Wedding Bliss.....Here We Grow Again

Good morning beautiful TOG readers. So a thing happened.... a couple weeks ago, that's why I've been gone for a little while. Our baby girl got married👰🏼🤵🎉 It was such beautiful day. Hard to believe she graduated from Auburn in May, got a job teaching kindergarten in Tennessee, and then got married a couple of weeks ago. Where does the time go? I won't lie the first week after the wedding I was very sad and joyful at the same time. I cried ugly tears and ate to much cake🙈 But it's the cycle of life ya know. Have kids, love them, teach them, hold them and never want to let go but that's just life. Train up a child in the way they should go and they will not depart. Proverbs 22:6 Seems like yesterday I was holding her in my arms, playing with her, laughing with her, comforting her, watching her twirl since she was little girl, and then watching her dream come true to become an Auburn majorette, and finally AU majorette Captain. Now another dream has come true....she's found and married the one who her hearts loves. I'm so happy for her and Eythan, I won't lie it's extremely hard letting go. I've wrote about this before in a post called DREAM AGAIN https://nikhop320.wordpress.com/2018/03/01/dream-again/ To Sierra, I love you so much and I couldn't be more proud you. You have such passion and zest for life. You go after what you want and don't wavier. I have always prayed you would run and seek after God and be in His will. I'm so thank you have a heart after God. I pray you and Eythan draw closer to God and each other. You were our celebration baby, lol😜 When I first saw your beautiful face, your name came so easy. You were named after the the song Sierra by Sierra the group. Sierra means mountain top, highest place, beauty, and strength. You are my heart and my treasure. Love you always baby girl! https://youtu.be/yncla4KjY7k Lord, here I am againIn search of a quiet place to restI'm walking in a wildernessThat always puts me to the testMy hope is in the truthI have no strength apart from YouSo when I need to hear Your voiceI have a choice These steps of life I'll climbTo reach a home to call it mineOn holy ground right by Your sideIs where I need to beA higher placeSierraA higher placeSierraA higher place The miles, they stretch aheadThey twist and turn and never endShaking my confidence'Til I run to Your arms againThat's when, You lift me upIn sweet communion's holy cupI see the valleys down belowI won't let go. To Eythan, From the time Sierra was in my belly I prayed for her to have a godly man of integrity, a man who would love and cherish her the way her earthly father does but more importantly how her Heavenly Father does. You have been chosen, hand picked to be that man. I thank you for stepping up to be that man who will love her just as Christ loves the church. Thank you for treasuring her, and for letting her be who God created her to be and for her to let you be who God created you to be. Together you become one. To Sierra and Eythan, Always be teachable, forgiving, speaking kind words and not critical or tearing each other down. The power of life and death is in the tongue. Always use it encourage and lift each other up. Always pray for one another. There's power in a praying wife and praying husband. Let others be an example to you but ALWAYS just be YOURSELF. Each of you being who God created you to be is what the world needs, and what you both need to walk out the plans He has for you. Sometimes it's the "becoming one" that can be a challenging LOL but with God on y'alls side you can't fail! I believe God has great plans for y'all. There will be good times, bad times and times that you both may feel like you're just going through the motions, but it's in the day to day hustle and bustle, the mundane times, you choose to love each other over and over and over again. In the hard times, you guys will learn to lean in just a little more to the Lord and He will draw near to you both. During the hard times, you press in further because giving up is NOT an option! Marriage is hard work buts it's in good times and bad. From my experience, it's been in the hardest and darkest times God was there in the midst and leading and guiding us. We've been married almost 29 years, it hasn't always been easy but it was never an option to give up and neither will it be for y'all. I pray that for the both of you, that you love each other just the way you are and not try to change each other. I made that mistake in the beginning of our marriage, I was always trying to change him. I saw the hurt in her Dad's eyes when he said to me "You don't love me the way I am." I'll never forget those words, they penetrate deep in my soul. I've learned to love others where they are, on the way to where God wants them to be. I've also learned, I'm not Holy Ghost junior, and it's not my job to fix Sean or anyone else for that matter....it's God's job to do only what He can in our lives. So stay the course and trust God, have faith that He will work all things out for your good!

First look with her daddy.

First look with Eythan, her new hubby.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall become united and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

All 3 of our beautiful daughters, they are my heart.

Beautiful time when they shared Communion together.

This was her ring bearer pillow made from my wedding dress, and a little part of hers💗 Being a mom is the best and hardest job I think. As another season of life comes to a close and another one opens, I wonder what it will it look like? Honestly I'm not real sure yet but I do know that God's not done with me yet, nor is he with you my friend. Now that all 3 are out of college and doing their life, maybe I'll go back to school my myself and finish that book I started. Dream again, precious one. Stir up the dreams God once put in your heart, step out and find out. Sierra and Eythan, love God, love people and DREAM BIG and DREAM BIGGER! God is just getting started with you both. I'm so excited to see what He does with y'all. Love you both so much!! Praying God will bless you guys in every area of your lives. I know He will do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all your hopes and dreams. Please join me in praying for our sweet and precious happy couple. Love and hugs💗 Here are some other pictures from bridal tea, rehearsal dinner, and reception. At an Auburn majorette wedding it's tradition to do the "War Eagle" fight song.

my husband and I and my cousins.

my husband and I with his sister and brother in law.

my 3 beautiful daughters and sweet niece.

Eythans grand parents

mother of the bride and mother of the groom.

me and my baby girl

me and my sister

Us with sweet friends.

my mom and dad

Sean's dad and Adelia