Stephenson Family Ties The Barn Burnt Down
And Now I See The Moon
Showing posts with label Love Story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love Story. Show all posts
"...it takes four men to make a salad; a madman, a scholar, a miser,
and a spendthrift."  "Meaning what, exactly?" James asked, mystified.
"Meaning that you need a madman to mix it-so," she said, shaking 
the ingredients vigorously together with her finger.  "But a scholar
to measure out the salt-one pinch.  Then you need a miser for the
vinegar."  She added a few tiny drops of vinegar. "But with the oil,
you want a spendthrift, because of course you cannot be to generous with good oil."
from: The Wedding Officer
by: Anthony Capella

It truly takes a village to pull off a wedding!! And no ones needs to tell a bride and groom how much stress is involved in planning and pulling off a wedding. Im just here to say...it CANT BE DONE WITHOUT FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!! It just can't.   Unless of course money is not an issue. But its all the more meaningful when family and friends combine forces and do all in their power to pull off a dream wedding. Here below we have a little documentation of all the effort that went in to Brian and Mericar's wedding...and of course we didnt capture all the behind the scene work.  This is just the day of the reception/ring ceremony.  And this post is just about the prep work...stay tuned for the party and ceremony.

 Laying down on the job was expected...for Jenna and Clark...they had just arrived state side after a 3 month jag around the far east!! Beautiful women making beautiful paper flowers.
Clark enjoying a beautiful power nap.
Where is it written that wedding require Christmas lights...strung up all over!! ???
No ladder..no problem...we have Clark and Jenna...
Best man Blake...talent and patience...best friend ever!!!
Second mom Lisa...talent and skill!! Drove all the way to California to help!!! Bless them for ever!!!
Weddings are about the details...the never ending details!!! Steaming the veil..out darn  wrinkles, out!! Best mission companion..."Elder" Hardy!!! Thank you for coming and helping too..with your beautiful wife!!!
Worked hard all day long and all night too!! Taking time to check in with family and friends and taking a load off the feet!! Thank You Kim and Sharon...for ALL your help!!!
Dare I say that there were thousands...or many hundreds of homemade egg rolls for dinner!!?? Dad and grandma cooked for hours!! Yum!!!
Mericar's mom...beautiful Mercedes...planned on feeding the masses with all the very best that Philippine food has to offer!! She cooked for DAYS!!!! Words cannot explain how fine the dining was this night!! DELICIOUS!!!!

The people who really run organizations are
usually found several levels down, where it is
still possible to get things done.
from: Small Gods
by: Terry Pratchett



THe wedDinG iS IN FoUR dAyS!!!

I've heard Anna say that I've procrastinated.
Not sure thats really true..
I suppose it could be on some things...

But this wedding as been a lesson on creationism. Its been an evolving, living creation.  We began...like God, with only a whispering of ideas and materials and vision.  We have  turned these materials  into a viable wedding dinner and reception..I think. I hope. We began with very little and I think there will be a grande finish.

But as promised..I wish to share with you a glimpse of the process of wedding planning a la' Cindy and family.
Via what I now fondly call "Wedding Miracles."

For a while we did indeed flounder, not knowing which direction to take..funds being limited to say the least, and no vision  in place either. (Not every little girl lays in bed at night dreaming of their perfect, romantic wedding...surprising????...NOT!!)

And then things began to click.

Which is my first lead into the first miracle.
Do you think Pintrest can qualify as a miracle. A miracle of technology and craftiness??
I say yes!!
 Pintrest got the creative juices flowing.  Thank heaven.

Next wedding miracle:
Possibly the most important miracle in planning a wedding...finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect girl for Clark. Said dress was found at a thrift shop! ....during the Halloween season, where the shop was full of gaudy distractions in the form of Halloween costumes. And it's there she found the perfect dress for her.  She resisted...wondering if she should go the more traditional route..and tried on many a lacy gown..all of which looked spectacular on her...of course...but none of which made her happy. She always went back to the thrift shop dress.  Just wait until you see her in it. You will agree..it is JENNA!!

