...And We're Back!

We had an amazing, beautiful, fast, full, rainy, crazy, hectic, joyful, exploding, wonderful and entirely too short weekend at home! We were able to see both our parents and catch up a bit, which was incredible. It almost felt like we had never left...but then we had to leave, hm... We are thankful for the opportunity to have gone home and had some time with family and to be a part of Darrin and Melissa's wedding. There are some stunning photographs at Rebecca Livingston's Facebook: here. The wedding went on without...too many...glitches ;) And, after all, when all is said and done, they're now happily married and soaking up the sun in some faraway tropical paradise - so jealous right now!

A brief play by play of our trip for the record... (This will be boring for most, but it's for my memory!)

We left Dubuque after Nic'sOT class was out and headed for Des Moines, the "boring" way - Hwy 20 to I-35. Heather's friend Kate brought us to the airport so we could leave our car at her house for Heather and Nick to pick up at their convenience sometime during the weekend. Our flight to Minneapolis was great, really quick and exciting! We both love to fly so much. From Minneapolis we flew to Seattle and touched down around 7pm. It was an uneventful flight - Nic got caught up on his reading homework and I read One Tuesday Morning the first in a two book series by Karen Kingsbury about September 11th. Tear jerker! My parents met us at the airport so we could leave straight from there - we borrowed Dad's truck - Thank you! Went to the Men's Wearhouse in Southcenter to pick up Nic's tux...oops, wrong location...we went to the right one (apparently there are two), the one in the mall, and the shirt was too big, jacket sleeves too short...a little makeshift hemming job later and we were on our way! Up to Steve and Carol's house - we were met by happy barking dogs and Mom :) Sad day, Steve was sick, so we didn't see him until later. Lasagna for dinner - yum! We had a great time with them. Saturday afternoon we headed off to Des Moines Gospel Chapel for the rehearsal dinner. Traffic was awful! We were late...but then, so were many others, due to the ugly traffic. It was a little hectic at first the pastor shouting orders and no one listening - poor guy, but then, I was just observing, taking pictures and trying to help everyone stay sane. It was fun and SO wonderful to see Mom and Amy, Stacy, Melissa and Darrin...and so many others! After the rehearsal dinner Amy and I ran around a little picking up a few things for the wedding the next day: bobby pins for the girls' hair and a clear umbrella for Melissa in the case of rain. It was great to spend a little one on one time with Amy even though we were rushing about and trying to get home because... Chris was waiting there for us! I always love seeing my brother...and Kelsey! :) We stayed up a little bit, watched the end of the Huskies game...I think...oh yes, it was, and they lost :( sad day. Funny story, after the game was over and they lost there was some friendly banter and I...kiddingly...said, oh well, it doesn't really matter - Kelsey pointed to Chris, decked out in Huskies gear and made the face like,"He sure does!" We got a good laugh :)  As we were thinking about heading to bed, I asked Amy if she'd written her toast...and she burst into tears :( Oh no, she'd been so busy running here and there and everywhere getting things all set for tomorrow that she'd forgotten to write this! I helped her get it done and when she was happy with it, we were all pretty pooped and knew we had a full day tomorrow (we didn't know how FULL it would turn out to be) so we headed to bed: Amy and Scotty in the living room and Nic and I in the guest room. We slept good and fast and woke early in the morning to start the festivities! Brittany came over at 7:45 to cut and style Amy's hair and then she trimmed mine afterward - my split ends were getting awful, I'm so thankful for her! After Amy's hair was done, she and Nic hurried out the door to go to Wine & Roses to help get set up and all done up for the girls. My mom and I ran a few errands: Costco for wedding party finger food lunch, and we gassed up the car - we would be thankful for this gesture, later. Walgreens, to print a photo for Amy for Ashley for a gift for Melissa...yes, it was complicated...and yes, we went to the wrong Walgreens first. Starbucks, caffeine, of course, we called Amy and she had some already! And off we went to the venue. As soon as we got there and passed the food off to the hungry guys (it was a little after 12 noon at this point) The photographer was ushering people to the place she wanted to snap some shots. Sara, Amy's sis in law, comes out the door of the house where the girls are getting ready and says, "Melissa, you're here! Amy needs you!" Uh