Weekend Rewind

I haven't done a weekend post in a while!

Last year, Daniel and I did an 8 week intensive language class together. We had the same teacher, and quickly became friends. Our teacher has the same personality and Myers Briggs as Daniel. They are a lot alike., minus the whole Asian thing. 

A few months later, his girlfriend (our teacher's, clearly not Daniels) tutored me. 

We have enjoyed getting to know this couple over the past year, and really enjoy them. 

This past weekend, they were married! We were so excited for our friends! Except, here most of the weddings are always in the morning. So Daniel wasn't going to be able to go because he teaches Saturday mornings. One thing I might take for granted being married, is  always have a wedding date. It was very weird to get ready and go to the wedding by myself. Luckily we have a lot of mutual friends with the couple, so I had people to hang with.

Here's the groom getting ready to walk down the aisle:

Bride with her Dad (i don't think the usual custom is for the dad to walk her down the aisle)

Our friends met while teaching at a language center. The same place I take all of my classes, so my current and past teachers were all there too.

These girls are so sweet and special to me!

Daniel ended up having time to bike over to the reception. He wasn't planning on having time to come, so that's why he's not super dressed up. 

My fave face of the groom!

Us with the lovely couple!!

love

laura

Wedding Time

Wow, sorry it's been a while! I got back home here in EA very late Friday night, it was literally Saturday morning. It's taken me a few days to recover!

So...the wedding!

We spent a few hours getting ready, curling hair, doing make up, you know, the usual girly stuff. 

I haven't had my hair curled in forever, so i was pretty excited about wearing it curly! Here we are! 

Me and my mom!

Shane & Caroline were married outside, and then we moved inside the barn for dinner and dancing. It was beautiful!

It was so fun to meet all the blog/twitter friends!

Love this picture of Caroline and her dad!

BFF Amy couldn't make it to the wedding (she JUST had her first little baby!), but I was still so excited to see her parents! They are both so dear to me!

It was such a fun wedding, and really hard to say good bye! Especially not knowing when I'll see Caroline again...it was a teary good bye! But I'm SOO thankful I was able to go-it was so special!

love

Laura

Wedding Prep

As ya'll know, I flew back to the States for my best friend's wedding. Caroline and Shane got engaged December 7th, and were married on June 14th....Flag Day.

My parents and I drove from Illinois to Arkansas last Tuesday. We got in kind of late so I didn't get to see Caroline till the next day. She picked me up so we could go get mani/pedi's. I haven't had a good pedicure in SO long, my toes could hardly wait!

After nails we went to CFA. That could be an entire post by itself, oh my goodness! My parents don't have one near them so I was dying to eat it!

Wednesday night they had a cook out and I ate one of the best hamburgers ever! It had been a long time since I had a grilled hamburger, oh how I miss grilling out! I also wanted a full length picture of myself in my new dress-it's been a long time since I've bought a new dress, so I was excited to show it off, ha!

And I was able to sit down with Shane and get a little one on one so I could really get to know him. It was so weird for Caroline to marry someone that I had never met!!! So I was excited to get to know Shane and don't worry, I approved!

Caroline, her sister, mom, and me all stayed at a hotel the night before, and had a little personal shower for Caroline. I got this cake at Rick's and it was delicious!!!!!!

Caroline had the big crown to wear, since she was the star, and we all wore the mini ones. Caroline also wore the crown the next day when we went to breakfast, ha!

Stay tuned for the wedding!

love

laura

Wedding Weekend

Amanda flew in on Thursday night to go with us to Carly's wedding in Ozark, Arkansas. Since we've all been back in the states, this is our third time to get to see each other, which is pretty amazing considering where we all live.

We spent the night eating and catching up on lives....which is pretty much what we did all weekend, ha! Daniel and I had such great conversation with Amanda, and loved hearing all that is going on with her in the great state of Georgia. And yes, we ate the whole weekend!!!

Friday i got up and ran 6 miles...and felt really good, and loved my pace!!

We were on the road by noon, right after a stop to...

Amanda got hooked on Braum's last time she was in Oklahoma, and we were happy to indulge too!

Group pic....

McDonald's iced coffee stop....

All dressed up for the rehearsal dinner!

love this girl!

This is who catered our dinner, and WOW it was the most delish thing ever. like ever ever.

i love this pig!

He fed me well....

Wait, hold on, i need to wipe my drool........ i seriously cannot say how delicious this pig was. best thing ever. Kind of sealed the deal on any lingering questions i had about if i could ever be a vegetarian.....not if pigs like this are still available! ha!

Cute cookies!

Boomer!

Reunited!!!!!

People had a chance to stand up and say something about Kirk and Carly....tears people tears!!! These two are obviously meant to be together and will compliment each other so well. It was fun to see everyone's pure excitement for each of them and have only the most positive words to say! Truly a very special couple!

Wedding Day!!

Let's just say Daniel had some free time while i was getting ready.....

You know i love the curls!!

Carly and Kirk got married at the same church her grandparents were married at....so special!

My date!

We love being on THIS side of the wedding planning, ha! It's much easier to just show up, ha!

After a really sweet service, we headed to the party to eat and celebrate!

Kirk is a huge hunter!

love this group pic!

love my girls!

love my man!

The happy couple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Manly men!

Loved our time with Amanda this weekend, it was refreshing and a great encouragement!

Drive home rockin' the pearls, ha!

This weekend was so much fun and such a time of refreshment for me. Now, i need to go run another 60 miles to makes up for it, ha!

love

laura

Happy ONE Year Anniversary!!!

A year ago, yesterday I married my best friend. We were married November 14th in Cedar Hill, TX.

 
I was thankful that we had perfect sunny weather that Saturday. And were blessed with so many great friends standing beside us.

The first year was A LOT easier than we both thought it was going to be. I know we are going to have hard times, but am so thankful that our first year was so great! Part of the reason (we think), is that we didn't let ourselves get too busy the first several months. i have no problem saying "no" to people. :) We spent so much of our time with one another, learning about one another, and making our marriage a priority. I think it definitely paid off. Now if every year from here on out can be as great as this last one, we'll be in good shape :)

We enjoyed the weekend away and are now back in the 'real world.'  I'm so thankful for our marriage, for Daniel, and for this stage of our lives. It's been better than i could have ever imagined!

love

laura

Wedding part 2-Goodbye

Saturday morning brought us here:

 

 
some of the details:

 

guest sign in:

we spend HOURS getting ready..but it was all worth it to look as good as we all did, ha!

again, amy is my go to girl for my eye make up...

i was going to wear my hair down, but it was annoying me so it went half up right before the wedding.

 

i love that we all had different shoes!! (mine is the one with the bow!)

me and Chels!

 

the girls!!

me and caroline:

BEAUTIFUL amy!!!!

me and my parents:

me and my hot date:

the wedding went off without a hitch!!! We walked into "O Glorious Day", and sang In Christ Alone and Come Thou Fount. I did get teary eyed during their vows. Being up close and personal i could hear and see all the emotions!

The reception was in the same building, which made it easy for everyone! one thing i love about weddings, esp now living out of Texas, is getting to see people you don't see all that often and catching up!

we used to all go to church together:

i love this pic!!

yummm.....cake!!!!

amy's! each layer was a different flavor!

The wedding was bitter sweet, since Amy is moving to HAWAII!!!! i have no idea the next time me, Caroline, and Amy will be together again. which makes me sad. :(  but i'm SO excited to see Amy & Jeremy as they start their new life together!!! it will be hard to not see them when i drive to Texas for a visit, but nothing like a good excuse to go to Hawaii!!!