Little Sisters Grow Up

A few weeks ago I blogged over on my photography blog about doing my sister's engagement pictures. It was such a fun day to spend with my sister and her fiance. Well, the big wedding weekend finally came and I realized how bitter sweet seeing your baby sister get married is.

First, I will admit, I was an emotional mess. I won't blame it on Fed Ex (who mis-delivered the engagement picture canvas I did for the reception hall) or on the fact that my fiance and son ended up being late to the wedding because they were tracking down the aforementioned package.

There was just something about seeing my little sis all dolled up and ready to walk down the aisle. It just squeezed my heart and made me so proud of her, and the role I have been able to take in her life.

Megan is 11 years younger than me. I always felt more like her second mom than her sister. I remember getting up early when she started going to school, so that I could help her find something cute to wear and curl her hair (which ironically, she still asks me to do when I happen to be around, ha). Back then I was "Mandy" and I can still hear her squeaky little voice asking me to do one thing or another. Yes, I hear it right now in my head and I am smiling BIG.

I headed off the college when she was only 7 years old (younger than my own daughter is right now) and it was hard on BOTH of us. I missed her sweet smile and cuddles. She missed having someone to get her fixed up every morning. I left her with a teddy bear that she nicknamed "Mandy" and would confuse my mom at bedtime when she would cry "But I need MANDY to go to sleep!" (meaning the bear, not me, but boy did my mom feel frustrated, ha).

We made it through those years and Megan never seemed to go too far from home. She chose a college about 10 minutes away and a boy she had known nearly her whole life. Even now, it doesn't feel like we are losing Megan, just gaining Joe as the brother he's always unofficially been.

The rehearsal was more like a family reunion than anything. Both sides of the family have known each other for years and we all gathered at first the country club to go through the ceremony steps and then off of Campania's in Southlake for some yummy pizza and lots of love and laughter.

jenna & nate (who wasn't real impressed)


my sister misty & jenna before the rehearsal

my parents and megan laughing over something (love this)

nate, me and jenna (a rare picture together)





my mom with the kids (I adore this pic!)


a sweet pic of my girl jenna


one of my faves
they had only been apart for about 30 minutes
but for soon-to-be married, it's eternity


this one makes me giggle
chase is playing with forks
nate looks like he's in trouble
and jenna is giving me a "another pic?!" smile

most handsome nephew EVAH!

Thanks for looking at the pictures. I will share more about the wedding later... off to get some other work done.

Have a blessed day!

A convo with Nate

So we are sitting at the reception, after enjoying the beautiful (although a tad bit chilly) outdoor wedding of our favorite babysitter, Amanda. She has been the kids' babysitter since they were too old to make complete sentences. She is truly an important part of our family. Miss Duh'manda is what Jenna use to call her.

At the reception, after raiding the fruit tray and having some iced tea, Nate tells me he had to use the restroom. He's a big boy now and wants to go by himself when we are out in public, so I got the light turned on and the door shut, always worried about letting him have so much independence, but knowing I should.

I sat back down to enjoy my raspberry tea and chat with Jenna about how pretty Amanda was, one eye on the bathroom door. I get up and get some more fruit (bathroom door is still shut). I check my cell phone for messages. I send a text message to Rod telling him how much we missed him. Look back at the closed bathroom door. Nothing. 15 minutes later and Nate is STILL in the bathroom.

Getting a bit worried (okay a LOT worried), I go and knock on the door and ask if he's okay. "YES MOM!" he says in an exasperated tone. Sheesh. I am already THAT mom. You know, the one that always makes you feel like your mom is never going to let you grow up. Yep. He said it in that tone. He's FIVE. Come on now Nate, cut your mom some slack here. You are still my baby, dangit!

So he finally emerges and says "MOMMY! that was the BIGGEST bathroom I've ever seen! It's bigger than my bedroom." I peek in to check and say "yes, that is quite a large restroom Nate, but hardly as big as the bedroom at home," followed by a chuckle. "Come on and let's go get some more fruit."

We get back to our table and sit down and I ask him "so do you like the wedding Nate?" And he says yes. Then he says something that had me laughing the next day when I thought about it. "Mommy my wedding is going to be even better than this!"... amused, I asked him how so?

"Mine is going to have a bathroom that you have to walk down a LOOOOONG hall to get to!"

LOL.

Well, there ya have it folks. The key to knowing if you are at a big fancy wedding: if the bathroom is impressive enough for my little Nate. I guess if you spend as much time in there as he does to do his business, then it makes sense that it's the most important addition to any traditional wedding.

tee hee.