When David and Kayla began courting in November of 2013, they, and both sets of parents, had the mutual goal of a shorter verses longer courtship. When David asked Kayla to be his bride on August 2, we were also in agreement to a short engagement, which would allow the blessing of the weather still being good for all of Kayla’s extended family and any out-of-state friends to be able to travel safely for the wedding as well!

Planning a wedding in twelve weeks was SUCH a blessing! It kept David and Kayla organized, motivated, and making decisions without over thinking them! What a blessed time these last three months have been!!!

There were decorations to be made on a budget!

Kayla had hoped to top each of these tree cookies with a blue canning jar. When she looked into purchasing the jars, we knew it did not fit our budget. So, our God fearing beautiful bride prayed a simple prayer – “Lord, I will wait and watch you work out the detail of the blue jars.”

ONE hour later, I answered the phone and it was a dear friend from up north who was coming to visit the next day. She says to me, “I was just in my garage looking for some canning jars because I am canning today. I found boxes full of blue canning jars from my mother-in-law, and thought maybe the soon-to-be-bride might want to use them for her wedding day?” Seriously??!

Seriously. Praying allows the glory to be given where the glory is due!

We worked as a family one evening to get the invitations ready to mail that Kayla designed and had printed.

There were so many other details….some of which I have posted about as they happened! Dress shopping!! Wedding showers!! Getting David and Kayla’s place ready for them!! Food shopping!! Friends coming over to help with preparations!!

Last week we had some baking and cooking to do!!

And wedding meetings to be had with the event coordinator!! (We love you, Meg!!!)

And haircuts to be given!!

And decorations to be finished up!!

And piles to be made!!

And then, suddenly, it was TIME!!!

Stay tuned for more……

One sneak peek from our AMAZING photographer….(www.hannaheliseblog.com)

sweet goodbyes….(thank you, Sheila, for this photo you snapped!)

What. an. amazing. day.

To God Be The Glory!!!!

more later…..

We are SO excited!!! Thank you for your prayers!!!

There is such a sweetness to the random photos of life…most often they are our favorite ones!! They show that the routine things we do are great memories too.

Here are some random photos, most of them from my smart phone, which were great memories in the making!

A sleepy baby (when did she get SO big?) –

A four-hour joy ride for Grant on this rented luxury –

Happy, happy girl…even at 6:00 a.m. –

Megan arrived (we are SO thankful!!!!) and is my second right and left hand for the next week –

Without electricity one whole afternoon (even though it doesn’t look like it, thanks to my flash!), Grant did school work with his headlight –

I listen to Lane read aloud –

Eliza loves her Jie Jie –

This sweet ole pup still knows when it is time to watch for Blake to come home –

Lane and I have one-on-one time during Eliza’s naps –

Someone is packing up to move (only THREE more sleeps!!!!) –

One of the cutest helpers I have…

…who is always singing her little songs while she works –

This Vitamix gets a daily workout –

Someone very excited about this season of the year too –

Everything the big kiddos or mama does, this mighty munchkin must do too –

Love making memories with these blessings!