As if we hadn't planned enough for our trip to Utah, we added Jessie's wedding to the weekend before we left. :) I guess "crazy busy" is just how we roll when we go home to Utah!
On Friday the 10th, Jeff and Jami and their kids got into town for the wedding. We spent Friday getting ready for the wedding, and Danny even managed to finish his final that morning. Our kids were so happy to see their cousins again!
We were up late Friday getting all the lunches ready, and figuring out what we needed to do in way of decorating the next morning. But finally, Jessie's big day came...
Jessie had decided to get married on my Mom's deck, and the weather was perfect. At 11 am, everyone took their places and waited for Jessie to come out.
Bishop Evans married Jessie and Devin for the duration of their mortal lives, surrounded by their families and closest friends. It was a simple ceremony, and the Bishop gave the new couple some valuable advice that will help them navigate the world of matrimony. We're happy for Jessie and Devin. However, we are hopeful that the day will come when they would choose to enter a temple of the Lord, and there be sealed for time and all eternity. We know that is the only way we can continue our family relationships beyond the grave, and we wish that happiness for Jessie and Devin. In the meantime, we're excited for them to start their life together as husband and wife!
Doesn't Mom's deck and yard look amazing? We were all beyond pleased with how it turned out. I mentioned that we were all up late the night before putting together the lunches. Thanks to a wedding that Jami attended, we had the idea to put together boxed lunches for each person. This was a fun project to do, plus helped us control the food budget a bit better. :) We ended up with adorable lunch boxes, decorated with Jessie's colors and flowers. Inside was a club sandwich, with lettuce and tomato on the side, a pickle spear, and a delicious chocolate-covered strawberry. We dipped the strawberries ourselves, and they were amazing! We served water bottles and soda in glass bottles from a washbasin filled with ice. It looked so cute!
Everyone was pleased with lunch, and spent some time mingling around the deck while we ate and took pictures.
Soon, the crowd dispersed. Danny and I headed back to his parent's house to get packed, since we were planning on leaving early the next morning. The kids needed naps as well. But after a few hours, we all reconvened at my Mom's to set up for the reception, which was planned for the cul-de-sac. Megan took care of Johnny for me so I could help with the set up. And Bowen helped out, too. What would I do without my amazing nieces and nephews? I just wish we lived closer!
Claire and Lily became really good friend when they came to our house in California in the spring. Claire was so excited to get to play with Lily again, and Lily is just amazing with Claire. When you consider there are 3 years between them, it's really awesome that they get along so well! Lily is exactly the kind of example we want Claire around. She's awesome!
About 40 minutes before the reception was supposed to start, things started falling apart for us. About an hour before, Sophie had wanted to lay down for a nap. She had slept while Danny and I got packed, so we were surprised she wanted another nap. But we had been running the kids ragged for two weeks, so I guess it wasn't all that surprising. Well, Sophie woke up from her nap and came out of Nick's room crying and covered in vomit. We took her temperature, and it was 103! Poor girl! Papa was coming to the reception to congratulate the newlyweds, so we decided that Danny and Sophie should go home with him and skip the reception. I stayed with Claire and Johnny.
It's really too bad that Danny and Sophie had to leave. Jeff was DJing the reception, and it was so much fun! In true Vigil fashion, it was the dance party of the year! The decorations turned out amazing, the desserts were fabulously delicious, and the music was pumping! Really, words can't do it justice. In this case, pictures do the trick. Enjoy!
We truly had a great time! We really missed Rachel, though. And as we partied and danced, I frequently had her dance across my mind. I could see her wavy hair and her big smile, and I even remembered her laugh and how her voice sounded. I'm not always able to remember those things. I know she was close to us that day, and I'm grateful for that.
Having Rachel on my mind reminded me that in the chaos that had been our trip thus far, I still hadn't made it to the cemetery. I really wanted our whole family to be there, and I wanted a picture of my kids next to Rachel's stone. But, with Sophie sick and us leaving for California the next morning, that wasn't going to happen. So Claire, Johnny, and I made a quick stop on our way home from the reception.
Johnny never met his Aunt Rachel in this life. He'll only grow up hearing about her. But trust me, he'll get to know how cool his Aunt Rachel was, and he'll be excited to see her again. As will the rest of our children.
Rachel's stone turned out perfect! I love the color, which is a granite called "twilight". We had the sunflowers surrounding the picture of the temple painted, and the company that made the stone will repaint the flowers every year or so to make sure the colors stay vibrant. I just loved how it turned out, and I'm sure Rachel would dig it.
My Mom chose the perfect words for the back. I love "Come Thou Fount", and it means even more to me now. I can't listen to this verse without tearing up.
The cemetery where Rachel is buried is beautiful, and we chose her plot carefully. Her headstone faces east, but when you're "talking" to her, you're facing west toward the Great Salt Lake. Going in the evenings is particularly beautiful, because of the sunset. I just missed the best time to take a picture, so this was the best shot. You get the idea.
I love my family. And I love Danny's family, too. We are so fortunate to have the priesthood restored on the earth, and temples where we can be sealed forever. The gospel is the ultimate source of truth and happiness, and I believe the only way to navigate the trials and adversity that are a part of this mortal test. I'm grateful for my testimony, and I know Danny is as well. It's times like this that remind us of all we have to be grateful for. And are we ever grateful!
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