My Daughter is Coming to Visit in August!

The last time we saw Rachelle in person was one year ago in August when we visited for a few days. Though Rachelle and Fiona have stayed in touch by phone and e-cards, they are so looking forward to seeing each other in person next month when Rachelle comes to Wisconsin for a visit.

Fiona and I have been talking about what they’ll do.

1. Spend nearly a whole day at the Rice Lake Public Library! Besides books to read and fun computer games to play, they have puzzles, dress up stuff, and a play market.

2. Go to Culver’s for frozen custard. They use Wisconsin dairy. Wonder what the flavor of the day will be when they go…

3. Spend some time at the lake and the park near the lake.

And just have a lot of fun!

Rachelle and Fiona at Rachelle's wedding reception

Our Daughter’s Wedding Day and the Music CD

The gorgeous bride!
The gorgeous bride!
It’s over. It’s a relief that all went well. It was a very beautiful and simple wedding. The reception afterwards was very nice as well. I even managed not to cry too much.

There were two times when my daughter Rachelle and I shed a few tears together yesterday. Once was just before the ceremony. I was telling Rachelle that I wanted to make sure she said goodbye before she left the reception because this was the last time I was going to see her for a while. We both got choked up and started to cry. We looked at the matron-of-honor and said, ‘Quick. Tell us something funny so we can laugh instead.’ Which she did and we were able to carry on. :)

The second time was as we were getting ready to leave the reception.

Pre-Wedding Day Jitters

No, I’m not getting married. Our daughter Rachelle gets married tomorrow. She’s the first of our 7 children to get married. (There are 4 older than her, one nearly 30, not yet married).

So I’m the mother-of-the-bride and I have pre-wedding day jitters. Not only is my daughter getting married, our younger daughter is the flower girl so I have the jitters about her doing the right thing. She’s very strong-minded and may want to skip down the aisle for all I know. No, I’m sure she’ll behave.

Also, everyone has had colds, even the bride. So we may all be coughing and sneezing and sniffling. No, I’m sure we won’t.

Then there’s the weather. It’s nearly spring and it’s been raining like crazy and is supposed to continue.

And of course there’s the whole issue of seeing my daughter’s dad and interacting with him and his family again. It will be fine.

It will be fine. All will go great!

Can any of you who have had daughters get married sympathize? Any wise words of advice? Thank you!

Grandma Arrives by Plane for Rachelle’s Wedding

Today my mom arrives for Rachelle’s wedding Saturday. We’ll be picking her up at the airport this morning. She had knee surgery three months ago and this is her first time on a plane since then. Our good friends Eric and Heather, who we’ve house sit for in the past, are kindly putting her up.

Grandma already sent up Great-Grandma’s silver. Rachelle inherited great-grandma’s silver in a beautiful felt-lined wooden box. I only wish great-grandma was still around. She would have been 105 next month. She passed away 7 years ago just before she turned 98 on January 26 exactly one month to the day after Joel and I got married.

Rachelle and I were very close to my grandma. It was very hard that I had moved 500 miles away a few months before she died. Fortunately I did get to see her one last time a few weeks before. Joel and I had been on a trip in Arizona when we decided to drive to San Diego so I could see grandma. Though by then she was becoming less coherent, I am very glad I had a little bit of time with her.

Fiona is the only one of her great-grandkids she never met. That’s the saddest thing for me. I know they would have liked each other very much. Today I will think very fondly of my great-grandma as I pick up her daughter and my mom from the airport.