Here comes the bride...

We had a wedding on June 7^th!  Julina married Alex Smith in the St. Louis temple.  We were not sure it was going to happen on that day because, while he had a civil divorce, he needed an ecclesiastical divorce from the First Presidency in Salt Lake City and THAT did not arrive until exactly one week before the planned date.  Had it not arrived, we would have just had a nice family gathering (all our children were here) and postponed the ceremony until after the letter was in hand.   

Thankfully, we did not have to go that route.   

SO, below are photos from the big day and the gathering we had on the next.

Julina chose to not get a wear-only-once bridal gown.  Brides wear special white dresses in a temple ceremony and they are not brought outside the temple. SO, she opted for something she could wear again and again.  Yellow is such a happy color! 

 Here she is with her instant family.  Stratton is 11, Imogene is Alex's mother, and Shilo is 14

 Here we are all together in front of the temple.

 Julina with Noah, Quinn, and Lucy

 Noah in some kind of mode - not sure what?!?

 Julina with Emily

My seven children

                                                         

 My prince charming

  Melanie (adopted daughter ) and my sister, Juli, from Arizona

    
                                         

 On Saturday, we had a picnic out on our front lawn.  

The weather was perfect, the food was easy and delicious

                                           
                                        Joe, Lucy, Noah, Steven, and Stratton playing lawn games

 Shiloh holding Sadie, even though she was extremely allergic to all our pets.  Poor girl was miserable for two days at our house.  Sorry, Shiloh.  That's Imogene sitting next to her.

 

 We finally celebrated Steven's birthday while everyone was home. Only half a month late!