Monday Funday

GREAT morning going to look at Lauren's wedding pictures....ahhh. And then getting to eat lunch with our dear friends Kent and Laine. This family was placed in our life during a season where we were just desperate for a friend couple who was just ahead of us in parenting and ministry. They moved a few years later but return to Russellville a couple times of year. We are TRULY SO THANKFUL they call us to catch up and eat a meal with them when they're in town. We feel blessed on a day when we are reminded of God's goodness.

Fun facts:
1. Laine is the first person I told I was pregnant with Sheridan.
2. Laine and Richard share a birthday.
3. Their three kids are boy, girl, girl, and so are our first three.
4. They gave us a baton (of their daughters) when they were moving, over 10 years ago, and we still have it. And it's still being twirled!
5. The Fanchers are the only adults we have ever gone to an amusement park together, without kids!

Wedding post #3 - Maid of Honor's speech

This is why I told my kids everyday..."You're best friends. Treat each other like it. Every other friend is temporary, but you will always be sisters." #thankful

When Lauren was almost two years old, she was blessed with a sweet, loving little sister… me. Almost two years ago, we were blessed with another addition to the family, although we didn’t know it at the time.

Lauren and I have been making memories together pretty much since I was born and we became automatic roommates for the next sixteen years of our lives. Whether it was talking late into the night on Mockingbird Lane or passing notes through the cracks in our bunk beds… or putting on concerts for our parents in the living room or fighting over the front seat (which I always let her have because I was afraid of her). These memories will always hold a special place in my heart.

One of my greatest memories, however, didn’t happen in our old house on Mockingbird Lane or even in Arkansas for that matter, but in Oklahoma last summer when we both got the opportunity to work for the summer at Falls Creek. Lauren had worked there the summer before and played a significant role in getting me hired.

When we started that summer I was only known as “Lauren’s little sister” or for a few very confused people “Lauren’s twin sister” (although I still don’t see it). At first that identification was very challenging for me. But then I realized that there is no one else I would rather be compared to than Lauren.

LAUREN IS loyal, works harder than anyone I know, and dedicated to whatever she puts her mind to, and in the end, she will probably be the best at whatever it is. She is feisty, fun, yet selfless. She leads by example, and is the first to pitch in when she sees a need. She sees potential in everyone, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

THANK YOU, LAUREN for being my best friend when I had none and for letting me tag along with your friends all the way through high school. Thanks for being my shoulder to cry on when I felt alone and for letting me rant to you when nothing seemed to be going right. Thank you for telling me when my outfit didn’t match and still claiming me when I wore it in public anyway. Thank you for being a big sister to my friends who don’t have one, and for setting the bar high for me on the soccer field and the classroom. Thank you for defending me in the locker room in P.E. and for always picking me to be on your team, even though we all know I didn’t get the same athletic gene you got.

IAN, I knew you were someone special when she got absolutely giddy when you sent me a friend request on Facebook two years ago. Lauren simply does not get giddy. Thank you for pursuing my sister and loving her relentlessly. I have loved third wheeling with you two.

TO LAUREN AND IAN, thank you for setting a Christ-like example for me in your relationship. Thank you for putting the Lord first in your relationship with each other and the decisions you make. Thank you for honoring each other and may the Lord honor your marriage in the many years to come. Congratulations, Lauren. And Ian.. welcome to the greatest family in the world.

Wedding post #2

Until we get our OFFICIAL FABULOUS professional photos in...these are my favorite of the ceremony. Burgundy dresses, grey vests, and falling lights set the stage for Lauren and Ian's BEST DAY EVER. So very thankful that they could demonstrate a CHRIST-centered, fun wedding for every guest in the room.

Yes, the best man acted like he forgot the ring. A red ring pop was passed forward...until the real ring was found.

Yes, the pastor said there was much more written to the men in the Bible about how they needed to treat their wife...because men were a little slow, or they needed more instruction.

Yes, they danced off the stage...including twirls for the bridal party.

Yes, Richard helped me figure out yet another crazy plan to hang lights from the industrial ceiling in our church and did it without complaint!

SO much to say...wedding post #1

Whoa! It's Sunday afternoon and I've just gotten up from yet another deep-sleep nap from the chair in the living room. The kids were watching a movie but they've gone on to other things now. I'm thankful they know not to wake a sleeping Mama of the Bride!

I've hosted many events in the last years, I know how to plan, be flexible and take care of people. However, I've NEVER hosted a wedding, nor had to make plans with the main goal of making two people SMILE ALL NIGHT! I'm so thankful I can call our wedding a SUCCESS on all fronts! We knew at the end of the night they would be legally wed, but all the other details made the night super fun!

This afternoon I asked the 3 littles to tell me their favorite things in the wedding. They wrote and wrote and then we shared. It's so funny to see how they ranked their favorites, there were SO MANY wonderful parts it's hard to choose!

