Xanga

 

 

We Arrived Early For

Nathaniel & Abby’s Wedding

Saturday, July 2

 

 

The bride checking on some last minute details.

 

 

I wonder what she is telling her mom.

 

 

 

 

Aunt Chris adjusting Elizabeth’s dress.

 

 

I liked her cute hairstyle. It went well with her simple, pretty veil.

 

 

Many of the men were in the narthex. Sam asked Mark to fix his tie.

 

 

Nathaniel showing Quintin and Josiah (Snack Table Attendants) how to arrange the napkins at the snack table.

 

 

Emiline enjoyed spending a few minutes with Joram (groomsman) before the ceremony.

 

 

It looks like Nathaniel has some last minute information for Jim (one of the ministers). Jim is a pastor at Abby’s home church in Maine.

 

 

 

 

The Gift Receivers – Jenna (our granddaughter) and Stephanie (Nathaniel’s sister)

 

 

I was assigned the job of printing the programs – and you won’t believe what happened when I printed them on Friday morning. We waited until then incase any details changed after rehearsal.

The first 100 printed fine, but when I put the second hundred in the printer, I put them in upside down, and didn’t notice until about sixty were printed!  I was talking to Diane, and not paying enough attention to what I was doing.

I was grateful that the place where Abby purchased them wasn’t too far away – and they had plenty of the same bulletin.

 

 

Our three youngest granddaughters were Program Attendants – Diana, Gloria, and Jana.

 

 

 

 

There was a scrapbook and several pretty frames in the narthex.

 

 

 

 

Jesse, Kristen, Josh, Ian, and Jared looking at the scrapbook.

 

 

Ian signed the mat that will be used to frame a wedding photo while Jared looks on.

 

 

Photo by  our son Jere – rabbit ears by our grandson Hezekiah.

 

 

Inside the sanctuary Cordy and Nevin were fine-tuning the wedding music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The parent’s and grandparent’s benches were decorated with pretty ties.

 

 

Pulpit flowers

 

 

 

 

The candles, lighters, written vows, marriage certificate, and pen are ready for the ceremony.

~~~

More tomorrow night

 

 

 

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God!

1 John 3:1 (The Message)

~~~

You and I are marvelously loved.

 

 

 

Rehearsal For

Nathaniel & Abby’s Wedding

Thursday Evening, June 30

 

 

Visiting as we wait for everyone to arrive.

 

 

Abby sees her maid of honor for the first time in several weeks, as Jolene just arrived from Maine.

 

 

Nathaniel praying before rehearsal.

 

 

Abby arranging everyone for where they will be standing at the wedding.

 

 

Jim and Ron – the ministers

 

 

Special rehearsal bouquets from our yard

 

 

Abby making sure everyone is spaced correctly.

It appears that she is telling someone to move a bit to their left. Each person had a penny to mark their spot.

 

 

Dale (Nathaniel’s dad), Brenda (Ron’s wife), Luanne (Nathaniel’s mother) enjoying something that is going on.

 

 

Left to right: Lydia, Hannah, and Elizabeth (Abby’s sisters), then her friend Jolene, Abby, (ministers in the background), Nathaniel, his friend Wes, then Nathaniel’s brothers Joram, Sam, and Benuel. 

 

 

Abby’s wedding practice bouquet

 

 

Jim and Ron checking the program.

 

Nathaniel ushering his future mother-in-law to her seat.

 

 

 

Walking his parents down the aisle.

 

 

 

 

The mothers will light candles.

 

 

Lydia

 

 

Hannah

 

 

Elizabeth

 

 

Jolene

 

 

 

 

Our son-in-law walking Abby down the aisle

 

 

Mark pretended to sneeze – very loudly – indicating this is how he will behave at the wedding. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim and Ron discussing the proper way to place their hands on Abby & Nathaniel’s heads.

 

 

 

 

While the finishing touches were being attended to, Nathaniel’s mother, Luanne, was preparing to bake homemade soft pretzels.

 

 

 

 

 

Nathaniel’s sisters Adrielle and Stephanie preparing strawberry milk shakes.

 

 

 

 

Yum!

~~~

We (Abby, Jolene, Diane, Elizabeth, Hannah, Lydia, and me) spent the Friday morning being pampered (manicures and pedicures). After that we made sure everything was ready for Saturday morning.

 

 

 

God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (The Message)

~~~

My heart rejoices with those who have chosen a holy and beautiful life.

 

 

 

Busy, Fun Days in Preparation For

Nathaniel & Abby’s Wedding

Wednesday, June 29 & Thursday, June 30

 

 

It is fun being grandparents to the bride. We didn’t have to do a lot, or know what was going on – and our garage was the holding area for many supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was also fun to have our house be the place where some early wedding gifts arrived. This one came with food and paper supplies for a picnic. (There is a frozen 8 x 8 tinfoil container of macaroni & cheese in the freezer that will fit in this pretty baking dish.)

 

 

 

 

 

Abby’s future sister-in-laws knew she needed these pans for baking brownies for the wedding.

