Terri Mom (that's what I call Dan's mom) and her sisters, Aunt Judy and Aunt Kandi, as well as Dan's cousins Kourtney and Kaleigh and Uncle Willy and Grandma Wilson all pulled together to throw Dan and I a Kansas reception for friends, family, and neighbors who adore Dan and were, apparently, curious to meet me. It was fantastic.
The reception was at the church that Dan went to growing-up and man was I envious of the building. It had a massive gymnasium and huge kitchen - so helpful for hosting events and putting on ministry activities. Wish Crossroads had a place like that...sigh.
Anyways, when Dan and I got there several hours before the reception to help with prepping stuff we walked into the place fully decorated. It was amazing. Kaleigh and Kourtney had done all the creating and displaying and it all matched the wedding colors so perfectly. The table runners were so perfect and just so happened to be in the closet at the church. Serendipity! They reused all the decorations Mandy made from the wedding including the felt poms and mason jar votives. Super cute.
There were two huge sheet cakes, homemade chicken salad and ham salad sandwiches on cute little croissant rolls, enough to feed 5,000, relish trays, chips and dip, meatballs and cocktail weenies (oh my yum), and delicious Midwestern punch with scoops of sherbert for added color, flavor, and flare.
Here is Dan in his nice dress clothes stirring the cocktail weenies and meatballs in a crock-pot the size of Rhode Island. He needed a bib.
Terri Mom, Judy, Kandi, Kaleigh, Kourtney, and Willy all worked so hard to make such a special day for us and we are grateful. There was a great turnout of guests even though our event was competing with the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta down the road (I begged Dan about a dozen times if we could go some time that weekend. I will never in my life have the opportunity to see a harvest fiesta of the pioneer variety...boo).
Anyways, Dan and I stood by the entry for the full two hours of the reception, a constant stream of loving people so overjoyed to see Dan and to meet me. I only remember a full handful of their names but that's ok because I don't need to know their names to tell that they cared deeply for Dan and for our future together. Our hearts smiled.
Photos below - courtesy of Aunt Judy
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