My brother and his beautiful bride became husband and wife last month on a hot, gorgeous, unforgettable July day! And oh what fun it was to be a part of these nuptials! Our whole family was involved with the preparations...and it was really all-hands-on-deck since Stephen and Elinor had planned for their reception to be in my parent's backyard.

There were so many gorgeous details in this wedding! Elinor's beautiful touches were everywhere. It was downright dreamy...straight out of a fairytale!

I felt such excitement leading up to this wedding and could barely contain my joy the day of. I wrote a little caption on Instagram about how honored I felt to be a part of Steve and Elinor's wedding day. And I still feel that way! Of course it's a blast to join in the lead-up to the wedding day...the showers and parties and planning. And it is downright fun to get ready with the bride the morning of...the hair...make-up...dress reveal. But I felt deep soul-satisfying joy to stand there alongside Elinor at the front of the Naval Academy Chapel as she looked into my brother's eyes and made these simple, weighty vows to him. And I felt quite overcome as I watched my brother's steady gaze into his bride's eyes (he never looked away!) and heard him repeat these same vows. What a sacred and incredibly beautiful moment to witness. And what an honor to be invited to love and support this couple in all of the years to come.

Andrew and I both feel such great joy at the wonderful season they are entering into...not without its challenges, of course! ;) But marriage is such a great and good gift. And Stephen and Elinor had waited so many long months to begin that journey together. We were, and are, simply filled with happiness for them.

Here is a little photo dump of so many beautiful moments from the weekend. Hard to recap it all...Annapolis, Pastor Lon's wonderful words to the couple, celebrating with the Swedes, boating on the Severn River, running across the Yard to make it to the chapel on time!...I think the sweetest thing about a family wedding is that you can recount those memories for years and years to come.

Congratulations to these head-over-heels newlyweds...my brother and my darling new sister-in-law!

the reception tent on Friday morning 

practicing their first dance

sisters! the bride & her beautiful maid of honor

If there was a wedding VIP award it would go to Abby Smith! Babysitter...chalkboard designer...purse wrangler...and all-around woman extraordinaire! *insert praise hands*

"Welcome to the Navy! Look at those smiles! :D 

pc: Elinor's wonderful Mom, Carina...she took so many gorgeous candids throughout the whole weekend!

so dreammmmyyy! sending them off with fireworks and sparklers

pc: Peter Kroon

walking down the aisle with my handsome groom!

pc: Brother!

pc: Peter Kroon

The Greatest Neighbors

Tomorrow we say goodbye to some of our best friends here in Falls Church...our wonderful, irreplaceable, incomparable, unforgettable neighbors...Chris, Denise, Abby, Emma, and Elizabeth!

Tomorrow they depart for Colorado. Tonight we're grilling steaks together to celebrate three years of shared memories.

When Andrew and I first moved into our home we didn't know any of our neighbors well. Emma told us a few weeks ago that she could barely control the eye-rolling when she would see "that newlywed couple kissing in the front yard all the time." Hahaha!

I'd like to think it was a combination of three pretty signifanct things that deepened our friendship with this wonderful family:

1. We all shared in the joy of George entering the world!

I think I've mentioned before that our neighbor, Denise, was at George's birth. In fact, she cut his umbilical cord! She was such an incredible support during my labor and especially in those early postpartum days. Abby, Emma, and Elizabeth all visited us in those first 24 hours after George was born. It's one thing when someone loves you... but when they love your child...oh my. OH MY. Cue all the heart-melting in the world! These neighbors have loved and cherished George. They have played with him, swung with him, walked with him, rocked him, laughed with him. And even introduced him to the estimable classic, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. ;) They have also been the most flexible babysitters...sometimes showing up a mere 15 minutes prior to us needing a sitter! They have loved us by loving our son. I just want to weep every time I think of the gals heading off to school and George banging on the front door to wave to them. What a precious memory!

