Get ready for a long one.

Enough waiting for pictures. I better write about the events of the past month before I forget them. I'll post pictures when I get some. There are some who read my blog who love details (you know who you are) so I apologize if I bore any of you with the minutia.

Riley and I flew to Utah the morning of Tuesday, December 18th. Brennan picked us up at the airport and we went to Katie's house to meet her mother and have lunch. I had been especially nervous about the meeting and had said that if I could just get through that, the rest would be a piece of cake. Shortly after we arrived, Valerie came with my (bio) dad and step-mom. It was so good to see her for the first time since mid-August! The meeting and lunch were pleasant. Possibly an omen of things to come? After lunch we drove to Springville (Utah is so colorless in the winter) and visited with family. Valerie and I watched the video she put together for the reception and it made me cry. Then we watched Ratatouille. (It didn't make me cry.)

On Wednesday, Kelly's mom cooked us Belgian waffles then I helped Brennan move some stuff to their apartment in Orem. They have a nice 2-bedroom apartment across from UVSC (or UVU or whatever it's called now). I arranged their bedroom and took a nap on their bed. I did a little last minute Christmas shopping and stressed big time over my Christmas packages that didn't arrive as promised. I had them shipped to Springville so that they would be there for me to give while I was there, but part of the order didn't come. I spent the next few days on the phone and waiting for a phone call to straighten everything out, which never came. Valerie, Riley and I went to my aunt Carolena's house and trimmed her pine tree and loaded some of the boughs to use as table decorations at the luncheon. At 9:30 p.m. Brennan, Katie and I went to the airport to pick up Kelly and then went for a late night run at Sonic. We told them it was not to late to back out of the wedding but they insisted they were going through with it. Then back to Springville for another happy reunion with Valerie and her daddy.

You may wonder why we traveled separately and didn't stay for Christmas and there will be those of you will not understand after I explain. We could not leave our babies (dogs) home alone any longer than absolutely necessary. After losing our first dog that way, we just can't do it. Our neighbor Jana took excellent care of them and Laura and Emily (Loveless) helped out too. Still, they tore up the front door molding, tore up a piece of the fence and strung stuffed animals all over the house. When Valerie and I came home, we went to see a movie and Sarah looked absolutely terrified when we left. They just don't understand and that hurts my heart.

Thursday morning my brother Shaun gave me an hour-long massage. I needed that! Then I got to visit with my brother Duaine and sister-in-law Rashele, their daughter Emily and my sister Brenda for a while before getting ready for the luncheon. My friends Carol Nielsen, JaNae Wilson and Nancy Nielson helped set up and manned the kitchen during the luncheon. They were such a great help! Also my parents, family and a few other friends supplied all of the food and decorations. It turned out beautiful, the food was yummy and plentiful and it was a big success! Thanks everyone!

We got ready for the wedding and went to the reception center in Provo. The White Willow is a Victorian style house that has been converted and it is gorgeous. In the entry they had a Christmas tree and the gifts were put under it. It was so fun to see my family so dressed up! I've never seen my guys look better, and Valerie was even more gorgeous if that's possible! Riley was the best man and Valerie was the maid of honor and it was fun to see them walk down the aisle together. Brennan and Katie were literally glowing. They looked SO happy. Katie was absolutely beautiful. I could not help thinking how pretty their kids are going to be; my handsome son with his incredibly long eyelashes, who was the prettiest little boy I have ever seen, and Katie with those big brown eyes.

Our friend and former bishop and neighbor, Kelly Norman, performed the wedding ceremony. It was very nice and meant a lot to us to have him do it. And yes, I did cry. At one point it was all I could do to keep myself from completely breaking down into a blubbering mess. It was hard but only a few tears escaped. Just as the wedding was about to start, it started snowing and storming heavily with hail and snow pelting the windows and accumulating quickly on the roads. The conditions kept people from coming to the reception and the turnout was a bit disappointing, but our closest friends and relatives braved the weather to make it. Several different kinds of cakes were served, including cheesecakes, carrot cake, cream cakes, decadent chocolate cakes, etc., and sparkling cider.

When everything was over we had a send off for the newlyweds but instead of throwing rice we held sparklers. It seemed strange to be holding sparklers in December in the snow. Since Valerie and I were leaving early the next morning our family went to Brennan and Katie's apartment and watched them open presents. It was fun to see all the nice things they got.

On Friday morning my parents took me and Valerie to the airport. The weather was still bad, as were the roads. I was carrying Valerie's bouquet, my corsage and the guys' boutonnieres in a plastic see-through box and the flight attendant leaned over for a look as I boarded the plane. I said they were from my son's wedding last night and suddenly it hit me: My son got married last night. I have a married son and a daughter-in-law! It didn't seem real until I said it out loud.

Kelly and Riley returned home on Saturday. On Sunday I played a piano/organ duet, Hark the Herald Angels Sing by Sally DeFord, with Lindsay Page for the Sacrament meeting Christmas program. I was on the piano and she made an impressive debut on the organ. I got tons of compliments! For Christmas Eve dinner Valerie made us a yummy pork roast with roasted potatoes and broccoli(that cooking class paid off big time!), and I made a pumpkin pie. Afterwards we had our traditional opening of the ornaments and hung them on the tree. We got to sleep in until 9:30 on Christmas morning! We had a pretty low-key Christmas but it was nice. We ate our traditional French toast strata with apple cider syrup and sausage, then picked up Brennan and Katie at the airport in time for dinner. After dinner we opened presents with them.

As a wedding present Kelly and I gave Brennan and Katie a honeymoon trip to Long Beach, WA to stay in a cottage near the ocean for 2 nights and 3 days. We sent them with a cooler of food and a list of things to do in the area. They had a great time even though it rained most of the time. That's what they get for getting married in December.

The open house was above and beyond what I had expected! We had way more people come than in Provo. The food turned out fantastic and people stayed and visited and it was a really good time. Holly Jolley was so generous to offer her home for the event and Soon Belsha was so wonderful to provide a big portion of the food. It was perfect! Holly, Ronda Pollock and Leslie Behunin helped prepare food, set up and helped in the kitchen that night (and listened to my worries). Also thanks to Leslie's husband Jared who took pictures of the evening, Cathy Coselman and Nicole Peterson for providing food, and Diane Herman and Michelle Ikeomu for helping to clean up. And thanks to everyone who came! Brennan and Katie (and all of us) were thrilled with the gifts they received and overwhelmed at the generosity shown to them!

Brennan and Katie left the next morning. They were able to fit most of the gifts in their bags to take home. They took a picnic basket they received filled with other gifts and a crock pot that came with a carrying case, also filled, as carry on. Brennan said there were comments about the crock pot. I guess it was an unusual carry on item! Valerie flew home the day after that. When I got home from dropping her off at the airport I decided I would do absolutely nothing all day long unless it was something I wanted to do. It was very relaxing and I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted. It was sad to see everyone leave but a relief to be done with all the airport runs and to get back into our comfortable rut.

So there you have it; our hectic, emotional and wonderful holiday events. Hopefully our next wedding will not be too soon and won't be at Christmas time. I have threatened Valerie that she is not to get married until we have had time to recover. Kelly has offered her $1000 to elope.