Mon.-Slept in after a good night's sleep. Had a test run on practicing what I preach regarding fretting. Didn't do so well, but everything worked out, and I wished I had trusted Him more, as always. Made whoopie pies, carrot cake, lemon pudding cake, and chocolate pudding cake for the weekend and froze them. Took Susan over to O'Brien's on the gator in the morning and she took many pictures. She is quite the photographer and gets down on the ground to get pictures of the underside of mushrooms, etc. Susan and I watched a chick flick in the eve. (Legally Blondes)
I am thankful for my steady husband.
I am thankful for truth and loyalty.
I am thankful for peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
I am thankful for the silver chalice and the cup of joy.
Tues.-Day at home to make bread, wash, visit chiro., tidy outside, clean house, take a walk, etc.
I am thankful that Freeman is so happy. I am thankful that although the trusses weren't the right size for the house Phil is building and he'll have to wait a day or two for the right ones, he then had time to do silage and he's been at it since noon. I am thankful that I am going to sit down with Susan with an ice pack on my neck and watch 'Monk' in 15 min. I am thankful for the way Michael's Cutco bread knife slices through my bread. I am thankful for the butterflies down at the river.
Wed.-Went out to Appomattox to pick up dry cleaning, go to Walmart, and take Susan to see Dr. Wright. She has some bug bites that got a staff infection. She's on internal and external antibiotics. Probably picked it up from swimming in the river after that heavy rain about 2 weeks ago. Went to Farmville to get our car window fixed. Betty G. picked Susan and I up and we spent some time in the church office. She took us back and then we met Mike and Kelli at Taco Bell and had supper together. Susan went to church and I went back to Walmart to finish shopping. The clouds were so beautiful when I left Walmart and I had a bit of time so I went to my favorite cemetery in town and sat on one of the benches and watched the sky for awhile. I thought, "Wouldn't now be a nice time for Him to come?" But then I figured that Alli and Freeman wouldn't be so keen on that so I squelched my hoping. Susan and I drove home through terrific winds and wild lightning. It was so prolific that she took a video of it on the way home. She was able to get some neat pictures too. We left everything in the trunk and ran in and decided to wait until morning to get the groceries in. Phil spent some time with Roger this eve. to get something together for the reception.
I am thankful for Walmart. I can't believe I just wrote that.
I am thankful for everyone's excitement for Freeman and Alli.
I am thankful for Lynney D. and Christy G. and for all the work they are doing for the rehearsal dinner and the reception. I am thankful for the way that makes me feel like we belong at New Life.
Thurs.-A bit stressed today, trying to pull the loose ends together on the rehearsal dinner, the lunch for the guys on Sat. and the meal for family and Pa friends at our place after the wedding. Want to be prepared but not be stressed about whether people come or not. Helen brought Bradley over for a few hours. He came down early with Mom and Dad and Janelle's two aunts who drove them. Took him back to Helen's when I took Susan to her Bachlorette party at the Bartows. Drove home in wild winds and rain. Got inside just before a terrific storm hit. Opened the front door and watched it from my chair but got scared enough to close it after a very loud thunderclap. We got almost 3 inches of rain. A number of branches broke off the walnut trees and the lane will need some work. Our new sweet corn crop was damaged and the stalks are broken right off at the bottom. The guys had their bachelor party tonight. Michael made pork tenderloin sandwiches and popcorn. Eoin Boyer joined them and Justin Weaver came later. They watched 'The Three Stooges' and retired to their beds at a decent hour.
I am thankful that I got alot of things crossed off my to-do list today. I am thankful that we had no building damage with the storm. I am thankful that Sampson is in a better place because this storm would have scared him to death.
Fri.-Rehearsal for wedding at 6. Lisa and Paul Hoff~~~~ served our rehearsal dinner. Thank you dear friends. We had a taco, tortilla, chef salad bar and bts chocolate pudding cake, bts lemon pudding cake, and carrot cake. Rehearsal went well. In bed by 11 but couldn't sleep. I don't think it's possible to go to sleep when one is too happy to stop smiling.
I am thankful for the way Worth dumped out the leftover petals at the end of his journey up the aisle. I am thankful for the adorable sweetness of Emma and Adi and the way they performed their job of scattering petals with all of their strength and joy. I am thankful that Alli is so dearly loved by her father and mother. I am thankful that a box of tissues was under my seat. I am thankful for the sense that God has a new hope to show the world how He loves His bride through the union of these two.