2. We survived Winter Storm Jonas! 

I think this has to be one of our most memorable weekends together here in Falls Church. Preparing for the blizzard. Hunkering down. Monitoring the storm. Wondering about school cancellations. And then digging and shoveling and snow-blowing out. Snowball fights and hot chocolate. And three crazy dogs. What a weekend!

3.We shared more than a highlight reel together.

How many times did we pray together? I've lost track. How many times did they pray for us? Too many to count. How many times was there comfort that went beyond a pat on the back or a hug? How many times were encouraging words shared at just the right time? Too many times to recall. How many Sunday mornings and afternoons did we congregate in driveways before and after church? How many times did we share real openness...the raw, messy parts of life with one another? How many times did we cry with one another? Okay, maybe that was just Denise and I. ;) It was a gift to live real lives together. 

Of course there are so many other memories...Anne of Green Gables discussions, Mason soccer, Duck Donuts, monograms, the Army, and the Navy, the Wrens HOA, When Calls the Heart, all things Star Wars, Mike's Deli, Artemis, pizza lunches, that low country boil feast, the Colonel's promotion ceremony, Taco Bell runs, prom, American Girl dolls, Williamsburg, a certain utensils-in-the-ground event which shall remain clothed in secrecy, Halloween, Thanksgiving afternoon, George's christening, Abby's graduation party, George's first birthday party, visiting grandparents (on both sides of the street!), adventures in dog ownership, and so many more. 

Here's a look back at just a few memories from these three years:

It seemed only fitting to end with a picture of Prince George of the Wrens in front of the Governor's Palace...a favorite place for both our families!

Denise, Chris, Abby, Emma, and Elizabeth (and even George and Gus!) we will MISS you all so very much! It has been the greatest joy to be your neighbors for the last three years. God bless you as you head to the beautiful state of Colorado. We can't wait to visit!!!

Letters to George Fossen // Volume 9

Dearest George,

In twenty minutes time you will be exactly 12 months old. I'm writing you tonight while reminiscing about today and yesterday and all of the weeks and months that have made up this one wild, glorious, life-changing year.

It feels like just yesterday I was mailing out your birth announcements and now here we are back at the beginning again...June 2...one whole year later! WHERE has the time gone?!

I've been reminiscing this week about last year...feeling SO pregnant...waiting to go into labor...finally going into labor...giving birth to you!!!!...taking you home...and those first few days of newness, joy, wonder, and emotion.

I didn't want you out of my sight for even one minute. I remember that first night/morning we brought you home and I just couldn't sleep. I had to watch you. Look at you. Wonder at you. Check your breathing. Stare at all your precious, perfect features. I was in awe.

I remember watching my parents hold you and seeing them become grandparents in an instant. I was so overcome with emotion at their joy and love for you.

I remember taking you to church on the very first Sunday of your life. Your Dad and I sat in the back of the auditorium at Bishop O'Connell High School and neither one of us could hold it together for most of the service. We were so incredibly grateful for the gift of YOU!

I look back at this last year and simply feel thankful. I feel thankful for God's provision to us. He provided amazing coworkers that helped send me off into this new job with such confidence. He provided a next door neighbor who was a midwife. He provided a church community that brought us meals, prayed for us, and encouraged us. He provided friends like the Skolnitskys who were embarking on all of the same things we were on this parenting journey. He provided my Mom! He provided neighbors to watch Admiral Byrd when we traveled, the Smith gals to babysit at a moment's notice, and girlfriends who made things so easy for me. During those sleepless nights that we thought would never end, God provided miraculous pockets of rest. We had a pretty serious health scare with you at six weeks and God provided just the right doctors to care for you. He provided my sister and your grandpa who came to sit with us in the hospital. He provided healing. He provided safety for us in all of the many travels we made this last year to see family.

There has not been one day of your life, dear George, when I have not needed the grace of God. It carries. It upholds. It strengthens. It heals.

You have been the greatest joy of our lives this year, darling boy! I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone.

