Ali Derr Gets Married!!!

There is something amazing about people in your life who weave their way into your family.  The Derr's have been some of those people for us.  You can always tell when we do see each other that it's as no time has passed and we can laugh and have fun so naturally. I have known Ali since she was in 10th grade and now she is 28!!!! I can't believe it. 

When Ali Derr got engaged she invited me to be a part of the wedding.  I was THRILLED because I know we have talked for years about this day and I couldn't believe it was coming.  She brought Nick to meet us and I think he was relieved, amused, and curious all at the same time.  (Paul and I are an odd set of birds!)

So, the amazing wedding weekend was set to take place in Annapolis, MD.  I had never been there and as the happy traveler I am I was so excited to go!  I loved it!!!  I got to be a part of a special tea on Friday morning with the fam and bridesmaids.  We then went to get our nails done which was an adventure because my cell phone shut off and wouldn't work AT ALL so I had to invent my own directions to get to the nail salon.  

After the morning activities I headed over to the ZW house at the church which is an extra house they have for classes and anyone who needs a place to stay.  It was very similar to our old house (turret and all!) and we had so much fun exploring while we stayed there.  On the fridge in the kitchen was this message... so cool!

 

After I got all set up I headed to the rehearsal and walked through the details of the wedding.  We walked to the rehearsal dinner and had such a festive time celebrating Ali and Nick. 

I came down alone Friday and Paul was set to come down Saturday morning.  After a great night's sleep I woke up and walked down to the waterfront, grabbed some coffee and just observed the beauty of the water.  Paul joined me shortly and then we toured the Naval Academy and the

This was the cool pinterest wine cork M we made for Ali and Nick -- I stalked her pinterest site and we made it.  I like the way it turned out!

After a very relaxing morning we headed back to get ready.  We got to the church early and watched as they bridal party took pictures outside.  It took my breath away and I started to cry.  Ali is so special to me... kind of like a mix between a daughter, sister and friend wrapped up in one.  To see her in her dress, surrounded by the best people in the world just overwhelmed me...  *tears of joy...

And of course as the ceremony began I think I was more teary than Ali and Nick!

The ceremony was wonderful and I had a great time working with Rev. Heather Shortlidge.  It felt very empowering to have two young women leading the ceremony.  Afterward we heard many thoughts/compliments as the grooms side was mostly Roman Catholic.  Many folks had never had a woman officiate let alone two!!!!

After the ceremony was over some officers did a sword arch outside of the church.  Ali and Nick walked through the first arch, then the second, and when they got through the second they poked her with the sword in the bum!!!! Yikes!

The rehearsal was at a beautiful hotel in Annapolis.  We felt so privileged to sit with Susie and Dale Derr.  It was a fantastic celebration and we had such a great time. 

As a wedding gift Ali had a shirt made for Nick.  The arms were printed in Ole Miss pattern (his alma matter).  It was really cool!

After the reception was all done we were "scheduled" to head out on the town for a fun night.  We walked and walked but as it was Halloween weekend the bars were full with high covers.  So, we finally ended up back at the hotel bar!  It was super fun, though and we talked and celebrated well into the night.

After a very long day, Paul and I headed back to our awesome house for the night.  We pretended we were young and ordered food in the middle of the night.  Of course, as per our internal schedules, we were up early on Sunday morning and had a wonderful goodbye brunch with the new Maruca couple and the family.

I am so overwhelmed with love and gratitude for such an amazing weekend.  I stopped several times throughout the weekend and thanked God for such a life that allows me to have these meaningful and deep relationships with people that cause them to invite me into their lives in ways that move me so greatly. I am so excited for Ali and Nick and I know that God has amazing things in store for them!!!!!

Philip and Marcy

We had the incredible privilege of attending the wedding of a dear dear old friend/student in September.  Phil was one of the kids who was very involved at Mensch Mill with me years ago and also in my youth group at Bausman.  He was always insightful and thoughtful and seeking God's heart.  It was awesome to see him find a partner who shared his desires.  They had a beautiful wedding at Litiz Moravian where the bride's brother serenaded them and they wrote the most meaningful vows. It was amazing to sit and watch Phil walk in as a man, no longer as a young teen.  He was confidant and sure and so full of joy...it brought tears to my eyes as a mother who will one day hopefully watch her son find his love and also as someone who has been so blessed to be intimately involved in other people's lives so as to know their hopes and dreams...

 

We headed to the reception which was at the Cork Factory Hotel, literally an old cork factory.  It was intimate and beautiful.  We were seated at the Mensch Table and again I had the great joy to be with now adults who had once been teens working with me.  We had a fabulous night with our friends and reminisced about our days together.

The two girls on the left were pretending to be 21 but the last time I saw them they were 16ish so I am 100% sure they lied to the bartender at the party.  Can you believe it?

Now the woman to the right of them and the lovely couple below were definitely only 21. 