The rare thrift shop dress..which I will now refer to as the antique dress..had one flaw...that being that it was a little too short for Jenna's tall, regal stature.  So the next miracle began as we started hunting for some type of lace or fabric that would match or at least be a good fit for the antique lace of the dress.  (I was worried)   The 3rd fabric shop we visited...and there it was!  The perfect lace. Perfect I tell ya!!  A miracle. You wait and see. Plus it was inexpensive.  Yes..I cried.

The rest of the miracles I'll be listing have to do with angels.  Angels in the form or dear people in our lives. People with generous, talented skills!!

The collar of the antique dress needed modifying..and the lace needed to be added for lengthening, and caps need to go in at the sleeves.  And it was done in a blink of the eye...all as a gift...all because the angel wanted to contribute to our joyous event. It is a miracle that I am surrounded by such generous souls.

There's an angel that makes phone calls, possibly until she suffers from cauliflower ear..finding people who know people who know people to help pull off this happy event. Doors are opened and all are welcomed into their home...and being encouraging comes naturally to all that live in this household....  all for the love of family and wanting to help.  First there wasnt a building to hold the reception in, and then there was. Then there wasnt going to be music...and now there is!  Miracles!!

And then there is the angel who does this stuff for a living...(wedding planning) who jumped right in and donates her time and talent and expertise and massive quanties of 'stuff'' to this wedding, just 'cause we're family.' Shopping lists, and confidence oozes from this angel.  There were large quantities of flowers coming, and then there wasnt...and now we're back on track again. Oh the ride!! Oh the miracle workers!!

Then there's a darling little angel baking away in her kitchen this week..making the wedding cake for Clark and Jenna. This just because she has that talent and gift and because she too would like to contribute to this celebration of Clark and Jenna!!  A miracle with blonde hair and the best smile ever!!

How about counting the generous discounts I received on some of the food for the wedding dinner! A gift and a miracle as far as Im concerned. Yum!!

There is the generous monetary support we have received...to ease some of the stress. Someday, some way we will repay.

And as we draw nearer to the finish line..more angels have jumped on board.  Now we have talented folks at the helm who will document the fabulous lives of Clark and Jenna via film and video.  The slideshow will be marvelous!! And the brides bouquet will be perfect and sculpted with talented  hands that love them both.

Even My Builder is 'building' and has been amazing. (as usual) He's been down on the floor with me making bunting that we will string across the hall. He's been cooking and cleaning when I've been too tired or too fed  up with the notion of washing another dish or even looking at food!  My Builder has become domestic! A miracle of sorts.

So there you have it..a list of my wedding miracles.  You may not deem them miracles...but they certainly have been miracles in my life and in the life of this wedding.
There will be MANY more miracles before the weekend is through. I can count on it. We have 4 days left to have them materialize. Im sleeping  well at night and am dealing with the stress of the lists before me these last several days...which is a miracle in and of it self.

My heart is full of gratitude!!
Bring on the celebration!!
Tell me if I've missed a miracle or two!!

Jick, when people fall in love the way we did, its...I dont mean this
like it sounds, but its like being sick.  Sick in a wonderful way, if you
can imagine that.  The feeling is in you just all the time, is what I 
mean.  It takes you over.  No matter what you do, what you try
to think about, the other person is there in your head.  Or your
blood, however you want to say it. " It's,"  she shrugged at the
impossible again..."there's no describing it beyond that." 
from: English Creek
by: Ivan Doig

Last week I learned how hard it is for me to keep a secret!!!
I'd rather eat nails than have to to that again!!


 But now its now totally official!!! Clark asked Jenna to marry him...AND SHE SAID YES!!!
 A beautiful girl from Chicago came to BYU and caught my Sparks eye...
A reluctant young man found himself at BYU...so he could find the coolest girl there...
and now they're going to make history....together.  


