Thinking About Home: May 2019

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Homeschool Formal (Another "Last")

As we are nearing the end of this Whirlwind Senior Year for Bekah (that coincided with Whirlwind Wedding Year for Kati), we reach another "last." Her last school formal.

Late afternoon/evening found our house full of formal-goers, moms, hairspray, make up, pizza boxes, jewelry, curling irons, siblings, comings-and-goings, flat irons, fancy dresses, heels, cookies, and excitement!

After Aunt Kati gave her a little make-up job, Macie said, "I'm pretty like you, Bekah."

We had planned to gather for some outdoor pictures before carpooling to the event, but there came a deluge of rain. The photo shoot was moved to the sun porch.

A brother surrounded by sisters :)

Bekah wore a vintage dress (Minuet by Mollie Stone) that she had purchased for $12.50 at a local antique store. She loved it on the rack, but it needed some work. I have to admit that I had my doubts. She has sewn only a little and this seemed like an ambitious project, but she snipped it here and tucked it there and ended up with this elegant gown!

It was a "Night of Enchantment"!

Good-bye hug before the little brother left. ♥

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Kati's Bridal Shower

Can it really be May ~~1st~~ 2nd? Wedding month?!

Life is happening much faster than I can blog . . . and Kati's bridal shower happened weeks ago . . . but I thought I'd share some glimpses of her special day with you.

(Thanks to our dear friend Frances for capturing many of these moments with her lens!)

photo by Frances

Kati's has chosen her sisters to be her bridal party. Older sister Kristin is her Matron of Honor, younger sister Bekah is Maid of Honor, and sister-in-law Sarah is her bridesmaid.

Sarah, Kati, Bekah, Kristin
photo by Frances

Those girls did a beautiful job of honoring Kati!

Kristin organized the gathering and planned the program,

photo by Frances

Sarah was in charge of refreshments,

and Bekah did the decorations.

photo by Frances

Family and friends gathered to celebrate!

photo by Frances

Kristin had planned two fun games!

The first was "Would She Rather" where guests had to guess whether Kati would choose cat or dog, live in the country or live in the city, Mexican or Chinese, wear jeans or a cute skirt, etc.

(Andrew was not at the shower, but he had given his answers to Kristin when he was visiting the week before. He got ALL of the questions right!)

photo by Frances

In the other game, we had to identify spices by their smells. (If you think that was easy, guess again!)

photo by Frances

Kristin had asked two women to share an encouraging Scripture with Kati.

This was so meaningful!

Gammy (my mom) shared some thoughts and read from the book of Ephesians.

photo by Frances

Paula, Kati's Sunday School teacher, shared encouragement from I Samuel.

photo by Frances

We sang the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."

Oh my goodness. So powerful to hear the voices of family and friends lifted in praise to our good Father who is always faithful! It was beautiful! (If only I could share the beauty, but there was technological difficulty and it was not recorded. I so wish it had been!)

photo by Frances

Then Kati was showered with many lovely gifts and so much love!

The flower girls (Kati's nieces Alaine and Macie, and Andrew's cousin Tabitha) served as Gift Fairies, handing Kati her pretty packages to open.