Jen, came to see us with her family. It was so good to see her!! I haven't seen her in five years and I am so grateful for their sacrifice to come see us. She has three girls and with my two, the kids had a blast running around (literally).

On Saturday morning, we got the girls up and dressed and headed over to the Salt Lake Temple. Jonathan's dad and his wife stayed with the girls while we went to the sealing. Words can't express how good it was to see Becca and her family, to meet Preston and his family, and to meet all the people who love them. The sealing itself was so amazing and beautiful. Of course I cried.

While we waited outside the temple for the happy couple, my Janie girl found her happy place. I am so glad she was able to sleep. Poor little thing was so exhausted that she could hardly walk.

Sami had fun meeting all the people that wanted to say hi. There is such special spirit on the temple grounds.

I love how in love Becca and Preston are. You can see how much they adore each other and how happy they are. It's so romantic. Sigh... And they are such a beautiful couple!!

This is Becca's mom, Mary Ann. Mary Ann is one of our all-time favorite people. She loves the Lord, loves her children and family, and listens to the Spirit in an amazing way. And she loves Sami girl.

When the photographer called Becca's family for pictures, Sami decided to climb up the temple steps and join them. When I realized where she was going, she was almost to Becca. As I ran after her, Becca and her family lovingly invited her to stay. So she got to hold the bride's hand and she felt so special that she wanted to be in all the pictures on the temple steps. It was hard to convince her it was just as fun to stay with Mommy and watch.

After the temple, we went to a gorgeous luncheon in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It was on the ninth floor so we had a beautiful view of the temple. The girls got their version of heaven on a plate: chicken nuggets with ketchup, french fries in the form of a smiley face, grapes, and fruit punch with a straw. Later we got a delicious chocolate pie (which was my version of heaven on a plate.) The best part was when the beautiful bride and the new groom came by to say hi.

After the luncheon, we ran back to Larry's condo to get the girls changed and ready for pictures before the reception. I was a little tired and my focus was getting out the door so we wouldn't keep the photographer and the happy couple waiting. So I forgot a hairbrush and hair ties. When we arrived at the reception hall, Jonathan and I looked at Sami and realized her hair was coming out. So I took out her hair band and to my horror, it broke! (I know that's dramatic but that's how I felt.) So I took out Janie's hair and used her hair tie and tried to comb Samantha's hair with my fingers. I felt sick that I didn't bring a curling iron, hairspray, or even a brush! Gratefully Becca's mom let us use their hair spray, but the hair spray only worked for a little while because Sami was so happy that she got a little hyper and started running and jumping all over the place.

Here she is with Becca. Becca was so gorgeous, and so sweet to our little family.

One of our favorite memories was when Becca came over before the reception officially started and sang songs with the girls. It was so cute.

Like I said, Sami got a little hyper. And Janie didn't want to be left out of the fun, so she started running and laughing and jumping. At one point, Sami laid down and started rolling on the floor. We quickly picked her up and explained that that kind of behavior would make her dress dirty. But I was glad that they were happy. Once the reception started, we took them outside for a bit to let them wear off all the energy.

Sami was Becca's flower girl and she got to hold these beautiful flowers. I was pleasantly surprised that I got to wear a corsage and Jonathan got to wear boutonniere. It was so thoughtful and sweet.

Around 8 pm, Janie grew so tired she could hardly stand it. She started into a meltdown that I knew she wouldn't be able to pull herself out of. I was sad that we couldn't stick around for the cake and the dance, but I was so proud of the girls and everything they let us do. It was one the happiest, most beautiful days we've ever had. We felt of everyone's love of us, for Sami, and for the Becca and Preston.

Becca and Preston are a beautiful, wonderful couple. I am so happy for them! I can't wait to see where life leads them!! I am so grateful that we got to be there on this happy, happy day.

(And we came home on Sunday. Once again, the girls were amazing, thanks to unlimited snacks and a few Elmo dvds. It was fun to go and fun to be home. You know what they say, "there's no place like home.")