 We are so pleased and excited for the two of them..that they found one another and that they seem to us to be the perfect match!  Each of them have so much to offer the other. Heaven played a hand in this one!! We are so, so grateful!
 And now we have another joyous celebration and marriage to look forward to in December!! A bright spot in what I fear will be a cold and dismal winter... away from St George.

Congratulations you two!!  The future is yours!  And we get to watch and reap the rewards!!  We are so proud of the two of you!!  And couldnt love you more!!
I have a sudden vision of life without Rich.{Bob}
It would not be like falling through space without
a safety net, it would be like falling through space
with a parachute but having no planet to land on.
from: A Three Dog Life
by: Abigail Thomas

Here it is ..our 32nd wedding anniversary.
32 years...WOW
32 years, and here we are...  in a 'starter' apartment...again
Struggling like newlyweds again.
But of course there are differences.
We have 5 AMAZING children now..
2 remarkable daughter-in-laws..
1 gifted and dear son-in-law..
and 8 adorable, and adored,  talented grandchildren!!!
We derive a great deal of strength, pride, light and hope from all these dear people. When we speak of them our hearts swell with gratitude for their goodness, for their love and attention.  Truly they're what gets us up in the morning...that and our optimism that our situation can and will soon improve once again.
My Builder is a remarkable man. He is a builder of hope, courage and faith.  As we gain in years- he just gets better. Our refiners fire has/is minting my man into the perfect precious gem. One can only imagine how hard the last 3 years have been for one who has been so successful, hardworking, and generous in the endeavors hes taken on.  He has now found himself in unfamiliar territory...yet even now he is driven, determined and ever faithful each and every day as he pursues this new work.  This is why I can sleep at night and have so much hope and faith.
My Good Builder has had to put up with me...
Me...who isnt the champion that he has been in hiding my disappointments and oft felt despair. Me, who sometimes wears her fear and heartache on her sleeve. As President Hunter once said, I am guilty of "walking on my lower lip..when difficult moments happen."  (good visual of me at times.)
May my Love know here and now how grateful I am that he has the patience of Job in dealing with me and my unpredictable emotions. May he know that his optimism is contagious...for I know he knows that I sometimes slip and grumble under my trodden lip.
Please know that I notice your amazing work-ethic my love...you are not to be distracted from what you see as success and prosperity..soon.
And your thick-skin is sexy and surely must contain super-powers, for there are others that doubt and wonder what you are doing, and you are  ignoring them  and press on!

On the whole we have always been an optimistic pair...and this attitude has been a gift and a blessing to each of us.  And even though its much easier for My Builder to speak of the "whens" that he feels are soon to materialize, (I too often use the "ifs")...we have each others back, always, and thats what really matters.
So when I get in that tearful, simmering, emotional state..which is more often than I like to admit, I find it soon passes, because My Builder works on and on, never giving up. And then he rubs my feet or fixes a tiresome squeak that pierced the walls of this place for two days, or he make me laugh and NEVER complains about anything...expect that I leave the front door open...or he fixes my bike so I can go sweat away my grief, or he builds me shelves to help gussy up the place as much as I can.
I think My Builder is amazing!! He is one of a kind and a near saint to put up with me and all my quirks. He is my life, my light and my ROCK!! How did I get to be so lucky and blessed?!

Happy Anniversary My Love!! I Love You!!!


.
...that which we manifest is before us; 
we are the creators of our own destiny. 
Be it through intention or ignorance, our 
successes and our failures have been 
brought on by none other than ourselves.
 from: The Art of Racing in the Rain 
by: Garth Stein

 grandparents of the groom!!
 Choices for their 'last meal" as singles.




 yea yea...the wind was blowing...






 beautiful mother and daughter!
LOVE these two!!
What a happy celebration.


