So just thought I would make a post showcasing God's beautiful wildlife that has been gracing the flowers just outside our dining room/homeschool room. So here's the bad news . . . there aren't really any bullfrogs. But, well, it was the only title I could come up with. :) And now, I officially have that good ole camp song stuck in my head . . . " bull frogs and butter flies have both been born again . . . "
From far away, these butterfly creatures just seem to be perfect. They fly free, seemingly uninhibited. With beautiful colors gracing their wings. But, when you look more closely, they all have "battle scars". They are missing legs, or parts of their wings. To me, it's a reminder, that God sees us both ways. Scarred from sin, but perfected in our acceptance of His love. He loves us in spite of any scarring, forgiving the worst of sins and loving us all the while. How beautiful is His love for us?!?!?! I continue to be amazed by God's continued grace, forgiveness and provision for my life . . . blessings whose numbers rival the stars in the sky. How has God blessed you lately? How have you been reminded of His grace, provision and forgiveness in your life?
So there I was . . . driving down the road this morning, on our way to swimming lessons. I was literally thinking to myself "This is so great! I am so proud of me, for having the forethought to schedule summer swimming lessons far enough in advance, that all four kids (in their 3 different levels) could attend in the same session! That has to be enough for a mother-of-the-year award, or something!" Then Josiah said from the back seat "Mommy, can you roll up my window? Someone's Smo-ing" (aka Smoking). We are stopped at a stoplight and while I think "When did he roll his window down, and why?" I immediately try to use the driver side controls to do as he asked. It's not working. I try again . . . no such luck. I hit the window child lock button and try again (knowing full well that that button should have no effect on my ability to raise or lower the window from the driver's controls.) NOTHING! Ugh! So, we call Karl and he says "Oh, that's happened before. Just shut the truck off and restart it, and it should work." SHOULD being the key word. :) So, the lessons are on the base, so we're not terribly worried about anyone stealing our truck or the invaluable things we keep inside (i.e. kleenex, sunflower seeds and ratchet straps,) so we go ahead an attend the lessons. After . . . we try again, to no avail. So this leads to the next dilemma. I had an appointment in D.C. at Walter Reed for some follow up care. (Don't worry anyone . . . I'm fine.) We had planned to load up in the truck, as my Suburban is in the shop (another long story), and take all the kids to the appt and then out to a museum or something in the city. Well, we can't really take our truck with the window stuck open up to D.C., so with about 60 minutes notice, my friend Suzanne graciously agreed to take ALL FOUR kids for the afternoon! Yahooey! "This day is starting to turn around!" I think to myself. Well, that was silly. She reminded me that they have a pool, so I should bring their swimming stuff. "No problem," I thought, "I'll just throw their stuff in the dryer, and we'll be good!" So off I go, to the laundry room, where I collect their swimming gear and place it in the dryer. Press Start and . . . Burning! The dryer immediately smells like it's burning! "Are you serious!?!?!?!" So, clothes out to the line, snacks in the bag, lunch on the way out the door to drop the kids, drop the kids, collect my medical paperwork to take with, and Karl and I head off to a "Medical Date" so to speak. (These days, any time without the kids is a date to us!) So, we're heading up the road, and any of you who have read my blog since the beginning (last month) know that our GPS (aka Sassypants) doesn't really like D.C. Well, she didn't cooperate today, and drug us all over and through downtown D.C. As we are wandering around at our GPS's will, we get a call . . . from Suzanne. Josiah had dropped a 10 pound free weight onto his big toe and it had immediately swollen and turned purple and green. She thought we should get it seen ASAP. So then came the craziness of how do we get our child a medical authorization, and how can he get to the base clinic? (Suzanne doesn't have base access.) We figured that all out, in about 30 phone calls, and headed in to check in for my 2:20pm appointment. (No cell phones allowed in the hospital.) Yes, we did eventually get there. We spent about 50 minutes waiting for the appointment, and yes, we were 15 minutes early. :) And well, the appt was fine. No worries, but also, no details on here! We get out of the hospital and find out that our friends had decided, after all, that since Josiah was now walking and running on his foot, that it probably wasn't broken, and probably didn't need to be examined (at least not that urgently.) So, Josiah is fine . . . he has a huge bruise on the top of his foot, but it seems to be just a bruise. We'll keep an eye on it. The kids had a blast playing in the pool all day, and we are now home . . . all in one piece, minus the truck, whose backseat door has be torn to pieces by my wonderful husband Karl. Hopefully it won't rain before he gets it fixed! But, as the saying goes . . .
So all of the bridesmaids and the bride of the day arrived at the Dunbar home around 11am that morning. We got there, brought in our bags and all our girl stuff, and dropped it in the front room. The "Dressing Room." We then looked at each other and thought . . . what now??? We had about an hour to kill before we were to eat lunch, and there was no way we were going to get dressed before we ate! So, most of us started on our hair and makeup, while Deanna put the finishing touches on the wedding cake.
We all ate wonderfully! Sherry had made an amazing and tasty spread for us girls. Then . . .
it was time!!! To get dressed and help Larissa with all her getting ready!
The flowers were delivered by Shannon, just as we were finishing up lunch,
and Larissa was ecstatic! They were gorgeous, more than she had dreamed of.