CAMERON:

Dancing with our cousins

Cake: baseball cake

Whip n Nay Nay

The funness/funner

The dancing

The watermelon and pineapple

The ring pop

The preacher

The people

The fireworks

JORDAN:

Food

The smooch

Lauren’s Dress – she’d like to wear someday

The rehearsal (dinner)

The colors

The father/daughter dance

The signing of the book (guest book)

The cupcakes

The wedding shower

The Jenga blocks

The Bs - she also might want to use these someday if she marries someone with a B last name!

SHERIDAN:

Ian & Lauren getting married

Vows

Getting to greet everyone and hand out programs

Chocolate Chip Dip

Getting to see old Clarksville friends (Suede, Lindsey & Lexi)

How pretty it was at Bona Dea for pictures

The wrap (sandwich) in the bridal party room, it was very good

Getting to pray over Lauren and Ian during the wedding

Seeing Lauren’s Falls Creek friends

Erin and Dad’s speeches

The leftovers we got to bring home

The special painted wedding signs

Getting to walk down the aisle with Jordan and Cameron

From a MOM or MOB's perspective:

~ALL my kids being home...Ryan found out on Tuesday he could get a flight home from Ft Benning

~When her flowers and our cupcakes came in and were EXACTLY like she wanted

~The smile Lauren had when she put on her dress and veil

~Praying over Lauren with her bridal party and her new mother in law

~Seeing people come to the wedding from all over who love Lauren (including band director from high school, friends from Falls Creek staff, friends from FBC Clarksville, new friends from their LIFE groups, friends from my Life Group, high school friends, former neighbors, and family from as far away as California!)

~The moment when Richard gave Lauren to Ian and gave him a huge manly hug

~The maid of honor speech by Erin and the father toast by Richard

~The father/daughter dance (choreographed by a friend and NAILED on the dancefloor!)

~The family who smiled, hugged and loved Lauren just by being there

~The smile on Lauren's face as she left with Ian for her HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Getting Excited!

Planning a Wedding

I'm resourceful. Not highly intelligent in any area, but very resourceful. I'm an event-planner by trade now, but journalism was what I got a degree in. I sang in approximately 20 weddings in the early 90s, but I do not know anything about planning one. And watching Say Yes to the Dress isn't really reality tv, if you know what I mean.

So, Lauren and I are two strong-opinionated women, who don't have much experience in the wedding business. We decided to tackle it one thing at a time during the week before school.

This is what we accomplished in 5 days:

1. We logistically figured out how to host the wedding, reception and dance, all in one place, although a big wedding has never been held in the church where we attend. That settled the date, Friday, June 24th.

2. We found a dress in our first 2 1/2 hours shopping. We tried 8 more on the next day, then came back to the first store and ordered THE ONE.

3. We contacted a caterer and she's both affordable and available. (We will tackle the no kitchen at the church issue later.)

4. We met with a florist and loved her ideas! She accepted our pins and pictures of what Lauren likes. She also offered her wedding coordinating services and I about crawled over the table to hug her when I realized she would do that for us!

5. We found a dress we like for the bridesmaids, that may or may not be available from China only. We will see.

6. We ordered the cutest cookies for her to ask her bridal party to be a part of her big day, and they have been delivered and all accepted!

7. Lauren and Ian finalized a guest list.

8. We found a replacement photographer when they were cancelled on, to take engagement pics for a SAVE THE DATE.

All this, and very little tears. ;) Yep, I think we can do this!

Happiest Day in August!

Capture This Moment

8-15-15

Just a peek at THE WEDDING day: These pictures are all taken with my iphone and aren't even all in focus, but there are some things I just wanted to capture. More to come. 

Most touching moments: 

1. DBack family coming to the wedding.

2. Seeing 3 of Ryan's coaches and his choir teacher come in.

3. Watching Cameron bring the rings in on a Bible then give Ryan knuckles.

4. Watching Ryan and Richard choke up as Katelyn cried her way down the aisle. 

5. After Katelyn's dad gave her away, then he hugged Ryan in a real man to man hug.

6. Ryan and Katelyn's look of peace and love all day. 

Practice makes Perfect

So, the timing was tight, but we moved out of our event space on Tuesday, and Wednesday and Thursday the girls were getting our hair colored and cut, our nails done, our dresses ironed, our bags packed and putting finishing touches on the rehearsal dinner for THE WEDDING. I was pretty exhausted but the girls helped out as Richard was on the road taking care of business. 

It was a beautiful Friday as we drove to Rogers to start decorating and helping prepare for the rehearsal dinner and help decorate the wedding venue. Katelyn's family had done so much great planning and organizing, we brought all our hands and made light work of the set up. Ryan and Kate were all smiles as we gathered with the nicest group of friends anyone could ever have. We were rehearsed, we were fed, we prayed over the couple, and we were ready for THE WEDDING.