The Big Day!

Okay, so the wedding was yesterday but we were too pooped to do much of anything by the time we got home.

The church where the wedding was held is one of the larger ones in town, and they have several chapels in which two or more weddings are held every Saturday. So there is a flurry of activity and lots of florists, photographers, weddings coordinators, brides and wedding guests roaming the campus. It is easy to get lost and end up at the wrong wedding and not realize it until it is too late! Fortunately for us, we had to arrive early enough that we could get lost several times and still get found before the wedding.

We all got dressed when we got there, because I knew the boys would get rumpled in their car seats. They looked so spiffy in their ties and black pants! And food was banned so as not to get any dribbles down the white shirts. But the wedding group before us had left behind some snacks and Daddy thought he would give Travis a treat...of chocolate M and Ms! So sweet, but very messy when dribbled down the front of white shirts! But thank goodness for wet wipes. The situation was quickly under control.

We got some great pictures before the wedding and then the wedding went perfectly. It was very small, only about 20 people total (including bride and groom) so I was relieved that anything the boys did would not ruin the occasion. As it was, Travis cried down the aisle because he had to leave mommy. (His favorite phrase is, "Want mommy!" He doesn't even bother saying "I" anymore, because he knows we know! And he can say that he wants me when I am right there. "Wanting" implies undivided attention and hugging. So I can be holding both boys and that's not good enough because Justin is there too. Any ideas for sharing mommy?) But daddy was waiting for him and since he knew he couldn't have mommy, that was good enough.

The ceremony was sweet and the minister shared three important sets of words never to forget while married: I love you, I am sorry, and I forgive you. Such power in short phrases. It's not just for marriage either! I know lots of relationships that would be healed with one or more of those phrases.

And then photos and party! We realized that we have not learned all about our camera and the battery died in the middle of pictures. So I just have before pictures and a few after. No party yet. I will have to get some from the disposable cameras from the reception. Not the best, but they will have to do!

This is the guys before the wedding: Uncle Johnny (my brother), Justin, Uncle Jerry (aka, the groom!), Jerry's brother Jeff, and the cheeseball in front- Travis.

We were able to get one picture before the wedding with the lovely bride-Mireille and me and my boys. Mireille got us a web cam to keep in touch when she is in the cold northwest. That should be tons of fun to use!

Jon, Mireille, Jerry, and me

Jon gave Mireille away and he was supposed to kiss her on the cheek as he handed her off to Jerry and he balked a bit- he is her twin and as he said, "I have NEVER kissed her on the cheek!" He did practice the kiss, and acted like he would do it, but then I think he forgot, because he didn't do it after all!

And this was just a super cute picture of Justin with Pop (Randy's dad). Don't you love the tie?!

And then we headed out to a restaurant for the reception. It was the perfect sized party room for our group and Mexican food is the perfect Texas wedding food (next to BBQ I think, but that might get messy...) We had fun talking and celebrating and toasting. Travis managed to finagle some chicken nuggets to eat instead of fajitas and he managed to get ketchup ALL over his white shirt. No really, I used a whole lot of stain stick on it and now it is soaking. It may be thrown away. Both boys crashed in the car before he even got to the freeway and we took them home, changed their clothes, and put them to bed at 7 pm. I would love to tell you that they slept all night, but alas, the wedding didn't change them into princes, they are still my bad sleepers and early risers. Travis' fever comes out at night, and he wakes up screaming for medicine. I was up with him 4 times, and Justin woke at 6:10 ready to go for the day. Randy asked if he was dreaming or if the boys were up a lot at night. It must be nice to be the daddy sometimes!

And all the left over reception food came to our house. I already got all of Mireille's refrigerator items earlier this week, and now I have all of the take-out containers, and the bouquets. So this is our refrigerator:

We encouraged everyone to come back and eat dinner here tonight. We still have more ice cream to eat too! I need to clear out before next meat day. Oh, and we got the top layer of the wedding cake which we wrapped in many, many layers of plastic wrap for their first anniversary. We are holding it hostage so they have to come back at least once before then!