Amy and John were seated next to us which  made our evening out even more special.... 

Marcy and Philip shared so many newlywed giddy smiles throughout the night but I think Phil is showing her his Elvis impersonation here.

We headed to the reception which was at the Cork Factory Hotel, literally an old cork factory.  It was intimate and beautiful.  We were seated at the Mensch Table and again I had the great joy to be with now adults who had once been teens working with me.  We had a fabulous night with our friends and reminisced about our days together.

Here is the crew from Mensch Mill that was present that night.  I'm sure we have this same picture from our camp days.

John had too much bug juice.

Friends forever!!!! And seriously, what teen gets two wild and crazy ladies like these to harp on them for years... Phil, you're late, Phil, you're in charge, Phil, do you have your folder? Phil do you have your zippahoodie? Phil, can you run up the hill and get this? Phil, go greet the newbies... Phil, can you preach at worship? Of course you can!!!!

Even though Phil is no longer in my every day life, when he reads this, I hope he knows how closely I hold him in my heart and how happy I am for his new marriage!!!!!

Maeveisms

Maeve has some really cute speech blunders that make me smile from ear to ear.  She confuses words almost daily and I just don't have it in me to correct her because she is my baby!!!

She has been begging for pail nolish since hers is all gone...

and today was the day she had her ticture paken at school and she was very excited to smile for the camera!!!

Love it!

Atlantic City 2012

For my mom's graduation we decided to go together as a family to the beach for the weekend. We headed to AC where we have a time share and had a wonderful fall weekend at the beach. Paul and I were planning to go down Thursday but Maeve had a function at school Friday so I sent Eric and Paul down to AC by themselves Thursday night.  All I know is that Paul danced.  Hee hee.

When we arrived Friday it was sunny and warm enough for the kids to play in the ocean.  There was NO one on the beach.  It made me wonder why I drag them there in the hot summer and fight for a spot!

We enjoyed a few hours of sand play before we headed to our favorite AC restaurant -- Back Bay Ale House.  It is a local shack on the bay side and they have the BEST sauce called Ju Ju Slather that they put on their food.  I could eat it on everything! It is a mixture of rum, honey and lots of spices.

We came back to the resort and relaxed together.  Saturday morning we were up early for a bike ride on the boardwalk.  Because it was off season the boardwalk was empty.  We rode most of the way down and back and we really enjoyed the ocean views. 

It was pretty cloudy on Saturday so we went to the inside pool instead of the beach.  We read in the newspaper that it was Oktoberfest in town so we headed to find that and it was awesome!  We got these beer steins that were exactly the same as the ones we had in Germany.  It was $10 for the stein filled with beer which is a steal.  We had sausage and cabbage and sauerkraut.  yum!!!!

It was a little chilly so the kids snuggled up in MomMom's sweatshirt.

After drinking liters of beer we were a little tired and loopy.  We went home and took very long naps.  After nap we walked the boardwalk and had a seafood meal at Harry's Oyster House.  We headed to the Steel Pier for carnival rides and go karts and mom got her salt water taffy.

Sunday was nice weather again!  So we headed to the beach for a last hurrah.  The kids were happy as can be and again we were virtually alone.

Before we all headed home we grabbed some boardwalk pizza... look at this thing!!!!  It was $24 bucks and 7 of us didn't finish it!!!!

It was a great weekend and our first vacation with my brother, parents and the kids all together.  I think we all enjoyed our time together and I hope we can do it again soon!!!!

Buddies

Maeve has a new neighbor friend who is a super Girly princess queen. She and Maeve bicker and fall in love like middle school girls. It is adorable and exhausting at the same time! Here they are walking across the yard. Her friend is telling her they need to find a superhero to rescue them and I am trying to tell them that they are strong women who don't need men to rescue them. I'm pretty confidant they didn't hear a word I said!

Following Directions

After choir tonight in the car Noah kept saying "A PEACH!" I kept asking what he was talking about and he said Mr. Bob says "A PEACH" and all of the kids agree and loudly say "A PEACH." I asked when they said this and asked if it was part of a game.  He said that it is a response after Mr. Bob gives instructions... I asked if he misunderstood and it was actually "Kapeesh?" He said, maybe mom, but that doesn't make sense.....

Franklin Institue 2012

We took a great trip to the Franklin Institute this September to see the Dead Sea Scrolls.  I was completely enamored with the display.  There were all new pieces never before seen.  We saw relics from biblical days, pottery and jewels completely intact, and of course scrolls that did not disintegrate over the last 2000 years.  We learned that by their unique location in a cave near the Dead Sea the salt and temperature of the sea is what kept them from completely falling apart.  

We were able to touch a piece of the wailing wall from Israel as well which was moving for me.  

We saw an amazing science show in the entrance right in front of the Ben Franklin statue.

And we got to play in all of the airplanes, trains, and walk through the human heart!!!  We had a wonderful day at the Franklin Institute!