Kristen and David's Wedding!

It's hard to believe it's been a week since we left for our long weekend in Dallas for Kristen's wedding, and now we're already settling into our new routine of preschool and MOPS meetings!

Last Thursday we took the kids and dropped them off at my mom's house. I bought a new hairbrush for Noelle since I hadn't had one to pack for her the last time we left the kids for a weekend, and she was excited about going to "Nanny's" and using her very own purple hairbrush. She was so excited, she was ready to head over to her house on Wednesday just so she could use it! We took the kids and all their gear inside my mom's house, and then nonchalantly said goodbye and headed off to the airport. Both kids were eating sandwiches, and thankfully did not cry as we walked out. I, however, had to hold myself together as we drove away!

(It's ALWAYS when Luke and I are both leaving the kids somewhere that I think about the fact that we still have no will in place should we die while we're gone!)

Once we got to the airport, we realized that this was the first time we were flying somewhere together since we've had kids- our last flight together was when we spent some time in Brazil with a group from our church in the summer of 2011. Everything went smoothly, and we got to Kristen's house around dinnertime. Her house was wedding central for the weekend and we jumped in to help with flowers, photo guestbook stuff, packing up the U-Haul that transported everything to the venue, and whatever else needed to be done.

We picked up Amy and Austin from the airport on Friday, and I have to say, it was SO great having that time with Amy, especially when Kristen was dealing with preparations and visiting with family and friends who had come for the wedding. I loved being able to catch up with her, and our husbands who have only seen each other a few times, bonded over music and general goofiness (#hashtag! #letsgetreadytobrumbalow). It was also determined that three of us and our husbands should plan vacations together! The entire weekend made me miss those sweet friendships we had in college, but I'm so thankful that we've kept up and still see each other.

Something also worth mentioning- whirlyball! I had never heard of this until this past weekend. It's basically a combo of bumper cars and lacrosse/basketball. I was skeptical and wasn't so sure about trying it, but when Luke, Amy, and Austin all jumped in to play, I decided to try. And I'm so glad I did! It was hilarious- to the point that I may have peed my pants a little! I was dying- I suck at bumper cars (really, I just learned that you turn the wheel all the around to go in reverse!), and it was too funny watching people race for the ball in their car and try to scoop it up. Such a good time!

Kristen and David's wedding was beautiful! It was held at the Venue at Waterstone, which had the perfect little "island" for the ceremony, and a rustic barn for the reception. Kristen did so much DIY, and every detail was thought out, down to a corner just for the kids to play in with a castle and all! The ceremony started at 6, which made the Texas heat a little more bearable, and the sunset was beautiful as we finished up pictures and headed in for the reception.

They had a lot of family to celebrate the day with them, and one of the details I loved from their ceremony was something unique they planed at the end. Kristen's sister-in-law to be made a chalkboard sign for each person in the wedding party to hold as they walked back down the aisle that said "Married for X amount of years." So when the ceremony was over, and I was walking down the aisle, I met Luke who was holding our sign that said "Married for seven years." Then halfway down the aisle, we kissed and the photographer snapped a picture. There was a sign for everyone who was married in the wedding party, each set of parents, and ended with Kristen's grandparents who have been married for 65 years! It was a great way to honor the marriages and to celebrate God's work in each of them.

Meanwhile, Noelle and Jonah got passed off from Nana and Grandpa to Grandma and Grandpa on Saturday afternoon. From everything that I was told, most of that went smoothly, and in general, the kids did great! It felt so good to pick them up on Monday and hear Noelle yelling that "mommy was home!" I definitely missed them, but it was also nice to be able to just have fun with Luke, and catch up uninterrupted with some of my closest friends!