The Wedding

This weekend Noah was in his first wedding. As unofficial director of our church nurseries I have had the pleasure of hiring and working with many AMAZING girls (and one great guy). Stephanie was one such lady. She graduated and left us in December of 05. She got a job as a kindergarten teacher in Plano, and received new teacher of the year her first year. She is great! Noah was in love with Miss Stephanie (and still is). From the moment she started working with him she would say "when I get married I want him to be my ring bearer". She meant it, because he was her ring bearer this weekend (well really her bible bearer but none the less he was there for her special day). And Mark (the groom) was great for indulging someone he hardly knows and allowing them to be part of his special day too.

It was a simple wedding, just the way Stephanie is, but it was absolutely beautiful, just the way Stephanie is! I cried through most of the rehearsal--simply because I can't believe she's married now, AND even though my oldest is only 11 and I pray he waits until he is at least 35 to marry--it will still be here. And I thought of that day when each of my boys marry. Chris will be there to help them tie their ties, to give them the marriage talk, to calm their nerves as the hour approaches and I will be left watching. I will then have to let go. But when that time comes I pray they find someone as beautiful as Stephanie that I can give them to. I've been to lots of weddings. But I have never been to one where absolutely EVERYONE there wanted a picture with the bride. I asked her by the end of the night if she was seeing stars. She laughed and replied yes, but graciously kept posing for picture after picture.

She kept saying how glad she was that we were there. But I am the one who feels blessed. We were so glad to share in that moment--to be witnesses of God's goodness to His faithful child. She would always confide in me about the type of man she wanted, a man who loved the Lord was always at the top of her list. God gave Stephanie her every desire. And Reverend Greg did a beautiful job of relating the role of Christ into the marriage. Stephanie really is the apple of her Father's eye. I pray she and Mark would have a lifetime of happy memories together.

And after all of that here are SOME of the pictures ( I think I took over 100 but won't post them all):

We were unsure if we would even be able to attend with Noah's weeklong battle with illness and our two weeklong battle with engine trouble. The moment they saw one another this is what happened.

Noah in his official shirt

Noah and Mark (the groom)

Noah in his big moment

Noah AFTER his big moment (he slept through the entire ceremony).

Beautiful Stephanie

Noah and Stephanie (notice how he hugs her).

Noah and Mommy (notice how he DOESN'T hug me).

Noah's favorite part of the outfit. He liked the way they shined.