Emily Anne's Wedding

What does every 3 week postpartum mom want to do??? Squeeze her oversized self into a VERY form fitting bridesmaids dress and have a 1000 pictures taken OF COURSE!!! :)

This past weekend I went to Little rock for all of 36 hours to be in one of my very best friend's wedding. Had it been anyone else who asked me to put on a bridesmaids dress and leave my newborn so soon after giving birth I probably would have said NO. But it was emily anne who has been my friend since we were 12 years old and met at church camp, became fast friends and pen pals, went to visit each other twice a year while she grew up in arkansas and I in texas. We went on each other's family vacations and we were supposed to room together at Harding freshman year but I backed out at the last minute and went to OC but then we did eventually live together when I transferred to Harding after sophomore year and we travelled the world together in our semester abroad. Yep me and this girl have a looooong history together and so 3 weeks postpartum or not, I had to go and be a part of her big day!!!

I arrived Friday night just in time for the rehearsal and dinner. Then we had a fun relaxing night hanging out in the Bridal suite at the peabody hotel playing bachelorette games and talking till the wee hours of the morning. Not exactly a restful night away from my kiddos but fun nonetheless. Saturday morning we were up with the sun to go get all beautified for the wedding and to start taking pictures. The wedding was at 4pm.

Her wedding was beautiful but simple. (just like emily anne!) It was at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, AR and the room the wedding was held in was all glass and a stunning location all by itself. I don't have any pictures of the wedding itself, my huge camera wouldn't fit into my already overstuffed dress :) I'm sure I'll get some from the photographer later.

Myself & the bride. She was gorgeous! These are the types of fatty pics I usually delete of myself. If you delete them it's like it never happened right?? I'm resisting the temptation to delete the pics of me at this wedding.

Getting ready with her mom. They had some very special moments we got to be a part of before her walk down the aisle.

And then killing time before the wedding while emily anne was getting her picture taken. The bridesmaids and I did some wandering around...

The oval office. That's pretty typical at most weddings right??

Like I said no pics of the wedding...

After Mr. & Mrs. Thomason said their I do's! The bridesmaids waiting to enter the reception. Note, these other girls are wearing this dress how it's meant to look.

The bridal portrait entering the reception

The guest book which was so cute, it had all their engagement pictures in it.

The cake

(which emily anne's mom MADE! I'm impressed)

The couples first dance as husband & wife.

Dancing it up.

The reception was held downstairs at this big open room that opened onto the patio which was then under the bridge. It was really neat.

Reception

And outside looking back at the clinton library. It's kind of a funny looking building from the outside but really pretty on the inside.

Leaving in a yellow cab

Congratulations Josh & Emily Anne. It was such a beautiful day and I'm so glad I could be a part of it!

After everyone had left and the bridesmaids had done their part cleaning up and whatnot I went back to the peabody hotel to spend another night all by myself. Unfortunately Little Rock airport shuts down at 8pm and the last flights out of there are around 7pm and I didn't think I would be able to make that when I booked my flight so I opted for the best alternative, to leave bright and early sunday morning. The other bridesmaids lived close enough that they headed home after the wedding, but I got another night in a hotel...alllllll by myself...

Trying to capture my alone time in the hotel...didn't work!

This is what I learned....I no longer know how to spend time doing nothing and all by myself, with no one needing me. It was strange. I called and texted a bunch. I tried to talk to ben on the phone for a while but he was too busy handling 2 kids to chat (go figure!) I thought about renting one of those movies on pay perview but they were 15.99 each!!! Are ya kidding me? People have to be super bored in their hotel room to go for that! Sooo I read a little bit of a book and then I went to sleep early. I got a great night's rest and came home bright and early to my family. The book has not been re-opened since I've been home :)

I have now begun operation SLIM DOWN and that dress will not be seen on my body again until at least 15 lbs. have been removed!