Profoundly Seth: I'm married!

I'm Married! A Joyful Wedding Celebration

What a wonderful day it was — I got married! The whole week leading up to it was just as special, with friends arriving from Wednesday onward and plenty of laughter shared with everyone. Our kids adored having so many grown-ups around to play with, and since most of our bridal party don't have children of their own, our little ones were a delightful novelty to our guests. John's groomsmen in particular took to the kids, letting them tag along on their adventures.

Above all, John and I wanted this wedding to be shared with our friends and family. When we first married, we eloped on the beach — beautiful and fun, but we always regretted missing out on a "real" wedding. This time we were able to do everything we had hoped for. My mom arrived a couple of weeks early to help, and that made everything even better.

My Bridal Party and the Friends Who Stood With Me

I was blessed with an incredible bridal party: my best friends from high school, my cousins, and my dearest blog friends all stood beside me. In a wonderful last-minute surprise, my Florida friends Mara and Laura flew in to be there — remarkable, since Mara had a five-week-old baby at home. Her husband kindly held down the fort with all five kids so the two of them could make a 24-hour appearance.

After Sara passed away, a few of us began using a group messaging program and we talk constantly to this day — not a single day has gone by without us connecting. We were all friends of Sara's, and it meant the world to me that nearly everyone made it to the wedding, traveling from Iowa, Texas, and Louisiana. Alece couldn't come and was deeply missed, but since she's in Ethiopia on another missions trip, I think she gets a pass!

I found a way to include Sara in the day, along with family members who have passed on. Having them with me as I walked down the aisle felt truly special. My bouquet carried a picture of Sara, and on the other sides were photos of my grandfather, aunt, cousin, and Eli.

Bouquet with photos of Sara and family members — Photos of Sara and loved ones on my bouquet

Mandy, Candy, El, and Amie together at the wedding — Mandy, Candy, me, and Amie

Bridal party friends gathered together — Clockwise from the top: Jordan, Kara, Logan, Lindsey, and Mandy

Wedding celebration moment — Celebrating together

Evany doing the splits during a breakdance move

Reception dancing and celebration — Dancing at the reception

Hosting, Crafting, and Getting Ready

It was wonderful to finally be in one place together, hanging out in person. My bridesmaid Lindsey generously opened her beautiful home to us, giving us a perfect spot for last-minute wedding crafts, the rehearsal dinner, movies, karaoke into the early hours, and plenty of conversation. She is an amazing hostess, and it was lovely to see how well all the girls got along even though some had never met before — by the end of the weekend they were all friends on Facebook and following each other on Twitter. Hah!

Between everyone, they kept me from stressing over last-minute details, and we made it to the wedding day. I couldn't wait to put my dress on. I married in jeans the first time and never understood the dress obsession until I found mine — now I get it. I kind of want to put it on again right now. It isn't easy to feel like you look amazing after having six kids in six years, but this dress definitely made me feel that way!

The Ceremony: Walking Down the Aisle

It went by so fast, and then suddenly I was standing there waiting to walk down the aisle, watching my kids go before me. Of course Seth ended up walking with me and my mom — no surprise there! And Ava carried Coen. We're flexible, and it was all good. Somehow I made it to the end while my favorite song ever played, and there was John alongside Jordan, my beloved cousin, who officiated the ceremony and pulled double duty as a bridesmaid.

Jordan said some truly beautiful things, and then we read aloud and signed our own personal copies of the Resolution from Courageous. At one point I was supposed to say something when John did, and I missed my cue, so I said "Ditto" — incredibly classy. Then we said our I do's and Jordan pronounced us married all over again.

The Reception and Our Getaway

The reception was so much fun. I wasn't sure how it would go with five relatively small kids, but they were all wonderful. During our first dance they all came out to join us, and Ava and Jace danced together — and then they never stopped. All four of the older kids stayed on the dance floor for the rest of the night, taking short breaks to eat, drink, or sing karaoke. Coen fell asleep in the stroller and slept peacefully for three hours, then woke up in time to dance the last dance of the evening with me.

After great food, singing, dancing, and time with family and friends, it was time to head for Chicago and catch a flight to Orlando, where we took a cruise and visited friends in Florida. We missed the kids like crazy on the cruise, but it was lovely to get away, sleep in, and eat food someone else cooked. We had a great time together and were thrilled to get home to the kids on Saturday. My mom had a blast with them, though I doubt they missed us as much as we missed them.

Home Again and Looking Ahead

Now we're home, gearing up to start school next month. We're looking at an amazing school for Seth and really hoping things work out for him to attend when school begins. It will take some juggling on our parts, but I know it will be worth it if we can make it happen. In other news, Coen is officially one and walking, and Seth is four. July is a big month in our house!

This is the song I walked down the aisle to — I love every word. Thank you all for coming along on this journey with us. We appreciate it more than we could ever tell you.

A Friend's Book: 31 Days to Lovely

I was just about to publish this when I learned that my friend Sarah's new book, 31 Days to Lovely: A Journey to Forgiveness, is available for free until midnight. Sarah is a very close friend with one of the biggest hearts I've ever known, and she has been such a blessing to me. Her book is a lovely, convicting devotional about the importance of forgiveness in our lives. I was honored to be asked to write the foreword, and I hope I did it justice!