The Wedding of Stephen and Rachel

What an interesting and exciting weekend we had.  Thunderstorms and high winds interrupted the wedding rehearsal on Friday night.  But we managed to get our instructions and then headed to Olive Garden in Athens where we had a great time and good food and great service!  It was nice to meet all of Stephen and Rachel's friends. They are a faithful bunch and seem like they will be lifelong friends.

Madison got her instructions at the rehearsal.

Friends and family

The bride and groom and their dear friends

Such great friends..ready to celebrate with Stephen and Rachel

The next morning, June 25, John and I got up early. I just could not believe that this was my son's wedding day.  It had been a short engagement and, being the mother of the groom, I had not had a lot of responsibility this time around (unlike being the mother of the bride as I was 4 years ago).  I started feeling a little emotional as I thought of my son getting married but I was so happy for him.  We love Rachel and feel that she is his perfect match. The Lord is the ultimate match-maker! Their personalities complement each other and we can tell they love each other very much.

We left for Statham and the http://www.johnolivermichaelhouse.com . We picked up my parents first.  Got to the wedding site early and then the wait began.  We got dressed,  Madison and I wandered the grounds, we got pictures made with Stephen, and got to see the "princess" as Maddie called Rachel.  The weather had turned out perfect. Just a little cloudy, cooler than the day before and breezy under the trees. Jake, Stephen's friend who was officiating the ceremony, had prayed the night before at our rehearsal that the wedding day would be balmy, 71 degrees, and no rain.  The Lord gave us 2 out of 3.  The temp was more like 85 degrees. Just beautiful.

My best friend, Cheryl, came on around 5 and we had her support and help as well as my sister-in-law, Vicki, as we juggled babies and helped out where needed. Our son-in-law was running the sound system along with help from my nephew.  My niece was taking the photos and Erin was a bridesmaid.  Finally, it was time and I got to be escorted down the aisle as mother of the groom. I enjoyed it immensely. Then we waited for Madison. She came down after the bridesmaids, dropped a few rose petals and then saw me and made a beeline toward me. She was perfect for most of the time.  When she got restless we gave her a sucker. Thanks, mommy.

Flower Girl getting ready!

We love Cheryl!

I had this one on my hip for a lot of the day!

My special chair !:)

We enjoyed watching the photo sessions

Rachel and her father came down the aisle. She was beautiful. Her dress was very elegant and simple with just a few crystal designs on her waist and hip. She wore flowers in her hair and carried the lovely bouquet that Morgan made for her. Morgan is a dear friend of Stephen's from UGA and is married to one of his best friends, Garrett!  Our bouquets were purple and blue and Rachel's and the bridesmaids also had white roses within those colorful flowers.  Jake began the ceremony by reminding us all that miracles happened in the Bible. Moses parted the Red Sea, Jesus healed and raised from the dead, etc. AND today, Stephen McLaughlin was getting married!! Very funny and helped me relax and not be emotional.  It was great! After vows, Kathryn, Jake's wife sang "Heavenly Day" by Patty Griffin.  A perfect song for the day and the weather.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWzuLAHnGBQ
The ceremony ended with the rings and the kiss and the introduction of Stephen and Rachel McLaughlin! Such a sweet time.We thank the Lord for this new family.

 

We sat around tables outside at the reception and listened to some great music from the playlist that Rachel and Stephen put together.  No one danced but Maddie. She had a blast dancing in the doorway of the barn. So cute!  She would fall to the floor and ask her Lito to pick her back up "Upsy Daisy".  This went on for half an hour or more.  We ended the day with seeing the couple off.  Just an overall satisfying day, blessed by the Lord. I can't tell you how I feel. The Lord is good!

John got to sign the marriage license. A privilege!

Beautiful!

Maddie and Bass Pro Shops!

Grandmommy and Lito took Madison out for the day today. I had given John some gift cards to one of his favorite places for his birthday. The nearest Bass Pro Shops is about an hour away from us so we picked Maddie up and braced for a long car ride.

She was ready to go!

