My Little Sis' Wedding!

Ok, so this past weekend was a big one in my family! The last of the Blackwelder girls was married off! It was kind of an odd thing for me. While of course I felt so much joy & happiness for Annie & Matt, and am so excited for them.. it was kinda sad in a weird way. It really has nothing to do with them at all, but more to do with the fact that it sort of closes a chapter in our lives as a family. Three little girls are no longer three little girls, they are three married women. For some reason that fact just hit my funny. Like out of nowhere I realized how fast time flies, and how precious each moment is. Let me just tell you I cerished each little moment this weekend. I wanted to make sure I had every tiny detail logged in my memory for the long haul. These events don't happen everyday you know ;)

So, it started with thursday night, Annie came over for us to do another trial run on the hair. We had such a great time just talking and laughing. Mom came with her and it was just a fun little moment of girl time before the rush of wedding activites. They left and I needed to finish putting together my piece of the bridesmaids gift we were making her. Each bridesmaid put together a scrapbook page and then we put them all together in a scrapbook and gave it to her at the bridesmaids luncheon. When I sat down to make this page for her I had no idea how emotional it would make me. Just looking through all these old pictures of us & new ones too. Thinking back to all the times we had together, and the fact that this is someone who has truly been there my WHOLE life! I thought about all the times I needed someone, to cry with, laugh with, be silly with... just be silent with. It was always her. Of course I had my two best friends, Hannah & Kathleen, my other sister Lauren, and some other friends who came and went. But when I was putting this page together, I had Annie on my mind. I thought of all those times she would follow me around, no matter what I was doing just so she could be with me. All those nights I had friends come and spend the night and she would just come in and watch, she was just happy to be there. Then the thoughts come through my head of later in our life, when she was there the night I got engaged, and she screamed and cried with me. I can always count on her to share an emotion with me (not usually crying, cause if you know her, that is a rare thing), but at least to sympathize.

Anyway, I finished the page and tried to get some sleep. I couldn't. I laid there thinking about life, and about our family. Was there something I could've done differently, better, as a sister, daughter, friend. Have I loved enough, given enough, been there enough. After praying for a long while I finally drifted off.

6:00 came VERY early the next morning, but I was too excited to care! Annie was picking me up and we were headed to wedding central! We went to Carrollton for her to get an airbrush tan, then stopped to grab some breakfast. We must have been in that Chick-fil-a for an hour or longer... just talking. I couldn't have planned a last "time alone" better. It was perfect. We talked about our men, our parents, our jobs - or lack thereof ;) & most importantly we talked about Gods Love & Grace. It was such a sweet time of fellowship that was long overdue!

When we got back out to the car Annie had 5 missed calls from Matt! She tried to call him back but no answer. When she finally got him it was his mom telling her they were at the hospital! Matt had a kidney stone. Of course... isn't that what usually happens 2 days before your wedding?!?!? OMG, we were freaking out! THankfully he passed, and without too much pain too! His mother had him doing yardwork that afternoon.... seriously! That night we met up with my mom and granparents and had some dinner, then we headed home to put ribbons on programs.

The next morning the rest of the bridesmaids and grandmothers arrived for the luncheon. It was at a sweet little cafe in Newnan. We had a great time, and the food was fresh and light... what every bride/bridesmaid needs the day before the wedding ;) Then it was off to the salon to get our nails done! Such a fun time! I had a great moment with Lauren there as well. We haven't always been so close, but I think we are on our way. I think we both realize that we have missed out on alot, and have some regrets about growing up at odds with eachother. I hope that will all change. I love her so much!

Then we went home and got ready for the rehearsal. It went well, but we were all worried about the rain as it had been raining all day. The dinner was amazing!! I gave a speach... or tried to give one... the first words out of my mouth sounded more like choking than speaking. Well, we had just gotten done watching the video of their engagement... what do you expect!?!?! ;)

After dinner we went home, I finished the centerpieces and we watchedd Bride Wars... perfect for the night before a wedding, gotta watch the cheesy, girly, wedding movie! Then we all cashed out!

WEDDING DAY!!!

Rain, rain and more rain. NO, it can't be!!! This is the one day that we needed it NOT to rain, and it just didn't stop. So, we made the best of it. We took pictures with cute umbrella's and stuck out our muddy shoes. The bride was breathtaking! I have honestly never seen her look so beautiful! The hair was perfect, the dress was even more perfect and she was glowing!! Of course I was tearing up the whole day... the problem was... I had to sing in the ceremony! So, I was trying all day to think about keeping it together for that. I didn't want to ruin the communion by sobbing through the entire song. So, I kept praying that God would just cut my emotions off for those 3 minutes. So, we decide to have the ceremony outside even though it's sprinkling. As my sister (the bride) said, "I paid to have our wedding in the garden, I could've gotten married uner a tent anywhere". So true. So, we got misted on. No biggie. It was still beautiful. So, I am crying the whole time she's walking down the aisle, and the whole time they are saying her vows, especially when she says hers, cause she could hardly get them out. And when do I have to sing? As soon as Annie finishes her vows... great! I was a blubbering mess. The second I took the mic in my hand it was like it just got turned off. The only problem then was I was shivering... it was so cold! But, I made it through! As soon as I returned to my spot... the water works started again! So totally God. He knew how badly I wanted that song to be great. I hope it was.

The rest of the night was a blur, but a good blur! I cried through all the dances... especially when she danced with our dad, because she surprised him with the song they danced to. It was a song he and our mom used to sing to us at bedtime. So emotional. I ate the biggest fattest Moe's buritto I think ever possible... it had to be like a triple homewrecker!! I was starving, and you know how I am about mexican. Then I danced the night away with Hannah & Kathleen and occassionally the bride & my husband :)

It was the perfect weekend, and not one I will soon forget. I love you Matt & Annie!