the wedding re-cap: Wednesday

some more pictures, taking by Karen O.

The Stonecypher family invited the Smillies and Throckmortons, plus members of the bridal party, to dinner on Wednesday night. We had a relaxed and fun filled evening celebrating the marriage that was about to happen and enjoying the "calm before the storm".

3 days to go!

bocce ball

Jorge showed the younger guys how to play

playing Catchphrase

the parents and grandparents

After dessert we (minus the parents and grandparents) went bowling.

Josh, exscuse me, Joshua

(I can still call him Josh, but you have to call him Joshua)

Evan

David and Emma

Elizabeth, Leah and Sarah F.

It was a good, albeit late, evening. We enjoyed being able to relax and visit with our family, and we laughed a lot!

three happy couples

three happy couples, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Brian and Leah are now happily married and on their honeymoon.

John and I had the honor of taking them to the airport yesterday evening, and having them in the back seat made me feel a tad bit wistful. They are so very happy. John and I are also (very much so!), but it sent my memory back to last year when we were snatching every single kiss we could get (yes, at stop lights too). I miss that. There is no way on earth that I would send Emma back, but I miss the tender giddiness of being just us two.

It was the first wedding that John and I had attended together since our own, and it was good. Now that we have been to one together, I am looking forward to the next one, one where we will sit next to each other and hold hands and look dreamily at each other and kiss and where I will not need to take a baby out to nurse.

All that to say, John and I are going on a date tonight.
Without Emma.

birthday breakfast

birthday breakfast, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Happy birthday Darling Dear. I love you. <3
And it is the joy of my life to be married to you.

Auntie Anna made me laugh :)

pool time!

Emma and I are visiting my family in Sanger, California for nine days. My family is having a wonderful time introducing little Emma to the West coast (and all sorts of CA things such as In-N-Out) and spending lots of time with her. We decided that while we were here we would let Emma try out swimming in the pool (a classic California thing to do) for the first time this evening, and she loved it!!! Her smiles were just too cute as she realized that the pool was just one really big bathtub that she could float freely in.

Mom took over holding her while I got a bit of a movie.

The evening was getting chilly and Emma started to shiver when she bounced up out of the water (she is VERY buoyant) , so we got out of the pool after about 10-15 minutes, but we have plans to go back again soon!

Emma is learning to sing!

18 weeks old

Emma, "helping" make the bed and being purely adorable