Kerry Gets Hitched!

 Someone finally did it. They finally got Kerry off the market! Kerry and Mike got married on October 1st, in their hometowns of Carroll (wedding) and Arcadia (reception). I took Friday off of work and went down to help with the last minute wedding details, while Doug, the girls, and my Mom and Dad came down on Saturday for the big day.

Holly, Kerry's best friend from high school and I before the rehearsal.

 Kerry and Mike Lengeling

Rehearsal Dinner

No, that's not their wedding cake, it's the cake Kerry's mother in law had brought up from Des Moines for the rehearsal. A little over the top you might say, but it was probably some of the best damn cake I have ever ate. Sorry Kerry...

 Alright so I might have gotten a little carried away at the rehearsal. But come on blog readers, they had cookies with their faces on them... how could I not resist. So of course during the beautiful show tune medley presentation that was going on during the rehearsal (oh yes, it happened) I was starving and decided to have myself a little Mike-Kerry cookie. I guess 'ol KerDogg's M.I.L was giving me a look from hell because the cookie bag was pretty crinkly. This stuff only happens to me, I swear to god..

 The morning before the wedding. Kerry and Joyce, Kerry's mom, with their "before" picture.

 Claire Bear getting a little work done.

This girl I met while in college at the very beginning. We actually became really good friends when I was about 4 months pregnant. Anybody who becomes best friends with a pregnant college student who can't party with you and spend all night at the bars with you is an amazing person in my book. Even though our lives have gone in completely different directions and we don't get to talk as much as we should, whenever I see her we play an awesome game of catch up and I get to remember how sweet and fun she is.

 Joyce, a hairdresser, and a blow dryer.

I love Kerry's family, period. Don't worry Joyce, I will continue to work on getting you a grandbaby.

 Kerry's double cousin, Katie and I almost ready!

 Getting beautified!

 All the bridesmaids

 Check out her face in this picture, priceless..

 Getting, literally sewed and tied into her dress.

 I can't believe that I have known this woman for seven years. On one side it feels like just yesterday that we met living in the dorms at college. Meeting a new friend that you know nothing about, and yet in such a short time, practically doing everything together.Learning about their family, their hometown friends, and yet having a fresh slate to start a new adult friendship with someone who is going through all the things that you are going through.

And yet I feel like I have known Kerry my entire life. She has always been there for me, as cliche as that sounds. During college she spent so many nights at our apartment, giving baths, enjoying dinner, babysitting when I had a late night class. Ava was my life, my love, and in some way I think she felt the same way. When we met each other we were so much alike, we both loved to party, were very outgoing, were way to independent for any boyfriends, just plain old strong bad ass women!

After having a baby she could have walked away, distanced herself, I mean we had only known each other for a year or so. But she didn't. She stayed. She listened to me complain about late nights up with a baby, and I listened to her complain about late nights holding a roommates hair over the toilet.

And now, after graduating college, moving away to Tennessee, getting married, getting a masters degree, having another baby, moving back to Minneapolis, and now another wedding, we have been through alot together.

I'll be honest, I totally lost it on the ride home from the wedding, yes I was waaay past my prime, but honestly I was so happy for Kerry and her new husband (Alright I was balling baby style). Sadly, I wish I new Mike better, that I got the chance in college to get to know him like others did. But I know that we will get to know him, if its through birthday parties, or baptisms, or even just weekend trips. Because I have gotten to know him a little just through Kerry, when she called the afternoon she got engaged, I knew how excited she was. That's what I love about great friends. It makes me happy when something great happens to our little family, but even happier when its something that a best friend can tell you about.

 Alright so since I'm on a completely gushy kick I guess I can say something nice about my husband too.

Doug really came through this weekend. He bought a new outfit at Morman's ( I don't even want to know what he paid), had the girls bathed and dressed all by himself for the wedding, had a great time at the wedding when he clearly knew about 5 people and was very out of his element, took care of everything the next day when I was a very hurting mama, and when we got home had the house completely cleaned.

 Kerry and Nicole Wirth, a new mama to baby Braylin, who I had an amazing time with all weekend.

And here's a final picture just to show how good of a time was had, especially by me, obviously..

It was an awesome weekend. Seeing old friends, getting to know new ones, showing off my babies to Mom's and Dad's, and dancing the night away with my husband who is still rocking the uppercut dance moves.