I Still Miss You

For those of you that may be new readers to this little bloggity blog of mine, you might not know that my Daddy passed away suddenly a year ago this past weekend. He was racing our sailboat with my Mom and our friend when it capsized. We think that the stress of the event caused a pulmonary embolism that took him quickly while he was doing something that he loved. It was two weeks before my 24th birthday and two-ish months before our wedding. It was the worst day of my life. This past year, and Father’s Day especially, has been extremely difficult and filled with ups and downs along with lots of questions and tears.

I don’t know what I would have done if it wouldn’t have been for my then fiancé taking off two weeks of work to be with my Mommy and I almost non-stop and my friends for checking in constantly, even though I wasn’t strong enough to talk to them. To be honest, I don't know how my Mom has done it. To be still standing after such a devastating life event is quite remarkable. I admire her more than she knows.

So, my friends, I'll be taking the rest of this {already short} week off from blogging to spend time with family and friends and just celebrate the 24 years that I had with my Daddy. He won awards from our sailing club for his legendary margaritas and we'll be attempting to replicate his recipe and toasting to his wonderful life. Over this holiday weekend I hope that you spend time appreciating those around you and cherishing how special and short life really is.

And, to those of you lucky enough to walk down the aisle with your Daddy, I hope that your photographer obtains a picture like this beauty:
photo via: our blog of love

Family Wedding

Tomorrow night Chris and I will be deep in the heartland of Indiana for the wedding of his niece-in-law, Kori. We are quite excited and naturally, I have the perfect dress to wear.
To those of you tying the knot this weekend {especially my penned & pretty clients!}, an early congratulations!
Have a lovely weekend!

On Sunday

Sunday is Mother's Day and for those of you getting married in this quickly approaching wedding season, I urge you to insist on your photographer snapping a shot {like the one below} of you and your Mom. Isn't this one so sweet?!

photo via: jenna walker photography

My Mommy and I didn't give ourselves enough time to get emotional before the ceremony. That's just not how we roll. So we took this picture together after. Isn't Mommy just the cutest?

Happy Mother's Day {on Sunday} Mommy! I love you!

For The Love of Kids

Casey Templeton via The Little White Book

On our wedding day, not only will Chris gain a beautiful wife...but I will gain three nieces and three nephews!

We thought that having all six children in the wedding would be a beautiful way to honor and involve Chris' family.

The three girls will be adorable flower girls, each carrying a pomander.
The three boys will be ushering the flower girls down the aisle.
Chris and I will be praying that they all make it down the aisle.

Are any of you incorporating kids into the wedding?! Are any of your incorporating SIX kids into the wedding?!

image via Blue Orchid Designs

Thank You Thank You

Thank you, from the bottom of my little heart for the OUTPOURING of thoughts, prayers, kind words and support regarding the passing of my Daddy.

Sifting through your comments and attempting to visit each of your blogs has been something I look forward to doing each day when I have a little time. I'll be back to blogging soon.

xo, jessica lynn

I Miss You Daddy

Some of you may have wondered why I haven't been posting this week.
This past Sunday, my Daddy passed away very suddenly at the age of 62. 2 weeks before my birthday and three months before the wedding. As you can imagine Mommy and I are devastated and life has pretty much come to a halt.
My Daddy often read my blog, to keep up with my ideas. He loved hearing about the wedding and was SO involved. You know, it's funny....Daddy came with Mommy and I when we went dress shopping. He saw me in my dress and my veil and had tears in his eyes. He will be buried in the tie that he would have worn to walk me down the aisle....and that is exactly what he would have wanted. I'll miss you Daddy, you know that you meant more to me than I could have ever expressed. When I feel that gust of wind blow my dress and my veil around on my wedding day, I'll know that you are there.
I don't know when I will be back to posting, maybe some time next week. So much thanks goes out to my friends and Chris, who have made this time in my life somewhat bearable.

My Parents Wedding

Back in 1983, there was a wedding....a fabulous one if you ask me. It was the wedding of my parents.
My Mommy and her Dad, practicing walking up the aisle at the rehearsal.

The next day my Mom donned this blusher/"birdcage" veil that her Mother MADE for her!! I think its to-die-for. I wonder if she still has it... Husband and wife! Love the grey suit...good choice Daddy! My Mom wore her Mother's wedding dress.
Mommy's side and Daddy's side after the wedding.

Walking into their reception as husband and wife.

And there you have it friends...that is my favorite wedding EVER. Almost 25 years ago and the pictures are still beautiful...and so are my parents.

Mommy as a Bridesmaid...in the 70's

I went home this past weekend to celebrate Father's Day. Luckily I had some time at home to peruse old wedding albums and family pictures. Little did I know that I would come across this gem:
That, my friends, is Mommy dearest serving as a bridesmaid circa 1970-ish.
Where do I even start with this picture?
Note: Mommy CLEARLY had the better colored skirt. The poor girl behind her was in a orange-marigold-brady-bunch number. The ribbon from the bouquet is practically overpowering the "outfit"...but I'm pretty sure nothing could overpower those pouffy sleeves.
Bridesmaid dress aside, Mommy was a hottie-bo-bottie!!
Mommy, Thanks for letting me share...you brought a smile to many a women on this Monday morning.

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day this year was spent up at the lake, the place my Daddy loves to be at.

(age 1-ish and at the playground at the lake with Daddy)

Daddy, thank you for always being a constant source of strength, the best listener and advice-giver I have ever met, and my biggest fan. I love you more than words can say.

xo, your little girl.

(i love this picture...always have and always will. daddy's side & mommy's side with me in the middle.)

The Mother of the Bride

In honor of Mother's Day, I have been saving this comical post:

backstory: We bought "dress #1" months ago. Mom pranced around the fitting room area for AT LEAST 30 minutes in it while on-looker after on-looker poured on the compliments of how great she looked. It was getting out of control....to the point where she was "worried" that she might upstage me on my big day. Mom returned dress #1 a few weeks later because it apparently showed too much skin. "Dress #2" was bought after the same amount of people ohh-ed and ahhh-ed over my Mother at the department store. It looks just as good as "dress #1" and is now THE one. With that in mind....

I was talking to my Mommy the other day about all things wedding related when she let it slip that she was at the mall the other day looking for a "Mother of the Bride" (MOB) dress.

First of all, let's have a little gander at Mommy:

(she looks harmless, doesn't she?)

You can imagine my SHOCK when Mommy said she was looking again for dresses since I thought we had found THE ONE for her. Her response just about forced me sit down in the middle of the sidewalk in downtown Indianapolis and take a breather in fear of having a mini-bridezilla moment.

She said: "Well, I might just get two dresses. One for the ceremony and one for the reception."


Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhat?!

Mommy was just kidding. But STIIIIIILL. A two dress Bride? Yes. Two dress Mother of the Bride? Not so much.
I'm all about letting Mommy shine on the big day....she just has to shine a tad duller than me.

My Gram

There will not be many postings on Tying the Knot this week....

My Gram (she hated being called Grandma...she said it made her feel old) passed away Sunday night.

Rest in Peace, Gram. You finally get to be with Bampaw again and I know that you are smiling from ear to ear.

I love you and I miss you. xo jessica lynn