(But who needs to dream about flowers when they have Shannon to create!?!?!?!?)
Mom was having fun taking pictures and laughing with us girls.
Just soaking in all that was to take place that special day.
Deanna was the magical Hair person of the day! Didn't Larissa's hair look lovely!
Linnaea was cute . . . she kept "fussing" her hair! I caught this picture just right!
~
Larissa is ready to get dressed and so on goes the gown!
Mommy had a "moment" or two in the process, but we all survived, makeup still intact.
Shannon is an expert lacer! Who was that girls kindergarten teacher???
Mommy and Linnaea watching the preparations of the bride.
What a beautiful woman!
Accessories of the day!
And we're READY!!!
Larissa was feeling a bit excited about the day at this point!
When she had arrived that morning, she had said
"... it just feels like a regular day."
And I responded . . . "don't worry, it won't for long."
The families started arriving around 3pm, and us mommy's in the group got set to help the
kids ready themselves for pictures. Here's Elie in her too cute flowergirl outfit.
My family - Karl, Me, Josiah, Larissa, West, Hunter, Katy and Andrew
Nick and Jessye's family - Jessye, Lainey, Elie, Nick, Larissa and West
Linnaea and Larissa and West
(I don't know how I missed a family picture of Deanna and Ben's family. Sorry guys!)
Daddy and Mommy and Bride and Groom
Mother of the Bride (a.k.a. Mommy)
Father of the Bride (a.k.a. Daddy)
The whole Party!
All the Crazy Kiddos!
The ceremony was amazing, beautiful and touching.
Breathtaking to see and also to hear Larissa and West's
commitment to each other before God, Family and Friends.
Then is was PARTY TIME!!!
Just kidding, but cutting the cake and toasting is about as
partying as we Saemenes' get at a wedding!
Nathan is West's brother, and his toast was fantastic, and revealed much about West's commitment level in his relationships with those he loves. It was a special toast.
My toast was as follows:
So there I was, minding my own business when Larissa called and reminded me that I would be giving a toast at the reception. Well . . . Okay! I don’t know that I’ve ever rejected the opportunity to “spill the beans” and here’s an INVITATION!!! Just kidding! I know none of you care that I know the most rebellious thing Larissa ever did was to stay up late playing Monopoly until all hours of the night. So, I move on . . . I figure as the sister who has been married the longest, it’s my duty to share some marital advice, so here goes . . . five pieces of advice (in no particular order of importance)
~ Always remember on the days when … When the money is low, the tensions are high, where there are good days or bad, there are 3 most important words to remember and say …… “LET’S EAT OUT!”
~ Here we go . . . I’ll say this one fast! Never fight with your clothes on . . . you get to the making up faster!
~ On a more serious note J Be each other’s biggest loudest cheer leaders! Support each other and stand beside each other always.
~ Please!!! Please don’t tell your friends or family what you fight about today, because tonight you’ll make up and tomorrow, we’ll still be mad!
~ and last but certainly not least. CHOOSE LOVE. Most people believe love is a feeling. I believe it is a choice. Trust me when I say that someday, you are going to roll over in the morning and see a drooly face sleeping on a pillow next to you, or be woken in the middle of the night by what seems like a train in your bedroom (also known as a snoring spouse) and your first thought won’t be “I feel so in love with you!” So, on those days, Choose Love.
So there’s the silly, here’s the serious.
Pslams 37:4 says – Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Larissa, Any of us who have known you for any amount of time, know that the desire of your heart was to be married. But at the heart of that desire was a deeper, stronger yearning to be in God’s will. You have lived your life delighting in the Lord, and now, he has given you the desire of your heart. WEST!!!
West. You probably know that Larissa has been praying for you for years, but what you may not know is that many of us here today, have been praying for you for years as well. We all loved you before we met you. Trusting all the while that God was handcrafting the man who was to be Larissa’s husband and that in His perfect time, the two of you would be brought together. God never fails us does he???
Larissa and West, Job 36:11 says – If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. So, my prayer for you (coming from a tweaked Phillippians 4:12-13) is that years from now, you’ll be able to look back and say . . . – We know what it is to be in need, and we know what it is to have plenty. We have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. We have done and can do everything through him who gives us strength.
I LOVE YOU BOTH!Here’s to many years of wedded bliss!
Me and My Chief!
The Happy Couple!
Daddy's Toast
First Dance
Dancing with Daddy
Driving off into the Sunset! Happy Married Couple! Larissa and West.
Happy Honeymooning!
From far away, these butterfly creatures just seem to be perfect. They fly free, seemingly uninhibited. With beautiful colors gracing their wings. But, when you look more closely, they all have "battle scars". They are missing legs, or parts of their wings. To me, it's a reminder, that God sees us both ways. Scarred from sin, but perfected in our acceptance of His love. He loves us in spite of any scarring, forgiving the worst of sins and loving us all the while. How beautiful is His love for us?!?!?! I continue to be amazed by God's continued grace, forgiveness and provision for my life . . . blessings whose numbers rival the stars in the sky. How has God blessed you lately? How have you been reminded of His grace, provision and forgiveness in your life?