Sat.-Big Day! Up at 6. To church by 9 for Kelly F. to curl Susan's hair. I ran around putting the men's vests in the back room and getting their lunch in the fridge. Did some emergency sewing. We sprayed 'Pure seduction' perfume on our corsages because they smelled so awful. April said, 'Now the grandparents are going to be seducing each other.' It was funny and actually quite pure. Cierra took as many pictures as possible before the ceremony. It was overwhelming when family and friends began to show up. My brother, David, surprised me; I didn't know he was coming. I am afraid I may have gotten some weepy make-up on his white shirt. He travelled with my sister Rosalee and her husband Jim and their daughters, Annika and Katrina. They had stayed at David and Margaret's cabin in W.Va. on Fri. night. We all missed their son, Abie, and wished he was still with us. Clint came in the nursery with a video camera. He was making a movie for my mother and wanted some words from me. I still can't quite get over the kindness of this gesture. Now she will get to view some of the special moments of Freeman's wedding day.
Freeman and Alli waited to see each other until she came walking down the aisle. Pastor Rob, her father, had a tough time getting her down; not because she was unwilling, but because he knew only moments were left until he gave her to Freeman. I think her life was flashing before his eyes and he was treasuring the treasure holding onto his arm. He had all of us crying, I am 90 % sure of that. Freeman was glowing and completely at ease. Gil preached an excellent sermon and shared some excerpts from letters they had written to each other that were saved for this special time. Gil and Lindsay have been their counselors and I wish every couple could have that gift of time with them before they get married. Freeman and Alli heard a good sermon, said "I do", exchanged rings, lit the unity candle, shared communion and a kiss, and were pronounced as "Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Ray Hertzler" all within 30 min. of time. When the last song started, they came out the aisle dancing. It was great. Michael and Kelli came out last and she did a cool little jig as they went out while Michael grinned. Lisa and I flanked Pastor Rob and I have heard that people thought that was funny. Maybe we should have danced to make it funnier. We set up a receiving line and about 50 % of the time, I was introducing a relative to PR and Lisa. We took more pictures and then raced to the reception where people had been patiently waiting for quite some time. The ladies of the church had made a beautiful display of finger food-chicken wings, cucumber sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, meatballs, ham biscuits, cupcakes and ice cream. Lynney D. has done so much to help us at the reception and at the wedding. I saw Nanette, Catherine, Amy, Debbie, Lynney, Christi, Dianna, and I am sure there were others in the kitchen. Thank you, thank you, Thank you! Freeman and Alli had their first dance-"She's got a way about her..." I have to get that CD. That song makes me want to be a more understanding wife, a more feminine woman, and an all around better person. PR and Alli had a dance and it was bittersweet. (Judy told me later that she's never cried so much at a wedding or enjoyed one so much.) Freeman asked me to dance as well during the later part of the same song. During the open mike segment, the Hertzler family got up and sang 'Love at Home.' Phil's aunts and uncles sang that at our wedding. Phil, all his brothers and Anne, sang 'Forever Young' in their fun silly way. I wasn't sure if the Virginia folks knew that they were trying to do the crazy things they were doing, or if they thought they didn't know when to come in with the words. As Phil was gathering his brothers together, little Micah came up, and Mom started to cry. He came to stand in and represent his daddy, John. It was a joyful sorrow. Phil also sang 'He is now to be among you...' as Roger played. Billy Balmer shared a nice toast, saying something like, 'If Freeman is as good of a husband to Alli as he's been a friend to me, then you will be very happy, Alli.'
Soon family and friends needed to leave. Gifts were loaded. Good-byes were said. Michael and Philip tried to get back to our home as soon as they could to welcome Freeman's friends and other friends and family who came to our house for an 'after party.' Lindsay came too and set up food and took care of everything for me until we could get here. We had standing room only but after awhile, people spread out in groups. Freeman's school friends sat around the table and caught up with each other and smiled at each others babies. The cousins and other young folk all went fishing. We women folk sat on the porch and later went for a gator ride to see my chapel and the river. Phil and his buddies went for a hike. They wanted to write 'Sugar Shack' on my chapel with spray paint. Funny guys. For Freeman's sake, I want to list everyone who came: Justin, Elisabeth, Daniel, and Joey Weaver; Kevin and Megan Gascho; Ryan, Michael, Elisabeth, and Mark Petersheim; Billy, Rebecca, Nathan, and Joanna Balmer; Kel Zook; Gary Stutzman; Russ and Teri, Uncle Tom, Aunt Helen, Michelle, Meredith, Bethany, Tommy, Abby and Serena, Uncle Paul, Aunt Linda, Karalee, Katie, and Jeff, Mabe and Naomi, Gil, Lindsay, Emma, and Adi, Christi and Whitney, Janelle and Micah, and with the 5 of us, that made 45, and I was glad that I had decided to have people come here afterwards. Everyone left by 9:30 and I took a long hot bath and read a children's book about a boy who survived an air plane crash in the wilderness and survived for 6 months until help came. Didn't sleep again because all I could hear was the song, 'She's got a way about her...' Again, I couldn't stop smiling. Sorrow can keep one awake, but sheer joy can too.
