We Love These People!

We’ll shout it from the rooftops…we are blessed with lots of love and friendship from family and friends! My nieces and DIL with my parents and each other.

Our sons with one of their uncles and cousin!

Nieces, Nephew, Brother, SIL, Son and DIL!

Niece with her cousin Hope, nephew Jackson and Brother in Law.

Jackson, the Ring Barrel’s, mother and father.

My sister Kathy with her granddaughter Avery, husband, and her daughter Michelle’s family.

Our sons and most of our nephews. One of our nephews is in Istanbul studying.

My sister Vera with her husband Nick and my brother Tim with his wife Letty in the top photo.

Our dear friends, sisters of the Maid of Honor, with our girls…

Good friends since Dan and Jamie became friends in grade school.

Sisters…

Katie and our son Josh with the Ring Barrel.

Cousins

Two of Dear’s nieces (one is missing) with our Sister in law holding her first granddaughter Skylar. We were so happy to have them all with us in the Northwest.

People
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world.
There’s children needing other children
And yet letting our grown up pride
Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children, than children.

Lovers are very special people
They’re the luckiest people in the world
With one person, one very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
That said you were half and now you’re whole
No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People who need people
Are the luckiest people
In the world

So that’s a song that takes us way back but even further back are TRUE words from God’s book.

Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.

I Peter 4:8.

Wedding Decor…

We were pleased with the flowers and how the table scapes turned out for the wedding.

One of the amazing things about Katie and Andrew’s wedding day was that we had sunshine and dry skies. We did not have one drop of rain fall on us all day and into the evening. God kissed our day with sunshine and we were surprised and grateful! The forecast was for a gloomy rainy day…

The head table had chargers with the the USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor symbol.

We chose to have the family service which meant everyone could sit and relax as the platters of food were served and passed around the tables.

There was enough food for everyone to try both the salmon and the steak. The venue donates the leftover food to a local shelter.

I mentioned before that Katie painted the cake toppers with the right ribbons and emblems on her Marine!

You might be seeing some repeats on photos the rest of the week as my sister Lana just sent me her photos from the wedding.

We had sunshine and a dry day here in the Seattle area on Monday. I zoomed around town to make some returns and to shop for a couple more weddings coming up for us. We have a wedding to attend in April here in Washington and in May we fly down to Southern California for my nephew’s wedding. I found a dress that will work for both weddings. I returned those beautiful silver blingy shoes to Nordstrom today because they killed my feet at Katie and Andrew’s wedding. OUCH! I love dealing with Nordstroms!

Hope your week is going well. OH and before I leave I posted my Dear’s amazing Tomato Rice Soup on Mennonite Girls Can Cook today.

I decided to link this post to Susan’s Tablescape Thursday.

Flower Girl & Ring Barrel

My niece Hope coined a new name for a Ring Bearer and we’re sticking with it. Here are some adorable photos of the children at Katie and Andrew’s wedding which include Hope, the flower girl and Jackson the “Ring Barrel” or Ring Bearer.

Practicing…with our Texas boots on.

Our third sweetheart is Jackson’s little sister Avery!

My parents with Hope their granddaughter and Jackson their Great Grandson.

Beside the flower girl and ring barrel the wedding party included Katy K. a friend since junior high, Katie’s brother Daniel, Katie’s lifelong friend Jamie (Maid of Honor), Katie and Andrew, Kristen a friend from church growing up, Katie’s brother Josh, and Andrew’s Best Man Schaub who flew in from North Carolina for the honors. The flower girl flew in from Texas and the Ring Barrel flew up from California.

Later I’ll be sharing the little ones dancing the night away. This is my 7th wedding post and there are many more to share.

I’m linking up with Mary for Mosaic Monday.

Battle Hymn of the Republic ~ Hymn

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

We sang at Katie and Andrew’s wedding. This song was Andrew’s choice and it really set our feet to tapping. Katie’s choice was “Come Thou Fount” . The third song we sang was one of our favorite songs in Russian. It was so much fun to have everyone singing at the reception.

