Hapyy New Year! Thank You for so many blessings!

January 3, 2009 Happy New Year! Wooh!

It's been awhile since I checked in! Much water under the bridge.. and overall a lovely, wonderful time! Thank You, Lord!

The day before my daughter’s wedding, my son went to the airport with one of my daughter's boyfriend to pick up my other daughter, but her flight ended up cancelled because of weather problems.

The parents of the groom arrived in the evening, having come through some wild snowy weather. We had our lasagna and Caesar salad and garlic bread for supper, as planned.

Oh! The pastor came over in the afternoon and talked with my daughter and her fiance for a couple hours - a bit about the wedding, but mostly about what it means to be a Christian and about baptism. My daughter's fiance had not been sure about getting baptized, so the pastor just told him to think it over and let him know before Sunday morning. It was awesome to hear my future son-in-law confirm that he has given his heart to the Lord!

We all went over to the church at 7 pm for the rehearsal (oh yes, during the day, my daughter and I iced the cakes I had previously made, set the tables for the reception, and so on). The rehearsal went well! We also got all the lighting figured out!

Everyone seemed to be coming down with colds - and some with coughs - and hubby was starting to feel flu-y!

On the morning of December 27 we had the crepe (with peach topping and whip cream) breakfast as planned. Another daughter and her boyfriend arrived at 6 am after driving 12 hours over the Rocky Mountains in the dark and snow! They crashed into our bed and slept for awhile. About 10 am my daughtes and I went to do last minute shopping for wedding needs. We also picked up the bouquet and bouteniere. The white roses the florist had ordered for the bouquet had mostly arrived in poor condition, so she had to use just a few, and substitute white mums! But the bouquet still looked lovely - and cost considerably less! You were taking care of things again! We got home just before noon!

I grabbed my dress etc, and went over to the church to put on the soups in huge soup pots, to ice a couple more cakes, finish setting up for the reception, meet the photographer when she arrived, etc. Richard, the church sound man, also turned up and kindly offered to take care of the music and sound system! Wow!

The wedding was beautiful! At the Pastor's suggestion we had put some of the church greenery around the entrance to the coffee area at the back of the church, and the bride and father came through this "arbor." It was lovely! The wedding and the baby dedication, which followed immediately after the wedding vows, were so beautiful and sacred!

While the bride and groom went with the photographer for photos in the snow at the Japanese gardens, the father and mother of the groom took care of the baby, and I finished setting up the reception. Since one of my daughters, and my brother and sister, had not been able to make it due to weather, I invited my Aunt, and my cousin and her husband to stay for the reception in their places. And unknown to me, my hubby invited several church members who had come to the ceremony! So as more and more people came into the reception I just added more place settings - in good Haida style! The wedding reception was so much fun! Everybody loved it - and afterward everyone helped clean up the reception room. And my other brother and his wife stayed and helped my hubby and I wash all the dishes! Wow! I was so impressed! And happy!

During the reception, my new son-in-law told the Pastor that he did indeed want to be baptized! Praise God!

The parents of the groom treated the happy couple to a honeymoon night in the honeymoon suite at a nice local hotel! Next morning they came back to the house to get ready to attend church with us, and to stay with us for a few more days!

On Sunday morning, December 28, another daughter's boyfriend (yes, I have 4 daughters!) went up to the airport to meet my other daughter's rebooked flight. It was late but finally arrived! Yay! Meanwhile, another daughter and her family had to head home first thing in the morning, heading over very snowy mountain passes; as did the father and mother of the groom.

The rest of us went to church, and then straight to a local motel's pool for my son-in-law's baptism! What an amazing weekend! What a blessing! Thank You, Lord! Wow!

I think we took the rest of the day easy - can't really remember! I was getting pretty exhausted by then!