D&K's big day!

Oh hello there blog world! it's been a CRAZY month!  So lets start at the beginning! 

 First stop coming into LA was Kincaids in Redondo Beach.  Gotta stay loyal!

=)

 105 overpass at dusk.  

DT Los Angeles.  I love this place! 

The following pictures are from my dear friend Kaeli's wedding!  It was the first thing I did when I got to CA...I told my mom I didn't even want to start planning my wedding until I had finished the festivities of Kae's wedding.  

I was so blessed and thankful to be part of this weekend of celebration for Dustin and Kaeli!

Out in Old Town Pasadena with the lovely bride-to-be 

 The group of bridesmaids!  Such a fun and sweet group!

 We got to make our own bouquets! 

 Love LOVE looking outside at any time and seeing mountains looming in the distance!

 Rehearsal!

 Random bubble blowing at the rehearsal dinner. definitely were "kids at heart" at that dinner!

 Not only are Kaeli and I are good friends, but our moms share a special friendship as well!

Mom and Sheri on our back porch the day of the wedding!

 We had the wonderful Rhonda help do the girls' hair!  she was amazing! 

 Finished product!  

The BEAUTIFUL house where the wedding was held.  Family friends of Kaeli.

Perfect setting!

 Aubrey and I (Kaeli's sister)

Kaeli's other sister, Chelsea is great with child...and managed to pull it off so gracefully and beautifully!

Such a beautiful bride!

 DELICIOUS food =)

Ready to walk down the aisle! 

 post-ceremony chilling until the reception started!!

 My handsome fiance and I.  Not gonna lie, it's fun to have someone to attend weddings with =) 

 beautiful reception on a warm California evening!

 Sent them off with sparklers! 

I have to say that being at a wedding just a few months before mine gave me mixed emotions.  First of all, it reminded me of ALL the details I had to get done in the next two months.  Thankfully, Kaeli's taste and my own differ enough that our ideas weren't overlapping.  Makes it easier to enjoy =)  

second of all...for a long time Ben and I have been saying that we're preparing more for our marriage than for our wedding day. which I think is good.  But I also realized that there is more to a wedding than just cute details and photographers and a fancy cake.  It is a time for family and friends to gather around, celebrate and encourage the couple, and a time to give honor to God.  Honestly, weddings where everyone is happy the couple is getting married, where the ceremony is God-focused and where the bride and groom love each other so much...there's not many things better.  

Dustin and Kaeli are such an example of a godly couple who are loved and who acknowledge God's part in their story.  Their love for Him and for each other was evident.  

As Ben and I reflected on the day...and on our wedding day, we want that to be said for us.  

We are so excited to share our wedding day with so many friends and family.  they have poured so much into us, and we want our wedding to be a way we thank them...and celebrate a big culmination of all that love and support. 

But mostly, we want our story to be clear...God has done amazing things in our lives to bring us together.  He is currently doing amazing things to draw us closer to each other in our engagement, teaching and growing us in ways we didn't ever anticipate.  And we are confident that he will continue to do amazing things in our lives individually and as a couple...

...all to His glory!

April showers...literally.

Well here I am, finally in california.  It has been so long since I had a legitimate update blog post.  My life has been go-go-go the last month, and the pictures keep building up and I got a little overwhelmed.  But here I am, two months of being in CA, and lots of free time amidst the wedding planning and steadily growing social calendar.  I have a few things to post about, and I'm going to do the separately.  This post will be about the month of April, which included a lot of showers and other random bits of info.

 Here is a family Easter photo.  

L-R: 

Meg, Hanna, Dale, Joe, Claire, Maria, Ben, Rose and I

 Sierra's big vet check-up.  She was given a positive assessment...the vet said she hasn't seen teeth as nice as Sierra's in a long time. 

 We make silly faces together.  Oh how I miss this little girl.

 Some of the loot from our Zehr family shower.  

