Nathan and Janessa's Wedding

I am SO happy that Nathan and Janessa are finally married (after dating, breaking up, dating, being engaged, etc.)  It is funny, I have actually always been worried--maybe worried isn't the right word--about the person that each of my brothers will end up with.  I am not sure why, but it has always just been something on my mind.  That being said, I could not be any happier that Nathan chose Janessa.  She is perfect for him and perfect for our family.  I am beyond thrilled to have an older sister!

The wedding events were fabulous.  We started the events off with a family dinner in Pomona the night before.  There was mingling, food, speeches and it was all perfect (despite the awful traffic we got stuck in on the way--but that seems to have been a theme that weekend). My family all headed back to LA for the night so we could be close to the temple for the sealing the next morning.  Lindsey, Andrew and Brad's girlfriend Alissa stayed at our apartment and the others got a hotel room.  We all met up at the temple the next morning for the sealing.  The three who stayed at our place stayed outside with Hudson so Colby and I could attend the sealing ceremony.  It was a beautiful ceremony, performed by Nathan's past mission president who is in the LA temple presidency.  That was really neat.  Great words of wisdom were shared that were great for me to hear as well. Photos followed the ceremony and then we went back to our apartment, changed and got ready to head to Hemet for the reception.

We left around 1:40 to help set up for the 6:00 reception, and 6 miles away, 50 minutes after leaving (remember--horrible traffic), Colby realized he left his suit hanging behind the door in our apartment.  I thought, and hoped, he was joking, but that unfortunately wasn't the case.  We slowly drove back in more traffic to get it. We thankfully saw notification that the 60 freeway was closed when we were 1/4 mile from our last real opportunity to take an alternate route.  I told Colby we had to exit NOW and he looked at me like I was crazy, but also saw how serious I was.  I was already so worried that we were going to miss family and bridal party photos.  He crossed the double yellow lines of carpool and went across 4 lanes of traffic (we were only honked at by one car!!) to the 57 interchange and we made it up to the 10.  It was smooth sailing from there.  We arrived at 5:45, about 4 hours after leaving.  We have made that same trip in less than 2 before.  Needless to say, Hudson wasn't a happy camper being in his carseat that whole time.

Back to the wedding. The reception was beautiful!  The details were thought out and everything came together so nicely.  The evening was a little chilly, but not unbearable.  My favorite thing though was seeing how happy Nathan and Janessa were.  They were seriously beaming from the moment they walked out of the temple.  It was a contrast to the night before when there were still visually happy, but probably a little nervous about the biggest decision of their lives they were solidifying the next day.  I think most of us know that feeling.  But, once the ceremony happened, you could tell they both knew they made not only the most important decision, but the best decision! They were both smiling ear to ear.

I didn't take any photos at the reception, but got several at the dinner and after the sealing.  Thankfully Alissa grabbed my camera while the photographer was taking family and bridal party shots, so I have some good ones from there.

Wedding Dinner at Pomona Mining Company:

Mom shares some thoughts--

Michael and Mitch--

Temple Pictures: