for Brian

Yup, it fits now. She likes it. Thank you. :)

her latest trick

On Tuesday the 25, Emma began to "Army crawl". She was barely figuring it out on Tuesday, and every day since then she has been getting better and better at it. Today she was actually scooting around, so we pulled out the video camera so that you all could see her perform. Emma seems to be so proud of herself!

moving is so much fun!

we signed the lease yesterday

and have been cleaning and painting.

Emma learned how to sit up unattended on Tuesday. She is such a big girl! (the wall behind her is not blue, the light was just reflecting off of the other blue wall)

And she has also learned how to "tuck and tumble" without getting hurt. Which is a very good thing, because she still tends to wobble when she gets excited. :)

just hangin' out

wedding re-cap: Monday

On Monday afternoon we went over to the K.s' house to swim.

Nathan

All that sun and water made Emma a little sleepy.

Josh, Nathan and Jorge

two years ago today ...

I was visiting John in Indianapolis and he proposed.

After that wonderful few days, we saw each other for 15 days at Christmas through New Year's Eve, and then John came to Fresno 3 days ahead of our wedding. The days since then have been wonderful. Just wonderful.

Happy anniversary Darling.

I still can hardly believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. The days when we have been apart drag by so slowly, and the days that we are together are better than I could have ever hoped for (my only complaint is that they seem to go by so quickly). One day we will wake up next to each other and be all wrinkly and gray, but we will have thousands of memories of our days together. I love you.

wedding re-cap: Saturday

Emma and Colin, outside during family pictures after the ceremony

some more pictures, taken by Karen O.

Now, of course the highlight of Saturday was the wedding - the whole reason all of us were congregating in Indianapolis in the first place. The wedding started at 5:30, so we had an entire day for the excitement to build before the actual event began.

At the Smillie home, things were rather relaxed. We took our time getting up that morning because we knew that the night would be a late one. After a breakfast of the leftover dessert from the rehearsal dinner and a few pots of coffee the guys finished cutting, punching and tying the ceremony programs.

Karen O. and Emma, who had just begun practicing sitting up

(Emma was experimenting with her tongue all week, just sticking the tip of it out)

Once we (the guys, Emma and I - everyone else had gone over earlier) arrived at the church around 3, we were enveloped in a swarm of activity. The girls were heading outside for their photos and the guys started to get ready too. Once the guys were dressed in their suits and getting their pictures taken, the girls milled around in the bride's dressing room, waiting for the 5:30.

Sarah F., Elizabeth, Leah, Sarah and Esther

Emma in her pretty new dress, waiting in Grandma's arms while her mama finished getting ready

Brian R., John, Brian, Evan and David

Caleb, David, Brian R., Brian, Evan, John and Colin

Danny, Joshua and Nathan

The guests arrived and were seated by Caleb and Colin, the pre-lude played by Jorge began, and the ceremony was underway ...

Caleb and Colin, lighting the candelabras

Jorge, playing the piano with Jenna Q., who later sang "How Beautiful"

the parents of the bride and groom, lighting the unity candles

watching Leah and Mr. Stonecypher walk down the aisle

"We are gathered together today to witness ..."

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"Love is patient, love is kind ..."

the vows

rings

"Brian, you may now kiss the bride."

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smillie!

We took pictures outside after the ceremony while the guests signed the guestbook and enjoyed hor'douerves ...

Danny and Alison

Alison and Katie

The reception was beautiful. A delicious dinner of various salads and soups was offered, we danced (the practice payed off!), we talked, and we celebrated. It was lovely.

the cupcake table

a friend, Evan, Brian R. and John talking by the head table

Nathan and Danny

We sent the tired and buoyantly happy couple off in Brian's truck to a serenade of little bells (many of which were spontaneously tossed into the back of the truck) around 10, and began to gather things together leave. It was hard to believe that after all the months of preparation the wedding was over, but it was wonderful to see another joyful marriage begin ........ so wonderful.

Once we got home we were so tired. But still too wound up to sleep. So we sat around and talked. Or more like lay around and talked. Jorge played the guitar for a while, and around midnight we finally headed up to bed.

There are several video segments from the middle of the ceremony that I wasn't able to post due to their length. Thank you to the Shipley boys for taking the videos! It was so kind of you to man the camera for us when the tripod didn't work out. :)

the promised Emma video

Emma is still practicing her sitting skills. She really seems to enjoy it!

wedding re-cap: Friday

One Day To Go!

some more pictures, taken by Karen O.

Friday dawned bright and early for those of us of us who had been up late, and we got up and showered in time to show up at the Stonecyphers' home for breakfast at 9. They had once again graciously opened their house to the members of the wedding party (and a few others -which would be Jorge, Marian, me and Emma), showing us beautiful hospitality as we came together to finish preparing for Brian and Leah's wedding.

Emma, of course, was up ahead of us all and ready to take on the day!


After a lovely and relaxed breakfast of fruit, bagels, casseroles and coffee, we started in on the main reason for the get-together: dancing. Few of us had been blessed with grace on the dance floor, and we needed lots of practice.

We had so much fun! We laughed at, eh hem, with each other as we tried to figure out how to maneuver around each others' feet.

Sarah and David

Brian and Leah

At about 10:30, even though we had become more "at ease" on our feet rather than "graceful", the party scattered off to wedding-prep related projects. The wedding was little more than a day away, and there was still much to be finished! I stayed with a few of the girls at the house, and we worked on greenery garlands and the bouquets for Leah and her bridesmaids. We used Queen Anne's Lace for "filler" flowers for the bouquets, and they turned out so romantic looking!

choosing the roses for her bouquet, and practicing holding it :)

Even though the flowers for the wedding were a lot of work, we had so much fun doing them! If I am ever given the opportunity, I would love to work as a florist. Or in a bookshop. Or a little coffee shop. Or a combination ....
John, David and Brian R. picked me and Emma up at 2 and shuttled us to the church where the rehearsal dinner would be held that evening and then continued on their way to the rehearsal itself.
the Fireside Room, after set-up was complete

the display on the piano

pre-laid salads of baby spinach, cranberries, mandarin oranges and shaved cheese