It was a grocery shower...so we have TONS of fun non-perishable pantry items...and a wheelbarrow they gave us as a group gift!

 The fantastic pair of shorts that Ben will hopefully *not* grow into some day ;)

I had some more pictures of the shower and how cute it was set up, but unfortunately they seemed to have disappeared on me... =(

 This is the lovely table at the Dill shower!  They had it set up so nice and special!

 One of Ben's aunts had a friend who makes cakes like this...it was SO beautiful, and yummy to boot!

 This dynamic duo made some pretty tasty stuffed cucumbers

 This is Great Uncle Richard.  He rides a bike everywhere, and just got a new camera that he loves taking pictures with.  he's just fantastic!

 Ben and I sharing food. it's one of our favorite pastimes =)

 Peek-a-boo, Mr. Ender!

 Out walking with Sierra.  She's such a pretty dog.  And you'll see we got her a nice new pink collar, and she has tags to prove rabies vaccination and that she is legally a resident of Minneapolis (they fine you if your dog isn't registered in the city here)

 Sorry these are all out of order....

This was the birthday tent that my dear friends from my Bible study set up for me.  I walked in and they had Italian music playing, a delicious homemade Italian dinner, glasses of something sparkly, and a fun little lighted tent.  Just for me.  it was so sweet, and I felt very loved. 

 This is what the backyard looked like, more often than not this April. 

 Mom came to visit!  

 Good quality time with Mimi.  

 Since learning to walk, Ender is constantly on-the-go

 At our third shower, we had a serenade from this fabulous quartet! 

 Lowell and Sam, the Dill's neighbors and Joe & Dewayne.  It was so special...and they are quite talented!

Ben and I and Maria at the shower.

 We played a fun game to see how well we know each other and the dynamics of our relationship!  It was fun, and there were lots of laughs all around!

 We got so many neat things for our home!  It is so fun to have the contributions of others fill our house!  It reminds me to pray for them every time I see or use something they gave us!

 Mimi-Ender bonding time

 Ben's niece Maria, my niece Karlina...

...wait...OUR nieces!  So fun! both girls are really sweet and I love being an Auntie to them!

 Cheesy grins with Mimi!

 One day after his nap, Ender just sat on my lap for about half an hour and just cuddled and smiled and cooed... it was so sweet.  such a special time!

 Miss K entertaining herself with her drawing

 One day we had my friend Allison over with her son Sam.  He and Karlina got along famously...it was really cute!

 Yay! the snow is almost melted!  Swing time!

 Ha!  just kidding.  

My fourth shower was thrown by my Bible study friends.  They made such a sweet and fun lunch for us

 we played another game and had so much fun doing it! 

 Mr. Smiles

 She's such a cheeseball.  I miss her!

 Running by the light of a full moon!

Finally the snow melted enough and it was less cold so I could go running. It really is beautiful. 

So there you have it.  My month of April.  Don't worry, I'll be posting again soon.  Now that that daunting post is out of the way...

And how do I like it in CA, you ask?  i am enjoying it.  It is a much-needed rest from my three jobs, I love being with friends and family, in warm weather, and in familiar territory.  But it is also hard in a lot of ways.  I have a Significant Other across the country (i know lots of people do long-distance engagements...but we haven't been used to that the past 6 months), I have a house, a dog, a church family, coworkers and friends...and I miss it.  

I guess God is teaching me that both places truly can be home.  Both are significant and I love them each for their own individual and unique reasons.  

But i have to just add in, I miss those kiddos like I never thought I would.  Who knows what deranged idea I had that I could come, share life with them and then just leave after a year.  But their sweet smiles, kisses and hugs, curly crazy hair, "I love you Auntie", singing together, snuggles, reading books...all of it.  It hurts my heart if I think about it too much.  I skyped them the other day, and it was so special!  

Anyway, that's all for now.  I'll write more later.  

ttfn

Oh. and shout out to an AMAZING fiance who is at home in MN reading this.  

I love you SBF ;)