MUCH anticipation went into our trip to Indiana this past week! We were going home to celebrate Stephanie and Jason’s wedding.

When we were in Indiana last summer (June 2011) we heard about this guy (Jason) that had started attending Grace Baptist recently. Stephanie was supposed to be introduced to him, and they turned out to be the perfect match! We love seeing how happy Stephanie is with Jason, and back in April we got the good news that they were engaged. Stephanie called me to find out when to plan the wedding so I could attend even though I’m expecting–what a sweet sister-in-law!

Our flight was smooth, and we arrived in Anderson Thursday night. After a late supper with the family (how we’ve missed that sense of belonging that comes with being with family), we left Silas with Grammy and Grampy and drove to the church to help decorate. It was fun for me to decorate with fall leaves, pumpkins, and gourds for the rehearsal dinner. Stephen helped with whatever odd job was needed. What a late night!

The next day was girls’ day out. Amy had planned a bachelorette shower for Stephanie at Stephanie and Jason’s new duplex. The menu was yogurt topped with fruit and granola, blueberry muffins, hot cider, coffee, cookies, and heart-shaped chocolates. Amy’s door prize game was called “Who Has the Groom?” Each of us got an envelope with a picture of a groom inside. The grooms each had different heads–Shrek, Rowan Atkinson, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and so on. Whoever ended up with Jason as the groom won a gift card to Starbucks. Such a cute opener for a shower. Carol won the door prize, which was fitting since she introduced Jason and Stephanie.

Amy had asked me to put together a couple games for the shower, so we played a wedding version of Scattergories with each answer beginning with a letter of Stephanie’s name. We also played a super fun matching game that I called “The Perfect Match” where the girls had to match the candy bar to the correct wedding term (Bride=Hot Tamale, Groomsmen=3 Musketeers, Reception Getaway=Fast Break…). The person who found “the perfect match” won that corresponding candy bar. Stephanie won the Wedding Ring=Ring Pop.

The bride-to-be opened her gifts, and we loved celebrating her coming marriage. At the end, both Mom and Jason’s mom told how they had prayed for their children and his/her future spouse. It was sweet as some of the other ladies thanked God for bringing Jason and Stephanie together too.