Today's highlights:
I am thankful that the best man, Eoin B., had a baby and couldn't come. That's not why I am thankful though. I'm thankful that Freeman had a back up plan and his name is Kevin Gascho. Billy became best man and Kevin took Billy's spot. Hurray for Kevin!
I am thankful that my brother David, came to the wedding.
I am thankful that my sister, Rosalee and her family, were happy for us, even as they sorrowed their loss of a day like this for their son and brother.
I am thankful that little Worth gave his daddy a wink, as he walked Emma and Adi down the aisle.
I am thankful that God came down with His joy and affirmation during the wedding.
I am thankful that 99.9% of all the Hertzler's came down to the wedding-some in a 15 passenger van-coming down and going back up all in the same day. What an effort that was! (Paul's flew.)
I am thankful that other dear friends from Pa. made the trip down to be with us.
I am thankful for our church family and the way they cared for their pastor and his family and our family and how they did it with such grace.
I am thankful for the way David stood up and began to remove the items from his pocket when he saw me stand up and make my way over to him with Adi in my arms. She relaxed in his arms for awhile and gave him a short taste of her sweetness.
I am thankful that when Phil wanted to take his brother Paul, on a gator ride, Emma and Adi wanted to go along. I can still see Emma holding Phil's hand and Adi latching on to Paul's hand, as they walked across the lawn. They were gone for quite awhile. Emma 'drove' and Adi sat on Paul's lap.
I am thankful for my husband's handsomeness. I like the way he looks in his black and white wedding attire with his dark tan and hair that is starting to turn silver around the temples.
I am thankful that Phil is the most objective man I know, and Freeman is the most comforting (and probably happiest right about now) man I know, and Philip is the kindest man I know, and Michael is the wisest man I know, and Susan is the most beautiful and practical young woman I know. My favorite people are my family and now I have one more to add. Alli is the most cherished woman I know, and no wonder, because she is so precious.
Sun.-Awaking hymn-'She's got a waaayyyy about her..' Now that's a great worship song. I love it. My new favorite. I have to learn the rest of the words. I keep singing the first line over and over. Took our time this morn. waking up and skipped S.S. Met Russ and Teri at church. Stephanie T. led worship and Pastor Alvin L. preached. I could really relate to what he spoke about. Sometimes, God does things differently than we think He should. Can we surrender to Him and worship Him and trust His time table? Can we maintain our faith when He doesn't answer the way we want Him to? God is more desperate for us than we are for Him. But it's our desperation for Him that helps us reach out for Him and He is more interested in keeping us close to Him than He is in making everything perfect for us. We want Him to heal us and He wants to raise us from the dead. (Jarius and his daughter.) (I'm not looking at my notes, but that is what I came away with.) (George McDonald said that if there is in us, a God shaped vacuum that only He can fill, it stands to reason, that there is in God, an 'us-shaped' vacuum, that only we can fill.) He is desperate for us to fill that hole in His heart. I loved, loved, loved, that there was time after the service to talk with people and be 'family.' Fellowshipping with each other is a key ingredient to true worship. Russ and Teri treated us to Shoney's after church. Christi met us there and she and Philip rented a movie and came back to watch it here. On the table was a note from Freeman. They had stopped to pick up his car and he said they could return the vests. There was a thank you note from Alli for the shower gifts. I'm sorry we missed them. Phil, Susan, and I watched a 007 movie and ate leftovers all afternoon. We are all too tired to move or do much of anything. Michael left church around 12:15 to go to Fairfax. He is one of the top 10 Cutco salesmen in Va. He sold over $10,000 worth of Cutco in 3 weeks. He was taken out to eat at a fine restaurant. He had some deep fried squid and beef, etc. The top guy took out his credit card and paid the bill of $1,000 for 13 people. Then they were taken in a white escalade limosine ride all around Washington D.C. They went on a hiking tour and he saw the capital, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the mall, the water that reflected its surroundings so clearly. It was his first time in D.C. (He just called at 9:45 and will get home in 3 hours and didn't want us to worry or wait up. He had a wonderful day.) I always think of a line from the poem 'IF' regarding Michael..."If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue...or walk with kings nor lose the common touch...yours is the world and everything that's in it...and which is more, you'll be a man, my son."
I am thankful, that when I went to God yesterday, with a worry that wanted to attach itself to me, that I think He said something like, "Did I tell you to fret about that? Because I don't remember telling you to fret about that. If I want you to fret about something, I"ll let you know." It was pretty cool. I am thankful for the presence of God that was so evident during our time of waiting before Him in quietness during our service this morning. I am thankful that God was present to restore people today-to Himself and to each other.
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