Wow! Not sure exactly where to start on this post, because it was such a full day. Actually, it was a full two weeks! Ashlee came home a couple weeks before the wedding (from Georgia), and we rushed around for getting all the final prep done and getting my place ready for company (lots of company!). I believe we had (at one point) 15 or 16 people residing at my house.
In that two weeks, we:
- Had a wedding shower
- Met with all sorts of people at the church we rented
- Sent out a bajillion emails to the wonderful folks from church and family members that were helping with the details
- Made a power point slide show for the reception (no small feat!)
- Made pew decorations, decorative baskets, etc.
- Tied
one million one hundred and fifty little tiny red bows
- Cleaned this, cleaned that, hung curtains, etc.
Those are just a few activities that went on, but you get the point. If you've ever had a daughter that got married, you'll know exactly the type of hustle and bustle that I'm speaking of.
Our Pastor officiated the ceremony, and I will be forever grateful. He and his family have been the chiefest of friends throughout Ashlee's teenage years. Once the official pictures come in, perhaps I'll be able to share a shot or two of them.
As far as ceremonies go, everything went as smoothly as a wedding can go. No flower girl nervous breakdowns. No bridezilla. No tripping down stairs. No cold feet. No ring bearer screaming.
No mother-in-law hatin' of the groom. Love you, Dan'l!!!! :))
There was one little part in the ceremony where the flower girls forgot to escort the ring bearer out of the chapel, but if you didn't know it was supposed to happen, you wouldn't know anything was amiss.
There were also only four honor guard cadets, because one cadet forgot a certain part of his uniform (and there will be no discragin' the Air Force uniform!). But that turned out to be for the better, since there was truly only room for four at the front of the chapel. As it was, I nearly got beheaded by a sword as I was sitting in the front row.
Not really.
But I like to be dramatic like that.
The
amazing part of the day was that there was
peace. The only way you could understand that statement is if you knew our extended families. My parents are divorced and both were present. Daniel's parents are divorced and both were present.
Many other family dynamics were a factor, but we had been praying that peace would be imparted.
Some things are just too big for us to handle in our human frailty. And ensuring that everyone behaved themselves was simply too big of a task. So - we prayed. For weeks and months we prayed. And God answered us in a very mighty, gracious way. Yes, there were a few verbal jabs here and there. There were some sour attitudes. Some close relatives of the groom's did not attend. But overall, it came down to it being Ashlee and Daniel's day. The Lord was glorified through them and their gracious attitudes, and peace hovered over us like a soft, puffy, beautiful cloud on a warm, spring day.
Aaaahhhhh!! Refreshing!!!
As you can imagine, giving a daughter away and accepting a new family member isn't exactly easy. I can't say I had
full assurance and peace about that until a few days before the wedding. What can I say, other than
God is good! I'm not sure it was anything anyone said or did. I believe it was simply a God-given peace that surpassed all understanding.
Most of all, I am hoping and praying that the conduct of my immediate family was and will continue to be a testimony of God's grace to those who are struggling. Because if He can do amazing things within my family ... He can do them within
yours.
Blessings and Peace to all of my wonderful, loyal readers!
~Brenda
