Laura with her James sisters

Amanda and Bob

Amanda and Sara

Amy

The Reception

The Head Table

The MC had the wedding party to play game to choose the best answer - Bride or Groom. Don't know what the question was - the final answer by everyone was - THE GROOM!! The MC then turned the tables and had Bob and Amanda sit back to back and the MC asked them choose the best answer - Bride or Groom. Plenty of laughter with everyone's responses.

The beautiful couple - Bob and Amanda getting ready to cut the cake.

Random Shots after the ceremony

Bridesmaid Sara with her husband John

Brad with his Uncle Peter (left) and Great Uncle Mark (right)

4 Generations!! - Morfar, daughter Char is holding her granddaughter Casendra. (Missing: Sara - Char's daughter and Casendra's mom)

Amanda with her daughter Ocean and her sister (matron of honour) Amy

Brothers Jon and Brad posing and warming up for their duet!! Amanda looked beautiful walking down the aisle with a son on each arm and then they gave their mom a hug. A precious moment.

Amanda's family waiting for the photographer to call them up - (Front to Back) - Char, Morfar, Casendra, Andy, Garron, Sara and Solomon.

Ocean with her Aunt Sara waiting in-between all the picture taking.

Sara with the girls - nieces Journey and Ocean while her daughter Casendra is hold her bouquet of flowers.

Amanda and Bob having a quiet moment. Sargent did wonderful - looking great beside Amanda. Solomen the ring bearer. His mom Amy took him to the store to pick out a Webkin to hold the rings. Despite having choices like a deer, moose, horse and chicken - Solomon's choice was this bright pink frog with hearts all over it. As Amy tells the story - Solomon made the perfect choice - Amanda likes frogs and she enjoys the children story - The Frog Prince. Today we celebrated Amanda marrying her Prince. Great choice Solomon!!!

Amanda and Bob with Sargent

Amanda and her family

(Back row: L to R) - Amy, Sara, Andy, Brad (he is behind Andy), Bob, Char, Jon J, Peter (he is behind Jon J) and Jon K
(Front row: L to R) Ocean, Amanda and Hazel (Bob's Mom)

Ocean, Char, Andy, Amanda, Bob, Morfar (Char's dad), Jon K and Brad

Amanda with her parents - Andy and Char

Amanda with her children (Jon, Brad and Ocean). Brad is catching 40 winks in-between the picture-taking.

A beautiful ceremony

Amanda's mom found a "Bride and Groom on a John Deere tractor" topper - how perfect!!

Introducing Bob and Amanda Sargent with the bridesmaids - sisters Amy and Sara and Amanda's daughter, Ocean. I love the brown and yellow contrasts. Everyone looked so beautiful in their dresses.

Here comes the Wedding Party - John Deere Style!!

Keeping with the theme of "John Deere" - Amanda and Bob arrive for family photos in a John Deere Truck. Thanks to Bob's Best man - they arrived safe and sound. Amy (matron of honour) is along for the ride too.

Sara and the another groomsman with Ethan and Sierra in the back.

Ocean (Amanda's daughter) arrives with Don (groomsman)

The Newlyweds - Bob and Amanda!!!

Getting ready for their John Deere Ride

While the photos were being taken - the kids enjoyed sitting on the John Deere ride. In the back are Journey and Casendra, while in the driver's seat its Ethan and his big sister Sierra is in the passenger seat. A couple of weeks ago, Sierra fell and broke her arm - she is such a trooper. Her family and friends decorated her cast with colourful signatures and sayings.

I heard a little voice, "Auntie Laura look how I make the wall sparkle with my shoes". Journey along with her cousin Sierra greeted everyone into the wonderfully decorated hall with a tube for blowing bubbles after the ceremony. Here is Ethan checking out how Journey's jewels on her shoes sparkle. Ethan and Journey did a great job pulling the white carpet down the aisle for their Aunt Amanda.

Journey wanted me to take a picture of her and her cousin Casendra. Casendra was the flower girl and she also brought Sargent (Bob's lassie dog) down the aisle too. Great pose Journey!! You both look beautiful in your dresses.

Casendra in her pretty pink dress

Food for Thought courtesy of Facebook

In the beginning, I was apprehensive in joining "Facebook" Social Network, but finally decided to join as that seems to be a great way to stay in touch with family and friends who don't tend to email you often. This past Spring, it was cool reconnecting with a dozen or so from my Grade 6 classmates from Sherbrooke School as well reconnecting with some former swimming teammates and coaches from my Thunder Bay Thunderbolts days.

This evening as I was viewing the "Status updates" from my FB friends page - there was a comment posted by a Rev. Mark Brown from Australia that made me sit back and reflect on the comment. His comment:

"Brokeness means we are ready for change. Lord, come take my pieces and make me what want."

I found it an interesting comment to read as I head back into my counselling sessions tomorrow to continue with my healing, strengthen and growing as I overcome my past troubles and challenges. It reminded me of Step 1 in Celebrate Recovery process - You are not in control - God is - give it up to Him.

I was sharing the other night with another friend - it has been quite a year already (almost 9 months since things "hit the fan") but there has been some amazing moments with my friend's children and her family that just makes you realize the preciousness of those around us. Now becoming more comfortable in my new temporary position as Coding Coordinator - I also feeling more confident in my own skill-set and what I can contribute as well what new doors and opportunities will open by expanding my comfort zone.

I know there are and will be things in my road to recovery that I cannot control and may never have a full resolve/closure - but through my counsellor I hope to put in place safeguards that when that issue comes up again, it does not affect me the same way as it did say last Fall. It is realistic to say, counselling may be needed for another year, which I am fine with, but to show myself that I am recovering/healing, remember to look back reflectively and see the "baby steps" I have made to move forward. The amazing thing - many "baby steps" can become a few "big steps" - now isn't that encouraging?

Thank you to my family and friends who are sharing this experience with me, providing a shoulder (or kleenex) and words of encouragement - but they are celebrating my joys and "break-throughs" - both means so much to me.