 

 

Abby spent several hours on Wednesday and Thursday baking two kinds of brownies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While she made brownies on Wednesday, I made chicken corn soup for lunch, as her parents and four of her five siblings were staying here. Josiah arrived during the night on Thursday.

 

 

These marble-sized jell balls were the result of putting tiny beads in water, and will be used in vases at the reception.

 

 

 

 

On Thursday Abby’s sister Elizabeth (center), mom (our daughter Diane), and I enjoyed lunch at Olive Garden with our youngest daughter, Deb – who was footing the bill for Elizabeth’s twenty-fifth birthday – which will happen in a few days.

 

 

The desserts were fabulous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time we got home there were several more pans of brownies cooling in the garage. This particular pan was going to be covered with creme de mint icing. Half of the brownies were covered with a cream cheese toping.

 

 

There were also many boxes of crackers for the reception entree – “Chicken on the Ritz.”

~~~

Tomorrow night – Wedding Rehearsal

~~~

 

 

 

Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

1 Peter 2:13-17 (The Message)

~~~

Good words for our Independence Day

 

 

 

Preparing Table Favors

Nathaniel & Abby’s Wedding

Tuesday, June 28

 

 

Shortly after the Myers (Abby’s family) arrived from Maine on Tuesday evening, the women went to the appartment that will be Nate and Abby’s after Saturday, to assemble favors for the reception lunch.

 

 

To bring some Maine to the reception, the packet included lobster gummies and chococlate-covered Maine blueberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrived about the time they ran out of pretzels, and Abby’s sister Hannah had gone to town for more.

 

 

Stephanie (Nathaniel’s sister) played Abby’s piano during the interlude.

 

 

There was a mixture of Nathaniel’s brothers and sisters, Abigail’s mother and sisters, a friend, and three other granddaughters of ours.

 

 

While waiting for pretzels, they decided to fold napkins.

 

 

Abby and her mother (our daughter Diane) decide how to fold them.

 

 

Tomorrow night: More Wedding Preparations

 

 

 

Sing praises to God and to his name!

Psalm 68:4 (New Living Translation)

~~~

Praise is how I feel this morning.

 

 

 

The Wedding of Abigail & Nathaniel

Bonus Post Tonight

Saturday, July 2

Some of you are letting me know that you are anxious to see pictures of our granddaughter Abigail Myers’ marriage to Nathaniel Zuck at 10:00 this morning – so here are two of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

Many more pictures during the next week.

 

 

 

Truck Rally

Saturday Evening, June 25

Part 5 of 5 – Final Truck Rally Entry

 

 

The 5:30 p.m. barbecue meal – chicken or pork patty

 

 

This person chose the half chicken meal

 

 

There are a few picnic tables, but many people eat at their seats in North Hall.

 

 

All the trash following the meal – we fed about 900 people – keep these guys busy.

 

 

The program opened at 6:30 with the very talented Wehry Family.

 

 

This Wehry son runs the sound board.

 

 

Some of the audience.

 

 

Winners of a competition – not sure if this is garden tractor or pedal pull.

 

 

I think these were the men’s pedal pull winners. They get their prizes at the course.

 

 

Powder Puff winners – 1-Eugenia Gruber, 2-Karen Rissler, 3-Doris Hursh

Eugenia had a higher score (325) than any of the men in the Ruff and Tuff. Yeah, Eugenia!

The highest any of the men scored was 240.

 

 

Ruff & Tuff Winners

 

 

CDL Roadeo competition winners: Mike Wallace (2nd), Dave Rissler (1st), Ken Paul (3rd)

 

 

After all the truck awards were announced, the Best of Show was given to Eric Leber (reaching for the trophy).

 

 

All those who received trophies for the truck show.

 

 

This little guy is carrying the largest fleet trophy for Lanita.

 

 

The Crist Family presented one of the best gospel concerts we ever remember having at this event. They were energetic, fun, and shared some thought-provoking testimonies.

 

 

At 8:30 – following the concert – the remaining trucks presented a beautiful light show in the parking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light show winners – Greg Martin (1st) and Merlyn Sauder (2nd)

 

 

By the end of the day, this is how most of us looked and felt – dirty and tired. This is John and Karen Rissler’s youngest son.

 

 

By Sunday morning everyone was refreshed and ready for the 10:30 worship service with the Wehry Family.

 

 

This Wehry son played each of these instruments during one song – dobro, guitar, banjo, steel guitar, fiddle, and harmonica.

 

 

Enjoying a catered lunch at noon.

 

 

Dean and Carole of Country Home Catering always please our taste buds with a delicious roast beef meal.

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we quickly cleaned up the hall, and the committee had a wrap-up meeting to discuss what needs fine-tuned for next year.

We had a fabulous weekend, with very few problems, but something always needs tweaked, and someone usually has a new idea for the next year.

~~~

If you want to see my entire slide show from the truck rally, come to a future TFC banquet in the Pennsylvania area (Bucks-Montgomery, Lancaster, York, and Susquehanna).

~~~