So... I'm not sure how to update our crazy life. On March 12th we flew to Utah for the two weddings to take place within the next week. The next two weeks were one heck of a ride, but it was an adventure, and for the most part, fun.
The plan was to fly from Georgia to Phoenix, Arizona and prepare for my sister Elena's wedding which was to take place on March 17th at the Mesa Temple. For some reason, our flight went through Salt Lake though. By the time we made it to Salt Lake, I had about had it for the day. I was tired, the kids were exhausted and ready for bed and I just didn't want to continue on to Arizona. Since my family was going to have to drive to Mesa for the wedding, we asked them if we could skip our last leg and stay with them. It just so happened, that the airlines needed to bump two seats anyways, and Brian and I got $800 worth of vouchers for bumping off that flight. So we stayed behind while our luggage went on, and the airlines told us our luggage would come back to us the next day.
For reasons beyond any of our control (including bride, groom and family) Elena's wedding was postponed and wasn't on the 17th in Phoenix, so it was good that we stopped in Utah.
For the next two weeks, I was in the wedding planning mode. Between my mother and I we went crazy on all sorts of wedding stuff. First thing we got done was the invitations printed and sent. Mom, Elena and I spent one late night/early morning working on most of them and got really loopy, but we did accomplish the task. It was fun spending time with them and just having goofy fun. The invitations turned out looking really nice, which is good since we were working on them at 3:30 am. What a night!
The whole first week that I was in Utah I barely saw Brian and my kids at all. He stayed at his parents and watch them while I helped with all the wedding arrangements. It was nice to be able to have the freedom of helping my mother with whatever she needed whenever she needed.
Okay, so I know this entry is entirely scattered and totally not chronological at all, but looking back at those two weeks, it really felt all jumbled and scramble and hardly chronological. So please bare with me. :)
So on Friday the 13th (the Friday before the original date set for Elena's wedding) we were all waiting for a call telling us that all the paperwork was ready to go for their wedding, but that call never came. Elena was distraught, and I really don't blame her, I would have been too. She was so emotional that she asked if I would make the necessary adjustments to her honeymoon plans, while mom and dad made the adjustments to the wedding party plans. We all decided that we would wait to see if the call would come in the following Friday and plan to have the wedding in Mesa on the 24th. Friday the 20th came and still no call. Again, Elena was distraught, and again, I don't blame her at all. Victor (her now husband) was very patient, even though I'm sure he was just as upset about it. So again we pushed back their wedding.
Now the Mesa temple was scheduled for a two week maintenance closing from March 30th to April 13th, so we were going to wait till the 14th of April to go and get Elena and Victor married. This was quite the change in plans, considering that Brian was flying back to Georgia on the 21st, and then I was to follow with the kids on the 29th of March. I had promised Elena though that I would stay as long as needed to be there for her wedding and wouldn't miss it. So we all put it into our minds that Brittany & James' wedding would be on the 28th of March as scheduled, the double reception that night after their wedding would go as scheduled and then Elena and Victor would get married on the 14th of April.
On the 24th, Elena came up with a phenomenal idea. She was hoping that they would get the call on Friday the 27th and then, if Brittany and James would permit, they would get married on the same day, in the same temple, as Brittany and James. Both Brittany and James were just fine with this idea and we all buckled down to finish all of the final wedding touches before the big Saturday.
Brittany and Elena both made their own corsages and boutonnieres for the wedding parties, which by the way impressed me a ton. They even took the time to teach me how to do it (how cool is that!). We also got all the tablecloths, arch, balloons, ribbon, tulle and whatnot for the reception.
On Friday the 27th, I got a call on my cell from the Jordan River Temple. The said they had recieved a letter stating that my grandfather had permission to seal Brittany & James and also Elena & Victor. They stated that they had the info for Brittany and James' sealing, but nothing on Elena and Victor. I explained that we were waiting for some information on whether or not the paperwork had cleared, and they told me that they would go ahead and call the Church office themselves and see if it was in. After hearing that, Elena, mom, and I were in much higher spirits and much more sure that things were going to work out for the weddings to both be the next day. While waiting for the Temple to call back, Elena, Mom, and I busied ourselves with the last of the errands. We had to run quite a few of them and at 2:00 pm we were in Lowes trying to buy some PVC pipe for the reception. (I know, your thinking, "What do you need PVC pipe for a reception for?" Well, we had an idea for decorations at the reception, but ended up not using it.) Anyways, so we were at Lowes. We had just walked in and needed to use the restroom. While waiting, the Temple had called back letting us know that the paperwork was cleared, faxed to them, and just need Elena and Victor's info to put on the schedule for the next day. When I told Elena this she just started screaming for joy! :) It was so great! Elena then took the phone and gave the temple all the info they needed. Mom grabbed her phone and made a ton of calls herself and Elena had me call Victor for her. When I got a hold of Victor he at first thought I was joking. He couldn't belive it. He then started yelling for joy too. While they were all crying, calling and yelling for joy in the cornor of Lowes, I set out to get the PVC pipe we had originally come for. What a day!
That night we set up for the reception, and even though it didn't turn out exactly how we had pictured it, it was absolutely fabulous! We tried to get the brides to go to bed, but if your married then you have an idea of how hard it is to sleep on the night before your wedding.
Okay, so we are getting to the end I promise. This is the last day of my crazy vacation.
Saturday, March 28th:
THE WEDDING DAY!!
Elena still had to go through the temple for the first time, so it was scheduled for Saturday morning, the 8:20 am session, right before the sealing time. It was so wonderful to be there for her. (I also got to be with Brittany when she went through her first time the prior Wednesday). Afterwards, we were walked down to the sealing room where both couples would be sealed for time and all eternity. The Temple had scheduled it so that both girls could be at each others sealing. So there we were, in the same room, and our grandfather was able to seal them both! It was such an amazing sight and I was so happy for both of them! It was the perfect moment and the perfect day for them.
As far as the rest of the day goes, well, you probably know the just of it. Pictures, luncheon, rush and set up the rest of the decorations for the reception, reception and clean up! What a day!!!
I was so blessed to be able to be there for my sisters' and to see them both get married to wonderful men. It was such an amazing experience to watch my two little sis' take such a wonderful and glorious step and to help with a lot of it. Even though the trip was crazy, tiring, and somewhat long, I really enjoyed being able to have that experience with them, and I hope they were pleased with their wedding days. I just love having sisters and now that I'm not the only one married, it'll be so much more fun. Congrats to both couples!
(Okay I'm done, I really did try to make it short, but it didn't work.)
Brittany & James ~ Elena & Victor
