Rehearsal Dinner II

Rescued by Michael Spendlove.  He took these gorgeous, people-filled photos at the rehearsal dinner, just now discovered by me  What a cute couple--that Michael K. Flindt and Rebekah.

 Heidi at the buffet

 Michael K's and Rebekah's good friends, who introduced Michael K and Rebekah to each other.  They are "almost engaged" themselves.

 Rebekah's brother

 Ezra

 Grandpa David

 JoDee and Herb Flindt, Michael K's other grandparents

 Rebekah with her mother

 Kirsten and Alyssa

 Bryce

 Emilie

 Mia

 Lisa and Kyle

 Grandma Gretta, serving Camille's orange rolls

 Sophia

 Rebekah's dad with his brother

 Rebekah's mom with her sister-in-law

 Happy parents

 Annelise

 Mike and Heidi

 Michael and Rebekah playing the "shoe" game.  They lifted either their own shoe or their partner's to answer questions like "Who is the best at managing money?" and "Who is most romantic?"

 Lisa telling about Michael K

 Rebekah's mom telling about Rebekah

 Alyssa, Kirsten, Bryce, and Mia

 Herb and Spencer

 The Eberts

 Rebekah's dad telling about his daughter

 Happy mom

 Happy grandpa

Rehearsal Dinner

Sorry, folks.  I was in the kitchen, cooking the rehearsal dinner, on August 12, 2016, the day before Michael and Rebekah were married.  I delegated the picture-taking to a not-to-be named assistant.  The assistant started out right, getting photos of the food and beautiful tables and flowers.  He then got diverted.  The only people picture he took was of the youngsters--Mia and her buddies.  I love this group of grandchildren dearly, but I also wanted some shots of, say, Michael and Rebecca.  Oh, well.  The tables were beautiful and the food was good.  (And Michael and Rebekah were very cute and everyone had a great time).

Baked salmon, pork tenderloin, brown rice and bulgur casserole, fruit and green salads, and a table of cheesecakes and homemade sauces--who could want more?  Before dinner, we watched a video of Michael's and Rebecca's lives.  After dinner we heard Michael and Rebekah's parents tell stories about their children.  We then played a game in which Michael and Rebekah answered questions without seeing how their partner responded. ("Which of you fell in love first?"  "Which of you is the neatest and best organized?"  "Which has the best sense of humor?")  Before wandering off to bed, Michael's and Rebekah's immediate families gathered for Michael and Rebekah to receive father's blessings.

Shower of People, Love, and Gifts

 "I don't know if she's ever seen so many relatives together in one place at one time before," said Rebekah's mother at the wedding shower we held for Rebekah on August 10, 2016.  Rebekah comes from a family of two children. Her parents have few brothers and sisters, and Rebekah's family lives well-insulated, in Georgia, from the relatives they do have, far across the country in California and Arizona.  Rebekah's mother didn't have a wedding shower when she got married, and we all agreed that Rebekah should have one. 

The guests included Jenny and Heidi, Camille and Lisa with their daughters, JoDee Flindt with her two sisters, Rebekah's best friend Victoria, and Rebekah's mom and me.

 Lisa and Rebekah's mom have become good friends, as they have planned the wedding, wedding dinner, and two receptions, in Seattle and Georgia.

 JoDee's sisters made a special trip from Huntsville to attend the shower.

There were lots of good gifts, from crock pots to cookie sheets, but the most distinctive one was JoDee's laundry basket of the real essentials for keeping house, such as Ziploc bags.  Rebekah's good friend, Victoria, wrote down all the gifts.

 Heidi and Jenny have had time to talk, during Jenny's month-long visit to SLC, about the similarities between their husbands, born just 17 months apart.  "Really?  He does that, too?" they exclaimed.

Almost Made It

 Dave wanted to climb Mt. Timpanogas one more time before he died.  In early August, he took the hike with Michael and Heidi.  They summited, but Dave only made it as far as the meadows.  "Maybe if I was thinner," he said.  "Maybe next year."

 It was salt in the wound to meet Steve, running up the mountain as training for his Ironman races.  While it takes normal people eight hours to reach the top of Timp, it took Steve 3hours 45 minutes.

Ben Comes Home

 Ben Moreland, Dave's and my nephew, came home from his mission to the Philippines on August 9, 2016.  I was the Dave Spendlove family representative at the homecoming.  I have loved reading Ben's emails, filled with both spiritual insights and interesting details about the Philippines.

 There have been lots of changes in Ben's family since he left.  Baby Finn, son of Joshua and Ashley Moreland, wore a sign around his neck saying, "I've waited my whole life to meet you."  He was born while Ben was gone.

 Alan Dale was at the airport without Lindy, who left him while Ben was gone.

 And Ben's father, Vincent, kept a careful distance from family hugs and photos.  He and Janice divorced while Ben was gone.

Notwithstanding the painful changes, Ben gave his dad a warm hello and a big hug.  We will absorb these changes and more, and still love each other.

At Northcrest with Sam and Henry

Jenny, Sam, and Henry are spending the whole month of August with Jenny's parents, the Leathams.  Unfortunately, we haven't gotten to see them very much, since it has been crazy busy, hosting Flindt house guests and getting ready for Michael and Rebekah's wedding.  On Tuesday afternoon, August 6, 2016, I met Jenny at Northcrest for a swim with the boys.  Sam had his water wings and Henry had an elaborate floating device with its own umbrella to keep him from getting sunburned.  Jenny blew it up.

 I sat on the swimming pool steps, in my shorts, and got almost as wet as the rest of them.  Seeing an old lady in a swimsuit would have been too scarey for the grandkids!

 After our swim, we went to supper with Grandpa David at Paradise Bakery.

Hires with the Flindts

 Bryce and Alyssa visit us for two weeks every summer.  This year, they spent the last two weeks in and around SLC, but we didn't have as much time with them as we would have liked.  They spent several days with Camille's family in St. George, and then several days at the Flindt family reunion in Yellowstone.  Just before they flew home to Seattle, Dave and I took Alyssa and Bryce, Michael K and Rebekah to Hires.  We had burgers, shakes, and root beer floats--the best anywhere.