Monday, August 21, 2017

Hello Again!

Hello Again!
Hello everyone! Today I have a little catch up post for y'all! The last few months since I've shared the news here about Caleb and I have brought on new challenges, not only the learning of all the ins and outs of being in a relationship, but just the joy of young adulthood in general. Like car maintenance. Blah. But also crazy AMAZING joys like meeting friends at a super special wedding over 2,000 miles away! 

The beautiful bride you see beaming above is our dear friend Luba. We've known her roughly 2.5 years. We actually met via the blog here and then Bekah and her became pen-pals for a short time. Then life got busy and we just began talking more through social media direct messages and her and I became pretty close. We'd of course wanted to meet up sometime, but with her living in Montana and us living all the way in Michigan, the chances were slim of that easily happening.

So, as girls do, we dreamed up how one day meeting could still somehow become a reality.

She has the most fabulously long blonde hair and so, with her knowing my love of hair styling, we always said if not beforehand, then we'd meetup for her wedding; I'd come for the event, but also style her hair for her special day.

And goodness, I can still hardly believe it, even when these pictures stare me back in the face that that "pipe dream" really did happen.

The Lord is really so amazing, is He not?!

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

Bekah and I traveled to California (where the wedding took place) a few days before to help with preparations. We made the desserts for the head table, tracked down flowers, made the bouquets and boutineers with Luba's dear friend Luda, ironed a slew of clothes and helped setup the reception venue along-side around 50 other people before the big day came around.

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

Luda was SO sweet. While the family was preoccupied with all the behind the scenes work, she took us to Old Sacramento the day after our arrival. Hurray for someone who was used to the crazy traffic there!

We went to the train museum which was super neat! Why don't they make things like they used to? Why?! 

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

These pics.... *insert dramatic crying emoji*

The wedding day rolled around and for most of us, the hubbub began at a very early 6am. I was also going to be doing the bridesmaids' hair along with anyone else who happened to be there first and as time would allow. After the most important lady was done of course: the bride.

Hello Again!
Hello Again!
Hello Again!

We'd taken the opportunity to try out the hair styles an evening before the wedding to see about timing everything accordingly etc. And wonderfully enough, the girls were actually done before the guys! This was a huge relief as the wedding was set for 11am and there were quite a few people to get ready!

The morning went SO well. We were all actually surprised how stress-free it was! Haha!

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

Both Luba and Tim's (Luba's then fiance) families immigrated here from Ukraine, so the ceremony was in Russian. It was really a neat experience to see both the similarities and differences between their traditions for weddings and our usual American ones.

I absolutely loved how the parents were each given the floor to pray over them and I may or may not have shed a tear or two while Mrs. Shokur (Luba's Mom) prayed. Even if it was in Russian. Haha!

The ceremony was beautiful and I felt so special to had been invited to their little audience of witnesses of family and friends. 

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

The reception was next, but there were a couple hours in-between to give some time for photos of the bridal party to be taken. So since all our transportation was reliant upon family of Tim and Luba's, we just hung out at the reception venue during that time. But what I haven't mentioned yet is that we got to meet TWO other dear web friends at the wedding as well! And those are the other dear faces you see in the group shots below and in the intro pic of this post.

Both of these girls (Hannah in the navy dress and Roxanne in the yellow) live in California as well, but a good drive each away from the area we were staying at, so the extra time we had with each-other the day of the wedding was a huge blessing as that was the only day we all were able to get together. We literally spent 10+ hours straight together and it was totally like we'd seen each other a hundred times before. We'd known these two girls just about as long as Luba, so I guess its no wonder! It was such an amazing day and I can't wait to see these girls again!

Hello Again!
Hello Again!

Roxanne shares my passion for creating, and though she had never sewn anything as extensive as a dress before, she leapt in and just look at her result! She made both her dress and head covering! We had such fun keeping each other up to date on our projects as we both worked away at our dresses the weeks prior to the occasion. And wouldn't you believe that we both went fabric shopping the same day and came back with almost the exact same yellow linen material? Yup, great minds y'all. ;)

Hello Again!
Hello Again!
Hello Again!

Tim and Luba were SO sweet in spending some time with us exploring the Golden Gate Bridge before dropping us off at the airport in San Fransisco. With all the wedding craziness the days prior, we'd not really gotten to spend much time with them beforehand! It was a lovely drive and SO amazing to see this place I'd otherwise only seen in pictures.

Hello Again!

And that leads me to the next little update on my life. Caleb and I recently celebrated 6 months of courtship and couldn't be happier. We're doing wonderfully. Thanking the Father for both the joys and trials we've shared these last months as surely they do both bring two people closer together.

And who doesn't like a good old 'then and now' pic? ;)

Hello Again!

I also have been working on something these past couple months that some of you who follow me via social media may have already seen glimpses of, but I'm super excited to be announcing it in full sometime this coming week here on the blog!

Many changes for my day to day life are ahead, and these next couple of months leading toward fall I'll be working on that transition. I was never one to enjoy change of any kind much, but this past year I've grown so much in my TRUST in the Lord that though they may, in hindsight not seem very appealing, if there has been anything I've grasped tightly to this year it is that His strength shows up even when we aren't expecting to feel anything but drained and weary.

How great He is and how wonderful it is to be able to say "The victory is the LORD'S"!!!

What has been something memorable for you this summer?
What is something you have learned this year that has brought you closer to the Father?

Many blessings to each of you,
Cassie


5 comments:

  1. Such a fun trip with so many awesome memories! I've met several friends in person whom I met through IG or my blog & it still amazes me how God brought our lives together. It's so neat + awesome to see how He works. :)

    Also, fun update on you + Caleb! Happy 6 months!! :)

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    1. That's wonderful! And yes! It really is so amazing!

      And thank you, Tashia!! So excited and happy for you and Nelson as well! I think we started courting a month a or so apart from each other!

      Blessings!
      Cassie

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  2. So exciting! I was SO happy to see that you're all back to blogging!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much!! I hope to be around again a bit more in the future. :)

      Hugs,
      Cassie

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  3. Aww, Cassie I love all the pictures of you all at the wedding! Roxanne, you did an amazing job!!! I love that you both match. :) May He grant that both of your creativity continues to flow and bless you both. And congratulations to your friends Luba and Tim!! <3

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