When Laura and Jay came home last Christmas they were so excited to share their wedding plans for mid to late August 2017. I smiled and simultaneously gulped as I looked at the calendar and wondered how that was going to work IF- and only if- I was expecting.
Five days later I got the news. Want to make God laugh? Make a plan of your own! So as we received their beautiful save the dates and wedding invitations, etc. over the months I had an anxious feeling that I might not be able to travel, so my prayer was, "Lord, you know how much I adore my brother and that I wouldn't - and couldn't- ever miss his wedding day. Please work it out."
This is the story of not only how He worked it out, but how within seven days of each other I celebrated my soon-to-be little boy and gained a sister. That's a divine plan if I've ever seen one.
On August 5th my INCREDIBLE friends threw a Baby-Q "sprinkle" for me at Shuler's Bar-B-Que. We were super excited as we got ready that morning, and the icing on the cake was the fact that Emerson was so pumped to share the joy with us. She was definitely one of the most excited guests, and having her with us made the day all the more special.
Party planning runs in my veins, but this one was all up to my friends, so for once in my life I simply got to show up to an event with no grueling work or preparation. Could I pinch myself? As we entered and saw what they had done my expectations were totally exceeded, and you all know how wild my imagination is!
From the chalkboard signs and guest book station to the AMAZINGLY beautiful cake and decorations, they did a phenomenal job. If you look closely you'll even see that Emerson is wearing an "It's A Boy" ribbon. They truly thought of everything!
I have been friends with these girls and their families for years. I can't tell you how much they mean to me, but I told them over and over again how special this day was and how deeply I appreciated everything they did.
I'm grateful every day for the circle of family and friends around me. Some days I wonder what I did to deserve the people that God has put in my life, so when I have the opportunity I try to not just say it but show my loved ones how special they are to me.
Gift time!!! There were so many surreal moments that day. Emerson helping me open Landon's gifts was one of them. He got some super nice and adorable things.
One of the other sweetest things was that Emerson received special "Big Sister" gifts. These included a gorgeous Anna dress and Big Sister shirt from my Mom, along with an incredible gift basket from Dorothy and her Mom full of pictures and activities for the time she'll spend with us in the hospital.
You would have thought Oprah was in the room giving away free cars when she saw that basket. I've had to hide it from her temporarily so she won't open everything before the big day!
She even got to put her big sister skills into practice with baby Cora!
We got some of the most precious gifts, and I was over the moon with gratitude.
Abi, Laurel, Dorothy, Joy, Kate, & Megan were the six hostesses, and I wanted to give them something extra special. Three days before the shower I found out that the original gifts I'd ordered were out of stock, so I went to a local store that always comes through (Invitation Station), and found some of the cutest summer-themed carry all bags ever. And they're big!
I used my Cricut to make baby feet cutouts for the gift bags and was really happy with the finished product.
This was truly an unforgettable day. Thank you girls SO MUCH from the very bottom of my heart.
Three days later every last thank you note was addressed and mailed. Don't get me started on the importance and etiquette of personal and handwritten thank you notes. I'm an old soul about that!
At my doctor's appointment earlier that week I casually mentioned that I had an "out of town" - eh- actually out of STATE wedding to go to on the 12th. The first doctor frowned upon it and said that they would have to wait until the following week's appointment and may indeed tell me not to go.
Not to go?!?!?
I was two seconds away from creating a portfolio and Powerpoint presentation for the next appointment and listing all of the reasons why I should go and could not miss my brother's wedding. This would be complete with a map of every hospital on the interstate.
"...and that red X marks the back entrance to Labor and Delivery."
Imagine my complete relief when I went to my appointment three days before the big travel day and saw the doctor on call. She was the SAME doctor who delivered Emerson, and she remembered me!!! How could she not after the events of Emerson's birth? She totally understood and after an examination said that I should be fine to make the trip; just to drink lots of water and walk around lots.
DONE!!!
"Katharine, your Aquafina order has arrived."
Walk this way.
That Thursday my parents spent the night before we headed to Tennessee the next morning. Now- I have to explain the wedding to you so that there is no confusion and everything makes sense. Laura and Jay have family all over the place and a group of friends in Chicago. They decided early on that no matter which date and location they picked a large portion of people wouldn't be able to make such a long trip.