Blessings on your Sunday!

The Reveal & Ceremony

She stepped out of the dressing room and stood, waiting for him to see her for the first time in her wedding gown.

Her father walked his little girl down the aisle to “Together” by Hagood Hardy from the original music score from the Sullivan Films “Anne of Green Gables”.

Her Uncle Steve performed the wedding ceremony and without Katie knowing found a beautiful quote from Anne’s House of Dreams to read to them. “…The Bird sang until the ceremony was ended and then it wound up with one mad little, glad little trill. Never had the old gray-green house among it’s enfolding orchards known a blither, merrier afternoon.” It was a service that honored God and exhorted the young couple to listen to God’s instructions for their marriage.

My father, Katie’s Dzeda, prayed a blessing over them in Russian. Passionate words of God’s protection and blessing on their union.

The kiss, the pronouncement and the recessional. Walking out to This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).

The flower girl and the ring “barrel” as my niece Hope calls it. Hope was the flower girl and Jackson was the ring barrel. I have a post coming dedicated to just the two of them.

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

Today We Celebrate…

…the Mother of the Bride.

It’s my birthday and I’m being taken out to brunch and dinner today. My sister, niece, my grand nephew, and my grand niece are still here from California so my Daughter in law is bringing them to join in for brunch together before she takes them to the airport. Tonight Josh, Laura, Dear and I are going out to dinner.

Meanwhile back to the wedding. My friend and hairdresser Sherri came to the venue on Sunday to attend to our hair. What a treat that was. She does a beautiful job on Katie’s hair and always makes my hair behave.

Since all the sisters were together we had to make sure and get plenty of photos. This one is from oldest to youngest starting from the left. Kathy, Vera, Ellen and Lana.

Right to left oldest to youngest.

Me and my sister Lana. Partners in crime and tablescaping…

Love this photo of the Father of the Bride walking our daughter down the aisle. Thanks to Harv and Bev for this one and the next few photos.

The wedding party walked in to the theme from Anne of Green Gables and I really had a hard time keeping it together.

Dear and I really were blessed with our daughter and son-in-laws day and we were filled with joy for them and us.

We were surprised when the guests applauded as we walked out after the ceremony.

Dear thanked all our friends and family for coming to the wedding and prayed a prayer of blessing over our food and time together.

I had to add this photo my niece posted on Facebook today. Me and my brother Leonard cutting the rug!

There are plenty more posts coming with all the Bride and Groom’s special moments and more family shots, too.

Thank you to all of you who have held us up with your prayers over these last few weeks as we prepared for this day. Those prayers were answered and we felt the peace and joy we prayed for. Truly a day that love was poured down on. Katie and Andrew traveled back to North Carolina last night and should be home by now.

Blessings…

Their Story Continues…

Just wanted to let you all know that all our wedding joy is complete and went off without any noteworthy hitches! God is good. I will share a lot more soon but I’m in recovery mode from all the fun and excitement we’ve been having over the last 5 days! Yesterday the majority of our guests flew home so there were at least 5 trips to the airport and back. Thank you to Steve and Lana for being our transportation leaders!

Thank you to Bev and Harv who took the photos I’m sharing today with y’all.

Bev’s birthday is the day before mine so that means today is her day. Oh dear, Bev’s birthday is actually the day after my birthday so Happy early Birthday Bev and thank you for coming to Katie and Andrew’s wedding and sharing your photos with me! Blessings! Now you have good proof that I need some more time before I post intelligently again.

The MGCC March birthday girls!

Stay tuned for lots and lots of wedding family and friend photos coming soon!

Give Me Oil in My Lamp ~ Hymn

Give Me Oil in My Lamp Keep Me Burning

Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray,
Give my oil in my lamp, keep me burning,
Keep me burning ’till the end of day.

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King!

Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting,
Give me peace in my heart, I pray.
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting,
Keep me resting ’till the end of day.

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King!

Praying that God will fill us all today with His peace, love, and joy as we celebrate the wedding ceremony for Andrew and Katie.