Good Advice for the Newlyweds:
*Talk, Talk, Talk!!  There is no such thing as too much communication.  Talk about the small things and the big things like money and sex and how you are feeling.
*Mix it up a bit...dont get stuck in a rut...focus on each other...make it a point!!
*Save money!! Avoid debt like the plague!!  Keep an eye on the future.
*Keep looking good for each other.  Dress it up sometimes!!
*Remember that you still need a social life!! Keep a hold of your friends and family!!!
*Remember Josh...and repeat after me..."Yes dear."
*Dont forget that there is a season for everything...Basketball season, baseball season, football season, etc.
*A way to a mans heart is through his stomach and the bedroom.
*Pray together
*Learn to love each other's family!
*Jordan....read The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands!!! Its the book I wish I had read at the beginning of our marriage. Its fantastic!!
* Remember that  true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship. The person you choose to marry  deserves  the courtesies and kindnesses you lavish on your  friends.
*Have fun together!!
*Make the big decisions together!!
*Tell each other that you love each other EVERY DAY.
*Tell each other WHY you love each other every day!!!
*Never give the same reason twice as to why you love each other.
*Never speaking evil of the Lord's anointed also means not speaking evil of each other.

If anyone else feels so inclined...please share with us what your best advise is for beginning a life together.

.










Life is one fool thing after another,
whereas love is two fool things after each other.
from: The Happy Prince
by: Oscar Wilde


Happy Anniversary My Love!!!
Im not counting the years...for they ALL have been wonderful!!
Here's to many, many more with you at my side!!

"You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect - you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there."



Bob Marley

Stuck Like Glue!!

Love is as plentiful as oxygen. You dont have to
be thin, naturally blonde, super successful,
socially connected, knowledgeable about politics,
or even particularly charming to find it.
from: How To Find True Love
by: Lois Brady

 
My Builder and I have just endured one of our most difficult physical challenges in recent memory.  In spite of the calender telling us differently...we have long considered ourselves "young at heart." Definitely too young to be grandparents.  (thats a joke really, since we now have 6 of them!!)  Now...after a week of tending 2 energetic and charming young boys...we are scooping large doses of humble pie into our pieholes!  May Joe and Natalie please note...we are not complaining...for we so love and adore these boys...we are just shocked and awed at how much energy and concentration it took to do what we did these last 8 days!!  How quickly we forget what it takes to raise our grandkids or any kids for that matter!! Did we really  forget what it took to raise our own so many years ago!!??
 I was quick to say yes to our "kids that are parents now" request to babysit..for I clearly remember how it felt to be the parents of  little rug-rats, and how time away from them with My Builder was one of the most important things we could have done for one another and our marriage.
So I now  pause and reflect on this new stage of life that  My Builders' and my self  now facing head on...'this empty nest' syndrome.  How does that Psalm go....there is a season and time for everything....
Now is the time to reinvent and become reacquainted with one another. I need to work at forming a renewed and stronger friendship with My Builder. We stare at one another across the quiet kitchen counter at dinner time and I have to work at conversation starters.  (I've become my dad I think...not much of a talker.)  We have many years ahead of us..with dreams and aspirations. We've been through a lot. We plan on doing a lot more.  Just because things arent exactly as we thought they'd be at this stage in our lives...doesnt mean that I give up and roll over and play dead.  We still have so very much to be thankful for and grateful for...and if I am honest with myself....I do believe the future can and will hold great things for us...as long as we remain the best of friends.
Interesting....I havent opened up like this for a long time.  I think having the tar beat out of me by two toddlers really did mess with my head!!  Soon I'll be thanking Joe and Nat for the opportunity....maybe... someday soon.  Maybe. :)
Live long and Prosper Friends. Thats what I plan on doing.
Go here friends and enjoy a great post on Marriage and Gratitude!! I loved it and hopefully you will too!!!
 I am happy to report that in the war between reality
and romance, reality is not the stronger.
from: Travels with Charley
by: John Steinbeck