SO- they decided to have THREE ceremonies in different states to include everyone as their way of "coming to them." And we love them so much that we went right along with it. After all, this was their event, and it was all about them and what they wanted. The three ceremonies would be in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Chicago on different weekends. The first (and perhaps the only one I'd be able to attend) was on August 12th. This would include my family and Laura's Mom's side of the family.
Jay knew that we needed to stay near the venue so that we wouldn't have to drive down the big mountain at night. I mean, how can you brake properly when I'm in the car?!
Just let me stretch a moment, please.
So Jay made arrangements for us to stay at an AWESOME Bed & Breakfast, and we were the only people there that weekend. This place was packed with character and charm. Just see for yourself!
We even had our names written on the chalkboard for our incredible meals!
One of the owners, Susan, even shared some of her Birthday cake with Emerson and gave her all kinds of goodies.
On Saturday morning Jay & Laura treated everyone to brunch at Puckett's, which was one of the best breakfast buffets I've had in my entire life. Just look at Emerson's Mickey Mouse pancake!
Afterwards we spent some time at the aquarium where Emerson made out with not one but two stuffed penguins named "Puffles" and "Icy."
The aforementioned birds now inhabit my bed.
Why are you waddling like that?
Because Katharine rolled over on me last night. I may never recover.
It really was an impressive aquarium.
That afternoon we unexpectedly drove 40 minutes out of the way to pick up an order Jay placed for lemonade. Oh, Jay, we'd do anything for you, even if fighting traffic in an unfamiliar town makes us a little sour.
Emerson took only a fifteen minute nap that day, which could have been a recipe for disaster...thankfully she was completely enthralled once we arrived at the salon for her hair appointment. This woman (also named Laura!) was a mastermind. She did an absolutely gorgeous job on Emerson's hair in about 20 minutes. We couldn't believe it!
After arriving at the venue and helping Jay & Laura with last minute details it was time to get dressed. I'll never forget the moments of putting on Emerson's dress, shoes, and sash (that I needed my Mom's help tying, by the way). This little girl took my breath away and made me cry.
It's as if life flashed before my eyes as I think back on how special Emerson and Jay were to each other from the very beginning...and how he's one of the greatest uncles I could imagine. He held her closely the day she was born, and now here she was standing by him on of the most important days of his life: his wedding day (even if it's the first of three)!
And she absolutely adored every minute of it. I searched for months to find the perfect flower girl dress and had it narrowed down to two. In a final vote my Mom, Jay, and Laura said without question that this one was it, and it couldn't have been more perfect.
And look at the similarity to Princess Charlotte's!
She made our hearts beat out of our chests that day. Who am I kidding, though? I feel this way about her every waking moment.
She also got in some Bible reading time with Poppy before the ceremony.
I can't tell you how thrilled we are to add Laura to our family. She is the missing puzzle piece for which we prayed for years. And now there is a face of the prayers we lifted.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding I had been working on a DVD presentation of home videos and pictures from Jay's childhood leading to now. I worked tirelessly for many days and nights and almost had a panic attack when I couldn't get the project to export. For those of you to whom this language means nothing, basically it meant that I almost had to start completely over again with no guarantee that it would work.
By the grace of God - and a few tears later- Emerson was the only one allowed to have a sneak peek of the finished product with me. It turned out exactly as I envisioned, and it was great to see Jay & Laura's reactions as we all watched it after my speech.
It was also great to hear the stories Laura's cousin told about her, too, along with a PRECIOUS video of her singing at Christmastime circa 1986.
In case you're wondering, Puffles the Penguin got a free ticket.
This huge boat operated like a jet ski and could come to a screeching (eh, splashing?) halt at a moment's notice if a kayak or swimmer came by, hence one of Emerson's faces. Landon no doubt thought I was applying for a job as a crash dummy. During the last ten minutes of the boat ride, though, Emerson took the crashing part literally.
We adore Laura, and to also meet so many wonderful members of her family was SUCH a treat! Not just to meet them but to really spend time with and get to know them. I always complain about miles and distance but am thankful for the opportunity to keep in touch!
There I was. Standing in Tennessee. 3.5 weeks (at that time) before my due date. I love the Bible verse that says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single day to your life?" Because let me tell you, I worried for months that I wouldn't be able to make this trip. And every anxious thought became null and void as we shared in one of the most special days - and weekends- ever.
The next 2-3 weeks are going to bring a world of excitement and change for us. Here's my promise to give you a front seat on the wild ride!
No comments:
Post a Comment