A Phone Call Brings A Sister!

On Wednesday morning around 11am my father called me at school. I returned his call and discovered that my little brother was going to get married in Mesa, Arizona, this weekend! Ashley and Joel were planning a wedding for a year from now, but things were getting out-of-control and they were not planning the wedding they really wanted to have. So a quick change in plans resulted in a fairytale!

The biggest problem in all of this was the lack of passports for Jay and I. My parents, her parents, and the bride and groom were already in Mesa for their vacation. Jay and I just needed to get there. With a lot of help from great friends (Sheri, Lorna, Stephanie, and Mark) we got our passports in just over 24 hours! I didn't even know it was possible! Dad booked our flights, and we arrived here at 3:00pm on Saturday afternoon! Of course it was a little crazy on Wednesday because I couldn't get in touch with Jay (who had a surprise meeting). Dad booked our tickets without Jay even knowing about it! It all worked out, and we made it!

I quickly got ready for the wedding (I found a little brown dress in Sears on Wednesday night) and we were off to the wedding location. I could not believe the location of this event! WOW! It was a castle! AMAZINGLY beautiful. Pictures won't do it justice but here are some anyways:

The Reception

The cemony

They planned the entire thing in three days! The dress, the flowers, the rings, the entire thing! They wouldn't have had a more perfect wedding if they planned it in 3 years!

Here they are getting married! I was upgraded to Maid-of-Honor becasue Mel couldn't be here, my dad was the best man. There were 12 guests there to honor this wonderful marriage Ashley's parents, my parents, Jay and I, Ashely's sister and three kids, and my aunt and uncle)!

The food was AMAZING! I don't think have ever had a meal as good as this dinner!

Stonebridge Manor did an amazing job of pulling it all together. They even had a cake for the reception!

I have always wanted a sister! I never imagined I would get such a great one! Isn't she beautiful!

So after the tears (I didn't think I could be there at first), the excitment, and the whirlwind, it was a great wedding! I was so glad to be there and be a part of my brothers wonderful day!

The people at the condo complex that my parents live in put on a reception at the pool when we got back.

We are still in Mesa. Today we are enjoying wearing shorts and doing some shopping! It is nice to finally see the condo my parents bought last year. When they talk about it I now know why they like it here so much! My aunt and uncle have a condo in the same complex and have let us sleep in their spare room (Joel and Ash are in my parents spare room tonight). We head home tomorrow; I like being warm so I wish we were staying a little longer!