I think if I blog every day this week month, I just might get caught up on documenting life before everything fades into the abyss that tends to be my memory.  But that is overwhelming so I will just start with blogging today.


Back to the sweetest wedding ever.  The day Lorie and Justin and Kiah became an official family was more precious than you can imagine.  Kiah holds a very special place in our hearts since she and Lorie lived with Mom and Dad for the first 4 years of her life.  Eight years ago, when I  was overwhelmed with my newborn, Adam, and Caleb at16 months old, Lorie and Kiah came over to the house to hang out and help out almost everyday.  We are close to say the least and we have been praying for a man to come along to be Kiah's daddy since she was born. 

 

Early last fall, Justin took Kiah out for a day of riding horses and being on the farm together.  That evening he took her to dinner and he asked Kiah to adopt him.   She said, " Well not as a child, because you are an adult, but as a Dad." So very Kiah!

 

I will never forget as we were waiting to go into the church for the ceremony, seeing Justin and Kiah over beside the church as he gave her a special necklace.  There wasn't a dry eye in the churchyard after that. 

 

Look at how cool this old church was where the ceremony was held.

Here is Caleb before the wedding pouting about me making him tuck his shirt in.......but he looks so cute.

Our cousin, Grayson, did a great job taking the pictures that day. 

Look at  Adam's blond hair!

The Bartlett family "came to get down".  Where there is a dance floor, you will find us.

Annabelle still talks about how much fun she had dancing at the wedding. 

Pawpaw and Granny got out on the dance floor too.

The girls came up the aisle with these signs designed by our future Aunt Beth...  (uh-huh, that's right...wedding number 3 coming up this August!)

Kiah dancing with her new Uncle Adam.

Lots of awesome cowboy boots. 

Daddy giving his last daughter away.

A few favorites..........

Justin has three sisters and a brother just like our family.

Dad made yet another heart-wrenching toast that brought tears to our eyes.  However, nothing compared to the video at the reception.  They did one of those videos that plays music and shows Lorie and Justin as babies and growing up. You know the ones that make you cry and laugh and smile, right?  Imagine us all sitting there teary-eyed as we see pictures of Lorie growing up and then all of the sudden there is one of her pregnant.    As the  pictures of Kiah getting older pop up on the video the tears start streaming.  Then there is a picture of Kiah at about 4 years old on Justin's shoulders.  And we are all sobbing.........happy  joyful tears...

They smeared each other with the cake.

Two of Lorie and Justin's friend's have a band that played at the reception.  They were so awesome....(dang, I need a better word.)  They played a bunch of southern rock and old time country songs.  I am pretty sure Dad and Aunt Carolyn were in heaven listening to them play.  (and they even let me come up and sing a little with them!)

Moma and Aunt Teresa

My lil' sis..........  I am so so so happy for you!!!!

 Since the salon where Lorie works was closed for Sunday, we had the place all to ourselves to get ready.  now THAT was cool.  

We made a great team with those Cole sisters and busted out some serious hair make up and nails that day!

Biggest wedding foul ever- asking the bride to please trim your son's unruly hair 3 hours before the ceremony. 

Daddy arriving to pick up Lorie

Aren't our jackets cute?  Lorie bought them for us as a gift!

Rehearsal Dinner

 Lorie decided to have a costume party for the rehearsal dinner considering it was close to Halloween and the fact that costumes are incredibly AWESOME.  Let me tell you, it was a great idea!  It was hilarious.......and fun........and how could anyone be anything but laid back and happy if the Easter Bunny is walking a cute 40's sailor girl down the aisle to wed a gorilla?  After we practiced the ceremony, we went to the Cole's house for dinner.  Justin's family definitely know how to entertain!  His brother is a chef out in LA and prepared fabulous appetizers and a delicious meal.  It was heavenly. 

Best Sibling picture ever.  I made sure that Lorie thought it would be funny for me to be dressed as a bride and she loved the idea.  Jonathan was a mariachi band player but he is missing his little ukulele in this photo.

I wish I knew what was making Adam look like that.

maybe it was the banana being chased by the gorilla!

Cute little cheerleaders!

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As the night wore on, we all started switching costumes and wigs in particular. 

Moma and Jonathan grabbed some of Dad's accessories.

Chuck and Paul had the BEST wigs so we grabbed them.  

Needless to say, it was a blast.  It was very funny to meet people for the first time in costume.

Leslie and Paul somehow ended up with Justin's gorilla costume on. 

We Bartletts fell in love with that Cole family that night.  We knew that Lorie and Kiah were getting something special in Justin, but we were overjoyed to find that they were also gaining an awesome extended fam too.

Moving right along through October festivities brings us to a highlight of my year, well, heck, a highlight of my entire life............. the wedding.  Lorie, Justin and Kiah became an official family on October 24th and it was the sweetest thing you could imagine.  The weather was about 20 degrees higher than the average in Boone in October making it a gorgeous fall day.

But wait, I am getting ahead of myself.  We have to start with Friday and the bridal shower. Moma and Daddy rented a phat (Amie's words) house in Blowing Rock so we could all stay together for the weekend and we invited the girls over for a party.  Lorie loves accessories and we all got her something of the sort as a present. 

 

She busted her toe earlier in the week so she had to trade her cute boots in for some slippers while she opened gifts. 

Leslie and Paul flew in from California on Thursday and Aunt Teresa drove over from the NC coast on Friday. It was awesome to have them here!

We have always loved the movie Steel Magnolias so I read lines from the movie we played a "Name that Character" game.  It was hilarious and I got to cuss in front of my mother which is always funny.  Later in the evening we watched the movie together and laughed and wept just like old times. 

Amie organised this whole party and made the sweets for us to enjoy! 

Lorie and Amie and Amy Cole her new sister inlaw

Cathy, Justin's mom and Sara, Justin's sister. 

The Cole sisters with  Holly (Justin's brother's girlfriend)

The main activity for the evening was flower arrangements and bouquets.  Mom and Lorie went with a friend to a whole sale florist that morning and bought tons of beautiful flowers.  We laid them all out on the table and mom guided us as we made our own bouquets.  It was pretty fun and they turned out to be perfect and exactly what Lorie had envisioned. 

Lorie' bouquet.  Impressive, huh?  My mom is the most talented lady to ever live. 

Everyone working hard

We made 5 of these for the church and reception.