THE WEDDING!!

What a beautiful day - in so many ways!

Friday dawned bright, warm and wonderful. Seeing a child married is a bittersweet experience. Sweet, because our Carly has grown into such a lovely woman and is beginning a new life with a wonderful young man, and bitter because another child has left the nest and things will never be the same.

I've spent a lot of time the past month or so reflecting on my role as a mother and the changes to our family dynamics as our children have grown and left our home. Sometimes I have regrets that the time has gone so fast and I didn't enjoy the small moments of childhood. However, I don't think I'm alone. When are homes are filled with diapers and runny noses, book reports and halloween costumes, we think we'll never see daylight. We ask, will they every grow up? Will they ever dress themselves, brush their own teeth, find their own socks?? Well they do. We do all we can to raise them to be independent adults so they can be prepared for "real life" and then they go and do it -- they grow up and leave.

Bryan and I have been extremely blessed to have such great children. They have all been obedient, faithful and responsible. We are proud of each one and they good choices they are making. I also realize we didn't do this alone - our prayers were answered, our children came into this mortal life prepared to be obedient and faithful and fulfill the roles and stewardships their Heavenly Father has for them. Their spirits are strong and we are amazed at who our "babies" have become

So back to the wedding day. It was perfect. There are hardly words to describe the feeling of sitting in a sealing room in the House of the Lord and seeing a child married and sealed by the holy priesthood of God. All the teaching and directing, the praying and worrying about our imperfect parenting skills finally paying off! Carly was beautiful in her wedding dress, Jeff was handsome and all smiles, and of course they couldn't take their eyes off each other -- as it should be.

As mother of the bride I tried to enjoy the moment, I spent a lot of time just gazing at our beautiful daughter and the man she will walk hand in hand with from now on. But of course I spent a lot of the day worrying. Worrying about getting everywhere on time (yes, I'm a "be on time" freak). I was the one always trying to get everyone moving on to the next deadline, the next item on the schedule. Worrying that Carly would be happy with the one day she has dreamed of forever was stressful for me. I wanted her dreams to come true. Hopefully they did.

Things went pretty smoothly though. It was fun to have family and friends join us at the temple and then later for the reception. In between, we stopped in Bountiful for lunch and then we had to travel to Ogden (of course during rush hour). Oh, and since when does UDOT completely realign the lanes on the freeway between Wednesday and Friday, right at the exit everyone needs to take?? We had more than a few guests confess they missed freeway exits, couldn't figure out where the reception center was, etc. But they made it, eventually!!

Thanks to everyone who helped, in any way!!! Here are a couple of pictures from the original photo shoot at the temple with Carly and Jeff on October 10th, and we're anxious for our photographer to get our photos ready from last Friday.

Happy Ever After Carly and Jeff!!