Jon & Jaclyn's Wedding

Jon and Jaclyn got married in Stillwater on the St. Croix river in June!
First Steph and I took some shots of everyone at a park that overlooked the river,
then we headed down to the paddle boat that they got married on.
So much fun! The day started out a bit cloudy, and then cleared up--
Perfect weather for a wedding day!

Here are a few shots that Steph and I took from the wedding.

(They were so excited! Jon just looked at her and kept
saying things like, "You really look beautiful...")


Mason, their son, wanted to tell her the same thing!:




Their daughter, Amelia, was very much enjoying being a flower girl:










Ceremony on the boat!









Mmmmm... so much great food! (I LOVE food shots, btw)


I think they're in love.... :) !


Mason and his cousin hung out the whole afternoon... they had so much fun together...





Haha! Look to the right...

The Facts!

Hey all!
I'll try to post a few pics in the next couple days!
I know I've been a lame-o. I've been working hard though!
Two weddings last weekend. What a fun time!

I would like to update you quickly on the bridge collapse.
They have found some POSSIBLE structural design issues...
It will be interesting to see how it works out. 88 vehicles were found at the collapse site. 5 dead, 8 missing, and 8 still in the hospital.
Can you believe anyone survived a BRIDGE COLLAPSE?
What a miracle...When you think of them, please pray for the families and friends
who have lost someone. I have felt your prayers... thank you. God's peace is upon me... I don't know what I would do without it. Every day since the collapse,
I would start to cry at certain times. Today was the first day I haven't cried... Which means I am healing. Just continue to pray for those families and friends of the lost. I am just so thankful (see post below if you already haven't). So thankful.

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In the meantime, while you are waiting to see pics, here is the ... questionnaire(?) from
Steven's blog! I think it's a fun way to get to know people.
I'm not going to tag anyone, but I ENCOURAGE you all to do it
if you haven't!! I'd love to learn more about you!

THE RULES:
1. Post these rules before you give you the facts.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. At the end of your post, choose (tag) someone and list their name (linking to their page.
4. Leave them a comment on their blog letting them know they've been tagged!

About me:

1. I just got my haircut... shorter than ever before... and I think I like it.
It's super cute and exactly what I asked for... just taking some getting used to.

2. My hero: Jesus. Would not be here without him. Neither living, nor where I am at in life. Changed my entire perspective on things.

3. I am a volunteer for NILMDTS (Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep). Remembrance photography... We take photos of babies who will be or have been taken off life support. Thankfully I don't receive too many calls. But I feel priveldged to be a part of such a wonderful organization. (If you're interested in joining, let me know, and I can talk to you about it more.)Basically, I felt that because it's something I CAN do, then I should. I need to use my gift for the benefit of others... and the parents who have lost their little one will always have the memories, and the photographs to help them remember and heal.

4. My favorite place in the world that I've traveled is the island of Capri, Italy.
I spent three glorious days there when I was on my free travel away from school. Studied communication in Europe for the fall of 2003.

5. I have a passion for beauty... beauty in the world, and in people... especially
in women, because there is the stereotype that the media presents of what beauty is... But I think all people are beautiful. Someday, I'm thinking I will use my photography or speaking to work towards helping women understand they are a beautiful creation... Maybe I will only teach these things to my children, but even if that, I would be happy. We'll see where God takes me with that passion. My passion started in the Spring of 2003. When Dove came along with their Campaign for Real Beauty, I could hardly believe it-- finally, someone was doing something in the media spotlight that went along with my own views!!!
This 30 second video is a good visual on some of my thoughts of the media and beauty:
Please watch: CLICK HERE

6. I play the cello. Started at age 12. My husband plays the cello too. We met in our college orchestra (I know. That's super cheesy). We get to be stand partners in the Northern Symphony Orchestra when we have the time to be in it. Very enjoyable.