We went to the grocery store yesterday afternoon and an elderly man stopped to wave at you. You waved back so enthusiastically and he smiled as he told me, "Enjoy this time. It goes so fast. My son is 54 and I still can't believe he's grown." I had such a lump in my throat that I couldn't even reply, but I nodded, yes! yes! I am trying to enjoy these days! Every day. Even the hard ones. These are precious days.

George, your Dad and I love you more than we could ever say. We thank God for you. Happy, happy birthday to you, our beloved son!

A Letter To My Mom For Mother's Day

Dearest Mom,

I really didn't get it...this mothering thing. 

I didn't understand how heart-wrenching and heart-widening and heart-breaking it could be.

Tomorrow I'll celebrate my first Mother's Day...and you will celebrate your 31st Mother's Day! What a lifetime of memories must fill those 31 years of mothering. And I only have this one year to look back on...one life-changing, life-giving sum of 12 months. 

I can barely think straight these days with the sleep deprivation and the pull of family and friends and church commitments and relationships with our neighbors and the house maintenance and the dog and future plans. There have been times I've thought I'd crumble under the weight of it all.

All I know is that in this last year you've helped me fly. You've helped my find my footing. You've buoyed me and stabilized me. You've been an anchor in a swirling sea of baby madness.

Aside from Andrew you have been my biggest help, supporter, and cheerleader in this first year of motherhood.

A few months ago I started recording all the things you helped me with. No one else, with the exception of Andrew, was doing the things you did for me! Everyone wanted to come hold George, but no one wanted to take my trash out. Everyone offered to babysit, but no one said they'd mop my kitchen floor. Folks said they'd play with George, but no one wanted to unload the dishwasher. You offered and insisted on doing those things. So thank you, Mom, for:

Scrubbing rust out of my kitchen sink
Walking Admiral Byrd
Mopping our floors
Taking out the trash
Folding our laundry
Bringing us dinner
Picking up Starbucks
Delivering takeout lunch
Reading to George
Polishing our silver candlesticks
Lending me your WD-40 for our squeaky doors
Picking up Sunday lunch at Panera
Loving my husband
Watering my front porch pansies
Pulling our dead mums out of our planters
Vacuuming our dining room

Loving my in-laws
Wiping down George's car seat
Dusting my furniture
Helping me rearrange the living room
Sweeping up a mound of pine needles from our Christmas tree
Feeding George baby food
Bathing George
Walking Byrd multiple times in one day
Mopping our kitchen floor
Loading and unloading the dishwasher
Emptying our trash cans
Taking our trash to the road
Offering to watch George on the monitor so Andrew and I could get out to get a bite to eat
Beating a rug outside with me
Bringing over toys for a 2.5 year-old visitor
Helping me and a neighbor when Andrew's cousin's daughter stayed with us for a day
Getting under the crib to mop up dust bunnies
Remaking our guest room bed
Fixing me scrambled eggs and toast when Andrew and I had the stomach flu

Thank you for the practical help you gave me. Thank you for giving me the sacrificial gifts of your time and energy. Thank you for helping me live out all the other areas of my life--wife, daughter, sister, friend, cousin, niece, neighbor, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law--while learning how to become someones mom.

You helped me thrive this last year. And no words--and no amount of thank yous--could ever repay you for the hands-on help you've given me. 

You have six kids and 31 years of experience as a mother. It would have been so easy for you to offer advice, but you didn't. You offered support instead. A suggestion now and then...but you always told me, "Whatever you decide, I'll support you!" You gave--and still give--me grace to discover the kind of mother God had called me to be...not the one you thought I should be. 

Moms don't live for compliments, but when someone says, "You're doing an amazing job!" it lifts the spirits! You remember that person and those words. You said those words to me on so many occasions--and each time, every time, it was just what I needed to hear.

Thank you for all that you have given me in these 31 years, but especially--most of all--in this last year. I am so grateful you are my Mom. I thank God for you. It is a joy to be your daughter!

I love you!

Emily

P.S. Thank you for the belly laughs, too. Those were oh-so-good for my soul!