WHITLEY'S WEDDING

Wow, what a week we had. Whitley was scheduled to get her endowments on Thur. at 5pm and then her and Brent would be married Friday morning at 10am. Well on Wed. Whitley woke up sick. You know, that awful stomach flu where you are in the bathroom all the time or laying in your bed wanting to die. I felt so bad for her. I kept checking on her all through the day hoping she would tell me she was feeling better. I went out for dinner that evening with Donna Meyers, who was back visiting from Mesa, Arizona, and Linda Deam and Karen Herr. We have all been friends for many years and always try to get together when Donna is home for a visit. Anyway, I came home and Whitley was still not feeling well. So I told her to just stay in bed and I was sure, or I was hoping it was just a 24 hour bug. Well on Thur. morning I woke up to check on her and she was laying in bed pretty still, and said she thought she felt better, that is until she got up to move around. There she was heading for the bathroom again. I layed back down and about 5 min. later, I am like , oh no this can't be happening. I was up and running to the bathroom. It was awful. This is like about 8am and we are suppose to be leaving for the temple around 11. I was just about beside myself wondering what we would do, knowing if Whitley didn't make it to the temple that day we would have to postpone everything. I was in tears and so was she. I just kept praying and reminding Heavenly Father that she was doing the right thing. She had planned all these years to get married in the temple and had done all the right things and just to please bless her that this would happen. Well a couple of hours passed and we were still not feeling well. If it had just been an upset stomach we would have been ok to travel, cause you know, you can always take a barf bag with you, but oh not we had it at both ends, so there was no way we could get in a car and travel over 3 hours to Chicago. By this time I am so upset and so is Whitley, we just don't know what to do. Well Ross called our home teacher, Bro. Moore and he came over and he and Ross gave both Whitley and I a blessing. I called the temple and explained our situation. They were so kind and helpful, they said whatever time you can get here today we will work with that. I felt somewhat better after getting off the phone with them. So now its about 11 and Whitley and I are starting to feel a little better. I know the blessing that Ross and Bro. Moore gave us was the only thing that could have helped. We still weren't great, but we at least felt like we would be able to travel. So we got ourselves around and left around noon. Needless to say it was a long trip to Chicago. Whitley was in the backseat just trying to keep her head down and rest as much as she could. Well we made it and on time even, which I couldn't believe. Everyone at the temple was so great. They were so excited to see us. They said they had been praying for the bride all day, knowing she was sick. They just wanted it to be the best day for her and I will never be able to thank them enough for all the help they were and just the great amount of kindness exhibited on her behalf. Whitley was still somewhat under the weather, but at least she was there and she knew she would continue to feel better minute by minute. It was just so great to be with her in the temple. I just felt so much love.
It was great too because all her siblings were there with her. I was just so glad they could all be there together. Families are just the greatest blessing the Lord could ever give us and I am so thankful for mine.
After her endowment session, we went out for dinner with Brents family. He had an aunt and uncle there along with his parents. It was nice and relaxed and we got to know his family a little better.
We all stayed at the Marriott Couryard on Friday. Whitley, V anessa, Natalie, and Whitley's best friend Amy Benkenstien stayed in a room and Ross,Ben and I stayed in a room. Macy's husband Brent came up that night also with their little girls, Vivian and Sophie. Natalies husband Chad came up that night with their kids, Heidi, Noah and Owen and stayed at his aunt and uncle's house. I was glad everyone was there the night before, at least I wouldn't worry about anyone getting stuck in traffic.
Anyway Friday morning everyone was busy getting ready. Macy did Whitley's hair, and mine. It's so nice having a hairdresser in the family.
We headed to the temple and I helped Whitley get ready. It was so wonderful. It was just her and I in the brides room. It brings tears to my eyes right now as I write about it. She was such a beautiful bride. She was our last one to get married and I was just so glad to be in the temple with her that day. What a blessing to have 5 children married in the temple. I just can't put into words how that makes me feel.
Anyway the wedding was beautiful. All our kids were there, except Ben's wife Jocelyn and Vanessa's husband Ryan. Jocelyn was pregnant with twins and couldn't travel and Ryan is in Dental school and just couldn't be gone. We really missed them alot, but understood why they couldn't be there. One of my best friend's Vicki Houseman and her husband Guerry were there also. It was so great to have them come and share our special day with us.
After the wedding Macy's husband Brent took the pictures. It all went pretty well and we headed for Grand Rapids for a reception there.
Well we had a little traffic and road construction and probably didn't plan quite enough time to travel so we were a little late. Whitley and Brent were even late. But all went well and they had a beautiful reception.
We headed home about 10 that night and had about a 3 hour drive. It was Ross, Ben,Vanessa and myself. I was glad Ben did the driving, I was pretty tired and Ross always makes me nervous when he drives. Anyway we made it home ok.
We got up early on Sat. and I started making lots and lots of salsa for the reception that afternoon in Huntington. I got it done pretty early and didn't feel too rushed.
Whitley and Brent were coming to our house to get her hair done and then heading to the church for the reception. Well needless to say they missed their turn coming home and got a little lost, not really lost but just not where they were suppose to be, so that was stressful for me. Anyone that knows me knows that I can't stand to be late anywhere. I mean I hate it., but they made it to the church on time and Macy was able to get Whitley ready. Oh she looked so beautiful. Just glowing.
We had a great reception. The church was decorated so beautiful. My nephew's wife Jill and her friend LaDonna Keel did the decorations and it was just so wonderful.. Whitley said it was just exactly what she had wanted. We had a DJ, and that was so much fun. It was just a great time. So many of Whitley's friends were there and she was so glad to see them. It was just a perfect evening.
Everyone took off the next day for home, except for Vanessa, she stayed until Thur. It was nice to have her be able to stay a few days longer.
Now we are officially empty nesters and I am having to adjust.
I can only say it was a whirlwind of a week with many ups and downs, but in the end it was all worth it. I told Whitley we will have many memories that just her and I shared to remember for the rest of our lives.