7. In high school I was in tennis (A co-captain with one of my best friends!), track (I pole vaulted), I downhill skied(And for as many years as I have done this sport, you'd think I'd be amazing at it... Well, I'm not.), and I was voted Most School Spirit. Out of our class of 680. That's right. And I was active in lots of other stuff. I tell you this because now I am out of shape, and I don't have time (or should I say I don't make time?) to be as active (There's this little thing called "just starting your own business!")... But, I can't wait to have kids and be active with them. I'll be the mom in the stands yelling like a madwoman, and my kid will be like, "Oh my gosh... my mom is so embarrassing... Mom! MOM! PLEASE BE QUIET!"

8. Not having kids for at least 4 years (FINGERS CROSSED!!!:)) My husband and I have our one baby right now... Spartacus. Our naughty but sweet cat.

((((9. I write a lot....)))))

Please pray for the MN families and victims...

My parents and I were on our way to the Twins game in Minneapolis. We were just over a mile from the bridge where you exit to the Metrodome. Traffic was backed up because of construction, and we heard police cars, and we thought, Hmm. Must be an accident. But as they raced by, they had their megaphones on and all we heard was, "...down!" We thought something must be going on, so we turned on the radio only to hear these awful chilling words,
"We have just received reports that a few minutes ago, the Mississippi River bridge, near Washington St., has collapsed, and there are cars in the river at this time."

My heart stopped. Aaron was coming from St. Paul, and I thought that he was going to be crossing that bridge. I fumbled for my cell phone and started shaking, and when he answered, I started bawling. I don't think I have ever been so scared in my life. He was a mile from the bridge too... but he didn't need to cross it to get to the Dome. I could hear sirens in the background on the phone and he said, "WHAT? The BRIDGE is down??" We were a mile from crossing that bridge.

There were probably 7 other cars that must have turned on the news at that time too. They drove over the grass median and got on the other direction of 35W. We had no other choice but to do the same.
I could not stop crying.
I'm still trying to process it all.

All day, I hadn't done one good amount of work from home, and I couldn't
figure out why. I drank caffeine to help me focus, and I just couldn't
at all! I was so mad at myself! My mom showed up at my place at 5:10pm,
which I hadn't expected... I thought they weren't getting there till 5:30 to
pick me up for the game. Apologizing, I told her I had to jump in the shower still.
I also had to iron my shirt. Things I should have done earlier today, and normally would have already done. I also had to run downstairs and make sure the iron was off, one last time, even though I knew it was. It only threw our evening schedule off by 10-15 minutes, and we still had plenty of time to get to the game.

Had I stuck to the normal day routine of showering in the AM, focused all day on work, and then was ready to go when my parents got there, that 10-15 minutes would have put us right next to or on the bridge. We would have seen it or been a part of it. I know I can't be selfish now... so I'm trying not to think, "Why not me??" I know I'm not the only person wondering this tonight.

I need to turn this question into praise to God, and prayers for the victims and the families. There are still people trapped under the rubble...

I drive over this bridge to work many days.
It could have been any of us who do. At any time.
It will be months before they know why it happened, and it will take forever before they rebuild that bridge.. a major vessel into the city. It was a huge, wide bridge. 65 feet about the water. There was a school bus of 60 children that went down. Can you IMAGINE being a parent???

This man's fiance received a phone call from a friend who was on the bridge:
http://www.kare11.com/video/player.aspx?aid=51335&sid=261140&bw=

"Seconds made a difference tonight."

In regards to the bus being at such a safe position, my mom said, "I think angels were pushing up that bridge so that it didn't tip."

The Star Tribune online(our local newspaper)headline says:
"7 dead, 35 injured, 20 missing after dozens of vehicles plummet into river."

Here are photos:
http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1338445.html

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Please pray for the victims and families of the bridge tragedy... What a scary thing to happen. I keep picturing it, happening before my eyes... And that's what it could have been... I will be doing some re-examining of my purpose in life... and I might need to drink a 2nd cup of Sleepytime tea before bed for awhile.
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