oh, I hope everything is ing. I went in to where the girls were and Stacy and Amy both looked so relieved to see me - it's nice to be needed :) I helped them get into their dresses and put their jewelry on and shoved them out the door for pictures! At some point, Amy needed Mom who was holding a precious baby for one of the bride's maids so she passed the baby on to me - uh oh, again, she was so darling, I think I want one! :) Ok, so now lots of pictures later, the guests are start to trickle in and Amy comes to me and says - please help us look for the guest book...it was supposed to be...yadda yadda - and we can't find it! So, for a few minutes I looked and looked and couldn't find it anywhere - oh, there's Dad - he can take me to get a new one! Off we went down the hill into Auburn (meanwhile, Amy tells the pastor to instruct the guests to just sign it at the reception - little do they know there isn't one, yet!). We went to a couple different stores, me running in and out frantically since Fred Meyer didn't have one - we headed to JoAnn's and they had one - and the lady at the counter noticed... "I'll bet you're in a hurry?" "Yes!" "Let me just get a coupon quick for you" ...and it was quick and lickety split I was out the door and we were on our way back to the wedding - guest book and fancy pen in hand! We arrive at the wedding and I place the book and pen at the entrance to the reception so the guests will sign it as they enter...run over to where to wedding is starting and take my seat with  my Dad behind Chris and Kelsey and enjoy the ceremony. After the ceremony is ended and the pastor sends everyone over to the barn for the reception, I spent some time talking with Chris and Kelsey and then, when they had to go I went over to the barn and found some lovely people I just had to say hi to: Emily, Amy Hart, Erin, Ciara, Jamie.....etc. :) No sooner does the wedding party join the reception after they've taken some more photos then Amy comes up to me again with a look of panic...and, well, annoyance, and says "The cake...is in their apartment!" My mom and I look at eachother and repeat what she's just told us "In their apartment...in Tukwila!?" "Ok, we'll go get it, and we'll be back as soon as we can..." So, as dinner is being served to the guests...toasts....first dance(s), etc...and we're off to get the cake...we make it back just in time for the..."And the Bride and Groom will now be cutting the cake" announcement. Oh boy! Some kind soul saved me a plate of food...and made one up special for my mom. And now that we were back and had calmed down we were ready for the fun - dancing, cupcakes, good conversation. Mmm.... turned out to be just great! :) After everything was cleaned up and back in order, Nic and I delivered the gifts to Darrin and Melissa's apartment and went home to my parents house for one last night of Seattle bliss. We paked our bags so that we could head out early the next morning and not worry about any last minute stuff. Of course, the fruit leathers that I bought for Jeanette got set aside and left behind...I know, right? Oh well, when we woke the next morning, Mom drove us to the airport, we had uneventful flights back to Des Moines. A little extended layover in Minneapolis, maybe like an hour, but nothing really worth noting. Nick and Heather met us at the airport and brought our car so we could head straight to Dubuque. It was great to see them. I had seen Heather recently, but hadn't seen Nick since their wedding - crazy! We might just have to go spend Thanksgiving with them - seeing as it's not looking promising that we go home for such the short weekend that it would be. AND because they're awesome and it would be GREAT to get away from Dubuque again...just for a bit and enjoy some other parts of this place they call the Midwest and their great company. Anyway, our drive back to Dubuque felt really long! I read for a bit, snoozed for a bit, and for the last hour or so my legs were restless. Eh, not the most enjoyable, but I was ready to get back and see what there was to see at "home". We ended up getting back at around, I don't know, 9:30 or so.

All this weekend was fun - Nic and I had a great time running here and there - the best part: we were together! This morning we both got up early for school - Nic, to go work out before his classes and I, to speak at Women of Grace (I spoke on contentment with what I have and where God has me - how appropriate, hm?). Anyway, after a hug and kiss, as I was hurrying off to the meeting, I looked back and said to Nic, "Well, it was nice seein' ya!" Oh dear, the busyness continues!

We love you, our friends and family from Seattle. It was great to see some of you...and we're sad we weren't able to see more of you. God bless you all and keep you...until we see each other again - We'll miss you.