Flower Girls

Rehearsal Pictures

Just a few favorite pics from the rehearsal...

The men


I have to smile whenever I see this picture... Sit. Stay. Just like that. Though, I'm not sure where flower girl #5 is.


There were lots of smiles...


Especially when it was finally time to sit down and eat!!!

Little Girls Rehearsing

First you drop them...


Okay... now pick them up...


...Now we're going to do it again...

They had so much fun practicing! We just had to clarify for them frequently that tomorrow they were not to pick up the flowers on their way out... :-)


Ready and waiting.

Josh & Abbey

Since Josh & Abbey happen to be the subject of recent discussion on this blog, and since little else blog worthy is happening around here today (so far, anyway) I thought now might be a good time to post a few of the 1000+ pictures from their wedding! Here are the first few...

Oh, what a beautiful morning!


Bridesmaids


Groom and men


Here comes the bride...


Vows


Married!


I love this picture!


J&A - with the cutest people around that day!



Oh, what a beautiful day!

Coming in January...

Coming in January of 2009:
A formal introduction of Erber grandbaby #7.

Congrats, Josh & Abbey!

Weekend Busyness

Working with Resounding Voice (in Michigan)


Performing in a chamber ensemble for a missions benefit concert (Daniel Ziesemer, soloist; Jacob Bernhardt, conductor)


Mother/Daughter brunch (Mom, Jeanine, Jessica, guest speakers; Raeanne Carlson, guest musician; Joanna, Corrine, Camille, along for the ride!)



Studying...
...and performing:

(Rock Valley College Choirs, DeKalb Festival Chorus, Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Final Travels

Saturday morning we left the Lautenschlager home for our final day of traveling. Just east of the Lautenschlagers we took a brief detour to drive through the South Dakota Badlands. Of course, we had to get out and climb around a bit... but somehow didn't get any pictures when we were outside of the van.

Actually, I think someone might have gotten a couple of pictures on their phone, but I don't have those here. We could have spent all day there, but time continued to pass, and we weren't getting any closer to home...

Of course, we all had to remember the last time we were here, when our last family photo (before any of us kids were married off) was taken:

...back in October of 2002! We didn't take the time to try to find the exact spot that the picture was taken, but we did discuss where we thought it was. Based on that brief discussion, it may have taken us awhile to find and agree on the exact spot anyway! But we do have that picture around still - and even if it was windy and we look as if we had just spent all day traveling (which, of course, we had), it is still a favorite family photo and is framed in a place of honor in our living room.

After that stop, the compass really didn't change much. We headed SE on Route 90 for several long hours and at the time we crossed back into our dear old home state of Illinois - most of us were fast asleep! It was 3:17am CST, according to the clock in the van, when we at last pulled onto our gravel driveway and saw "home" once again.

In the headlights we saw that the trees and grass were considerably greener than when we had left time (at which point they hadn't been green at all). As we walked onto the deck we heard a high pitched mewing that indicated our suspicions (that our cat would have kittens while we were gone) had proved correct. Walking through the doors, even - or perhaps especially - at that hour, I realized again what a lovely home we have been blessed with...

Final Stop: the Lautenschlagers

Our final stop on our journey homeward was in South Dakota at the Lautenschlager home.

The L family had visited us over Liberty Day and contributed greatly to the day's events and we enjoyed the opportunity to return the favor by invading their home.

Some hardly made it in the door before they were back out again!

They had dinner ready for us shortly after our arrival, and then we all loaded up into a couple of vehicles and headed over to Mt. Rushmore.

Most of us had been there before, but some hadn't - and we hadn't had a personal tour of the landmark before.

If any of you are ever out in that area and want to visit Rushmore, be sure to give Zach L a call and set up a tour!

Along the way, we stopped at this museum where Zach told us about Mr. Borglum (the sculptor) and his son. (The figures in the sculpture above).

Our family at the mountain where we had a family photo taken years ago...

... and all of us there!

We also came across a cowboy just hanging out there... actually, we came around a corner and all our guys were lined up leaning on the pillars.

But the evening wasn't over. After making our way back to their home, there was dessert and fun...

...and lots of laughter! Lots.

It's always fun to visit with friends again - old and new. Amy L is an old friend (from about 20 years before she became an "L") - and since her marriage we've gotten to know and enjoy the rest of the family! Thanks, Lautenschlagers, for hosting us!