Dad and Kim: Married!

I am very happy to announce that Dad and his girl friend got engaged on Easter Sunday AND got married just two weeks ago! We love Kim and are so excited for them.

After a year or so, seeing my dad on his own and knowing him, I really started praying that God would be with him, and if it was His will, that dad would find someone to talk to, a companion or friend to spend time with him as all of us kids started growing older. Through each stage over the last few years since Mom passed away, there have been people who have walked by my dad and even appeared out of no where to show him love.  It's been a long rough road.

I really cannot imagine losing Bryce, let alone losing him after 30+ years of being his wife. I truly don't believe anybody can come close to grasping the suffering in that unless they have dealt with it personally.

About a year and a half ago, through friends, dad met a very sweet woman named Kim. It was actually through a "gourmet dinner club" in Winston Salem. She's a dental hygienist in Winston. She has two super sweet daughters, one just graduated from UNCC and the other is married with an adorable little baby girl in Greensboro, NC.

He started getting to know Kim and found out that her husband had died years ago from cancer. With this in common, their relationship was automatically easier and closer. The beauty of this shared hardship is that neither of them want to forget their first marriage or take down pictures or anything like that.  I think they can connect on a deeper level with their experience.

It has been so sweet to see the joy that Kim brings to my Dad's life and the love they share.  I just really feel that God knew what they needed, when they needed it, and led them to each other.

Around New Year's Eve visiting Blacksburg

And here are some pictures of the wedding a couple weeks ago at the Graylyn in Winston Salem.  It was beautiful!  We had a great time.  

Getting our nails done on Friday

Hanging out on Friday before the BBQ

BBQ at Dad's house on Friday night;
Aunt Jayne, Uncle David, Uncle Noel, Aunt Judy, and Amy

Laura's baby Ellerie with Emily

The bride on Saturday morning

Getting our hair done

Abby being a big girl

Girl time! 

Dining room 

Before the ceremony

The ceremony was pretty emotional, both sad and happy at the same time.   Pastor Don from Westover, our church in Greensboro, married them and had a lot of wisdom and sweet words to share.  He made a point about two families joining together and when he asked who gives this bride and groom to be married, all of us kids said, "We do."  There were around 40 people there, mainly family and just a few very close friends. 

One big family now!

Cutting the cake with a hunting knife (of course)

It was such a fun weekend.  I finally got to meet Laura, Kim's older daughter, her husband, David, and Ellerie, her baby.  I feel like it was the first time all of us kids really got to spend some time together.  I think Christmas this year will be really fun with all of us at home. 

Kim and her two daughters (Laura on left, Amanda on right)

It was also very hot.  I felt SO pregnant all day.  I think I was the first to cry and it wasn't the pretty a-few-tears-drop kind of cry.  It was a blow-your-nose and puffy-eyes kind of cry up front during the ceremony.  Good thing Aunt Judy could hand me tissues from the front row haha.  Plus it was 104 degrees that day and I was sweating (even though the wedding was inside).

Dancing with Uncle Bryce

Let me just mention that Abby was the flower girl--her first time ever being a flower girl.  She was ADORABLE.  She loved every minute of it.  She got her nails done with us, we curled her hair all fancy like ours, she wore a dress that she could twirl and dance in, and she was the life of the party on the dance floor.  After about an hour or so of dancing, people started slowing down, but she was in the middle of the dance floor, running, twirling, jumping, and doing her impression of the robot.  We all just sat there and marveled at her unending energy.  Well, it did end on the car ride home.  She was so funny.  

Twirling before the ceremony