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Michael's Magnificent Marriage
March 8 , 2009
Hello my friends! As always, time is of the essence, so won't babble too much here. Was a great trip to Massachusetts, and although most of you have probably seen plenty of photos on facebook, I assure you that you ain't seen any of these beauties (cause obviously I take the best pictures ever). Kudos to Josiah E. and others who snapped a bunch for me! Muchas gracias.
Oh, and I turn 27 today. That is so old! I belong in a museum.
And here we go ...
23 hour drive? No sweat! So we drop off our Explorer in St. Louis in exchange for a rental car .... but run into a few problems of a nasal nature. The stinking car smells like stinking smoke (finally an appropriate use for the word). So I ask for another one, and it too smells like smoke ... but not as bad. So like we still have 20 hours ahead of us and don' t want to waste anymore time, so we just take it and go. You'll notice the napkin stuffed into the front vent there. Meliss came up with the brilliant idea of dousing a napkin in essential oils and using it as a type of fumigator thing. Actually worked! Didn't need deodorant the entire two days!
Hi. We just stopped to go pee.
So I miss my off-ramp that's supposed to drive us around New York City, taking us instead right through it.
Washington bridge. People honking and screaming. Definitely not a place for two cute innocent Feelers.
Praise God, we arrive safe and sound! Good to see you two lovebirds again.
The rehearsal. What a beautiful church.
My main man. You're growing like a zi ... a leaf.
Fair maidens on the balcony.
Rehearsing the waltz to "So She Dances" by Josh Groban (for the reception). Michael and Rebekah began while four other couples eventually joined in what was a most elegant and wonderfully performed display of precision and dance eloquence of the highest caliber.
Amanda and Josh.
Melanie and Josh Groban ... I mean Matthew.
Lydia and Jon.
Him and her.
Amanda and Chris Yokel practicing a beautiful song called (I believe) "So You Are To Me," sung during the ceremony. A beautiful job.
Time for the rehearsal dinner back on Homestead Avenue. Nothing like the traditional cramming tons of people into a confined space that I've come to love as a newly integrated Thomas family member.
Wendy Darling.
Uh oh. They're not watching old family slides are they? Yeah, that's exactly what they're doing. Sat there for like an hour desperately trying to stay awake.
"Oh, Michael playing the drums with a bowl on his head! That's soooo cute! Let's watch it again!!! "
Dear Ma and Pa. Love you!!!
We now interrupt this blogcast to bring you a totally random picture of Micaiah playing the piano while wearing his hoodie and white sunglasses.
Don't get your copy today.
Be Bold ... Be Yourself ... Buy Bradwear.
I guess Micaiah was feeling a little out of place while cooking with Anna and Amanda. Definite improvement.
"Listen, Micaiah, all the guys are here ... I think you should change now."
Had a lovely get-together at the Axbergs Friday night with friends and family. Apparently Mr. Polcinsky wasn't looking for a photo (sorry, probably butchered your last name!).
Sarah Hutchins.
Her grace, Lady Tai.
Her obnoxious, Melanie.
What do you do when you find two crazed ENTPs stealing cookies? You just turn around, and walk away.
Marscel and Ben.
~ The Wedding ~
Told ya you'd find pics on my blog that you wouldn't find anywhere else! It's Saturday morning and the big day has arrived! Special thanks to Niednagel.com's patented filtration system!
I'm selling these to GQ for some major cashola.
Good ol' Chris.
"You look pretty good." - "Thanks, so do you ... I guess."
So like I have to do everybody's tie cause they're all a bunch of homeschoolers who never learned how.
Ok, I'm really sorry for posting these. May want to grab a paper bag before the next pic.
I warned you.
Dude, I am so ready!
Guys, let's just take a moment to put things into their proper perspective.
Thanks, Kip. (don't worry, we prayed and had our serious time too :-)
Mr. Andrews! So glad to finally meet you! What a great guy (he officiated the wedding).
We're now at the church and the ladies have just arrived. You look smashing, Bekah dear.
Ello, sista!
Lydia and Dillon. But where's my honey bunches?
There she is! Got compliments all day saying how well she "wore" her pregnancy.
All that formal jazz.
Love the shots where someone else's flash gives you better lighting.
The wedding party.
Everyone was just showing their socks ... so I thought I'd do a little karate kid.
Mike and the girls.
Cute.
Now that's a woman!
Raise the roof!
Love it, Aidan. (left)
From the sky.
Meliss got some really great shots after everybody left. Lighting was perfect.
And now Bekah looks.
Enough slop. Let's go get married.
It's almost time!
Not sure what's happening here.
What a beautiful shot of a beautiful ceremony. I love weddings!
Somewhere off in space ... waiting for those five magical words.
"You may now kiss the bride."
The ceremony's over and it's now time for the wedding party to formally greet all 400 and something guests. Oh my word. That hour and a half was like a total blur.
Matthew's smile is now officially plastered, while Michael teeters like a puppet, hanging on for dear life.
Still alive and well!
"I can't shake another hand!!!"
I've got my girl! Let's get it on!
The waltz they so diligently rehearsed. Flawless.
They look so vintage 1940s/50s. Bekah looks like someone straight out of Titanic. (yeah, I know Titanic was earlier.)
The rest join in.
Course I can dance. Felt so cool wearing that outfit and hat (even if I looked like a goober).
Cutting the cake.
Love the expressions.
Mrs. Leuken snaps a photo.
Ma gets down with Uncle Butch. Yeah baby!
The just married, and the newly married.
"I don't like the way that guy looked at you."
"So like my camera at home has a 500x optical zoom and ... are you even listening to me?"
Farewell! Let us know where you're staying!
Back on homestead avenue the day after. Here we have Miriam, Gabe, and Joel Petrowsky from Prince Edward Island in Canada with, of course, Ma (everybody knows Ma).
Man could they play (you too, Jeff).
Umm ... I'll leave this caption up to you, Amanda.
A final photo together.
Sweet sisters.
Sweet lovers, and a baby on the way. So exciting.
Well, that's it! What a wonderful wedding, and praise the Lord for his journeying mercies. Thanks so much for stopping by! Lord bless you.