Blessed be the nap!!

We arrived at the store and Maddie woke up in a good mood. Sometimes that happens!  First thing she wanted to do was sit on the front porch of the store.

If you know Bass Pro Shops then you know there are stuffed animal trophies everywhere.  Maddie saw "Bambi" first thing!

Found her a t-shirt right off! I know Mommy and Daddy are happy about a patriotic T with a big fish over the flag but what can we say! It's AMERICAN!  We are training this girl right!

On to the HUGE fish tank.  Maddie was fascinated. We were, too.

"Hello, Mr. Fishy", she said countless times.

We enjoyed a couple of hours there and got some souvenirs for the girl and then on to lunch and home. And, no, she did NOT take a nap on the way back.  Could've been that Frosty Coke Float we got her for lunch.  We did have to take a detour into the 'hood so she could go to the bathroom as she pleaded in a panicked voice.  Other than that, great day! The best part was the big hug and the kisses we got as we left her back with her parents.  I think I'm enjoying this grandparent thang!

EXACTLY!!

Stuffed Grizzly! We do NOT call this a teddy bear.

Yum, Coke Float!

On our way home with a place mat...?

Rough Week...Ending Smoothly...maybe? (A sickly post)

The Kling-ons!

   

 

The week started somewhat normally except some worry over Maddie and the lethargy and sleepiness she was experiencing as she was getting over a stomach virus.  Erin, Landon, and I went to my folks' neighborhood pool on Memorial Day and left her at home with her daddy.  Afterward, I had to exercise my grandmommy right to go check her out myself.  She crawled up in my lap and lay there and then...umhmmm...threw up on me.  Well, I quickly cleaned up, washed up the best I could and headed home. The next day while at work I called to check on the family. Now Brad was sick as was the baby and Maddie still lethargic.  Erin took her to the doctor where she was diagnosed as dehydrated and they were all given meds.  As I waited for news, I started to feel really bad. Thought it was all in my head. Nope.  Even my encouraging co-workers said it was all in my head. Nope.  I took off for home and barely made it.  Spent the following 9 hours in bed and in the bathroom and with 101 temp and headache. Ugh.  With the help of some nausea drug and a probiotic that Erin gave me I managed to make it through the night and felt better the next day.  Went to work on Thursday.  Bad few days. Thank goodness the boss was gone and most of my work was caught up.  Those are the first sick days I've taken in at least a year...probably more.

Today was my usual day with the babies. Landon was his usual smiley self even though he kept filling up his diaper.  Maddie was whiny and clingy...still getting over this mess.  I brought over a McDonald's hamburger, fries and mocha Frappe! She loves frappes and even pronounces the word perfectly.  Our drill is "food, frappe, food, frappe". Otherwise she'd just have a liquid diet.  So we managed to get some stuff down her and she cheered up.  We took off for Target and found a great baby pool for the both of them and by the time we got back from this totally calm, no-scene, no crying baby, no whining Target trip.. CRAZY!!...she and the baby were asleep and we had down time.  I love spending time with my daughter in her quiet, peaceful house.  Then after the naps, Brad set up the pool and Maddie had a blast.  It was so nice on the shady deck.  Then more filling-up of diapers with accidental spillover onto Lito's clothes, Maddie dipping the beach towels in the pool, the men going to get Chinese food, trying to trick Maddie into eating, meltdown when she wanted to watch "Bambi" but wanted me to hold her to watch it and not anyone else, more diaper fill-ups by the baby, bedtime at last and then back to our quiet house. Whew!

Hoping for an overall healthier day tomorrow for everyone. I'm going to finally look for a Mother-of-the-Groom dress. It's about time as this wedding is coming at us full-speed.  Can't wait!  Then church on Sunday and we start it all over again. I'm trying to finish up my online courses and take my finals so I can renew my teaching certificate. All of this in the middle of a very early heat-wave here. Mid to upper 90s everyday for the next 10 days.  Well, I can't say life is boring right now!  (Well, this post may have been but my life is not!)