Alexis and B.J.'s Wedding

If you want to see professional pictures of the wedding, just go to www.mabryweddings.com and click on client login, then click on Sandstrom wedding. All you have to do is login as a guest and you can view them.

The big event of the season has been Alexis' wedding. She was the most beautiful bride I had ever seen. I just couldn't get over how beautiful my sister was. It was so much fun to celebrate with everyone and meet B.J.'s awesome family and be together with all of our extended family. Weddings are such a party!!!

Grandma Sandstrom was missed dearly the whole weekend. I just couldn't believe she wasn't there. Grandpa was not himself and looked lonely most of the time. Thank goodness for temple sealings and the plan of salvation. I was reminded again when we were attending Alexis and B.J.'s sealing, how blessed we are to have those ordinances and preisthood keys on the earth today. After the sealing, the sealer, B.J.'s grandpa, invited the mothers to congratulate them first, then the fathers, then the grandmothers. When he said that, everyone started bawling. We felt Grandma there, but it was hard not to have her there in the flesh congratulating them.

The whole day was beautiful. It has been pretty rainy and cold in Mesa lately, but that weekend cleared up and it was warm and sunny. We went to a luncheon at my parent's house after the wedding and had a little program. Grace stood up on a chair in front of everyone, proudly took the microphone and sang "I love to see the temple." Then when the song was over, she got mad because she couldn't sing another song. Like mother, like daughter.

I sang with my band again at the reception. I just love doing that. I'm so glad I have a band formed again. They are so talented. We got a babysitter from our ward to drive out to "Supersition Mountain" where the reception was held at about 8:00 p.m to pick up our girls. Weddings are hard for little kids and they were exhasted! We got to enjoy the rest of the evening - kid free. It was a great night.

I'm so glad Alexis married such a good guy and that she has joined the "married club." Now I just can't wait until she has babies!!!!

The next weekend I flew up to Colorado for Alexis and B.J.'s reception with my parents and Walker and Ashlyn. I probably shouldn't have gone becuase I was so sick, but I didn't want to miss it. I had a fun time with Walker and Ashlyn especially because Alexis and my parents were standing in the line during the reception. I bonded with my younger siblings. They kept saying "you're funny when you're sick." I had to keep reminding them that it wasn't because I was sick, it was because I wasn't trying to juggle two kids. They only see me as "mommy Erica." I told them - "this is me!" You just don't know "me" very well. It was fun to hang out with them and get to know them better. I came back more sick and more tired that when I left. Alan was a trooper and let me lay on the couch all weekend and recover.