our D.C. excursion, part 3: the Preston wedding!

(This is a series on our recent trip to DC.  For the beginning, click here.)

My sweet friend Marian just returned from a month long trip to the east coast seeing everything imaginable.  One of her facebook posts said, "If you ask me my favorite part of this fabulous vacation, I will say FAMILY!!!"

I agree.  When we took our month-long trip 2 years ago, my very favorite part was the 3 or 4 days we stayed with my Aunt in New Jersey.  There's just something awesome about family.

Tobi and Rich (my sis and bro-in-law) scooped us up from D.C. Saturday afternoon and we made a beeline (actually this be may have been a little confused) to Doylestown, PA, where Jamie and I attended the rehearsal dinner for Kyler and Vanessa's wedding.  The long car rides were hilarious!  We laughed and laughed until our sides ached...but I digress.

Uncle Glen, Aunt Toby, and Cody

It was so wonderful to see my beloved Aunt.  How desperately I love her...so much so that to think of her right now makes my eyes a wee bit watery.  The dinner was at Slate Bleu, a lovely and cozy little French restaurant in a really endearing part of Doylestown.  A novel area lined with charming boutiques. ---We entered the restaurant and were directed upstairs where I saw my Aunt as soon as we rounded the corner.  She is so gorgeous!  She wore the most beautiful cargo-style floor-length golden silky skirt and an elegant silk blouse.  I do want to be her!  (...and not just for her clothes.  heehee.)  She is so beautiful inside and out.  Her taste is impeccable and so earthly and fun.

Me and Aunt Toby during our visit 2 years ago.

Hope you don't mind a little diversion here:

Uncle Glen and Aunt Toby

A month or so ago, the boys and I stopped in a little dress shop and I found the most perfect dress to wear to the wedding.  I bought it and took it home.  The next day I got on my Aunt's facebook page and was so impressed with the 100-mile bikeride she did that I commented on her wall, "I want to be you."  Later that day, I sent a picture of the myself in the dress with my boys to my Aunt's cell phone.  Shortly after I received a reply from her.  It said this: "That's MY dress!  Except I don't have 2 boys hanging off it."  Well, you can imagine the text message exchange that flew between California and New Jersey the following few minutes.  It is so awesome that we had the same dress!   ...except for the minor detail that I absolutely could not wear the same dress as the Mother-of-the-Groom.  Needless to say, my dress was returned, but we have so enjoyed the fact that we both picked out the same dress.  After all, I did say that day that I wanted to be her.  Maybe I really meant it. ;)

We had quite an enjoyable evening visiting with family.  It was disclosed that my Uncle Troy, Aunt Karen and their daughter Rachel had driven down from Canada and were staying at the Preston home (my Aunt Toby and Uncle Glen's house in NJ).  After weeks and maybe months of debating whether or not they would be able to attend the wedding, God made a way for them to come!  What an exciting time!

Sunday's wedding was perfect and beautiful.  The church was so pleasing to the eye with its tall and pristine white steeple and red brick walls.  I tried to get a nice shot of the building before the wedding - attempting to not have any people in the shot.  But a man standing on the steps was unavoidable, so I took the pic, lowered my camera and realized it was my Uncle Troy I was so rudely trying to cut out of the photo!  How fun is that!?

Uncle Troy, Aunt Karen, and Rachel

So blessed was I to have been asked just a week or so earlier to read for the ceremony.  Vanessa chose the most beautiful passage:

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  (Col. 3:12-17)

I couldn't get to the church in time for the rehearsal the night before so I was a little nervous about the order and timing of the ceremony ...especially since it was Catholic and I'm not so familiar with their very formal way of doing things.  Thankfully, another reader was much help and set an excellent example for me to follow so all was well.  It went beautifully and I am so honored to have been able to love on my cousin and new cousin-in-law by reading God's perfect Word to them (which I love) on the day of the beginning of their marriage.  May they have a long, prosperous, God-blessed, and beautiful marriage committed to Jesus, the Savior of our souls.

Vanessa & Kyler Preston

The reception was a blast!  Vanessa found the most gorgeous venue and we had a ball dancing, eating, and watching the Charger game.....yes, that's right.  They had the decency (lol!) to provide a special room with a big screen t.v. and foosball table so that avid football fans could have the best of both worlds: wedding festivities and the NFL!  Let's just say that many trips were made by various fans (who will remain nameless) to the aforementioned secret football location to report back to the Charger fans the score.  Sad news, though:

THE CHARGERS LOST.

Ho hum.

Though nothing could possibly put a damper on the elation and fun time we were having with family and new friends; and watching the beautiful bride and groom.

Richard and Tobi

It was so nice to be with my sister and Rich; my other new cousin-in-law, Emily; my Uncle Troy and his fam; my Uncle Glen's elusive brother, Paul; and the occasional interaction with family occupying the other table.  Being.  Existing in a place with loved ones.  Not a lot of conversation 'cause it was just too darn loud for it.   However, being in the presence of these I love and get to be with so rarely was so precious to me.  I wish the time was longer.

My cousin, Peter, and his gorgeous wife, Emily.  Baby boy to come for Christmas!

Jame and I in the library...of course.
I love books!!! :)

Next up:  NYC and the 9/11 Memorial.