Family by Jake

Hi, I'm Jake, sorry it's taken me so long.

So five days ago my parents Greg and Michelle flew here to Chicago. This was going to be the second time both sets of parents were together. Last year Kelly's mom, dad and brother flew out west to Seattle, and of course the day they flew in, I had to fly out to LA. I was gone for all but one of the days they were in my hood. So Kelly had to oversee the meeting and partying of the parents. My brother and his girlfriend were also there. So everyone but me got to hang out. That's probably why they had such a great time; just kidding they were probably miserable without me. Instantly the dads hit it off and were inseparable the entire time.

So this time around I was involved. They arrived Thursday and went home Monday. Plan was to show them all that Chicago had to offer. I believe we did a pretty good job of doing just that. Although now that I think about it we didn't get a tour of the Arch. So the entire trip was a wash.

We really had an awesome time and I got to hang out with the parents more than just a couple of hours like last time. On Thursday us guys played some golf and the ladies went to check out the church and reception hall. So for the last five days we have been cramming the days full of things to do.

We had a great engagement party/meet the parents party on Saturday night. Lots of friends and family came over and met the Wambolds. My future Mother-in-law got way out of control and had a little too much fun, but we got some rope and got her calmed down.

So I have to tell you how blessed I am on top of having an amazingly beautiful fiancee, I have such great parents, all four of them. It's incredible to watch your father and future father become such amazing friends, while mom and mom laugh about how funny it is that the dads have crushes on each other.

What I want to tell you hundreds of thousands of readers is there is a lot more to getting married than just finding that perfect someone. Family is key! It's not just your wedding, marriage, and life, you're bringing two families together. If you choose to have kids you are creating grandparents, and making new lines on the family tree. To have parents that make such a good team and then meet another great team is unreal. Jake

Hiccups and Chopsticks from Andrea

Monday night while we were power shopping for groceries, I randomly got the hiccups. Dre found this EXTREMELY amusing, and said I sounded like I'd swallowed Alvin and all the Chipmunks. Which made me think, "this is what my hiccups always sound like... what's so funny?" But then I realized that we've only known each other for a little over a year, and this was the first time he's ever heard me hiccup. Come to think of it, I've never heard him hiccup either.

Last month we went out to a Pan-Asian restaurant with my friend, her husband, and my parents. That's when I learned that Dre has thoroughly mastered the art of eating with chopsticks....which was quite impressive to someone like me who always gives up after a few dropped sushi rolls and resorts back to the trusty fork. Yeah, we've ordered Chinese several times in the last year, but that was the first time eating Chinese at a restaurant.

So even though I feel like I've known him my whole life, there are always those hiccups and chopsticks to remind me that we still have so much more to learn about each other. Forever is a long time, so I'm sure we'll discover plenty of new quirks and talents over the years. Andrea

Finger Bling by Andrea

For all those who thought it wasn't official yet....we finally got an engagement ring!!! It's GORGEOUS and it suits me perfectly. Dre picked it out with very little input from me. I was quite impressed!

So today I showed the new finger bling to my coworkers....and everyone flipped out. "Like Chinese gymnasts" Dre says (LOL). So anyway, the story wasn't some overly romanticized Hollywood love scene, and not quite as picturesque as Jakelly's story, but it was still very very sweet. I had some work done on my car, so while we waited for VW to finish up, we went out for breakfast; then walked aimlessly around the mall to kill time. During our aimless meandering, we casually strolled by a couple jewelry stores. We had our fingers measured at one place, then got the phone call from VW that my car was ready. On our way out of the mall, we stopped at Kay to see what sales they had. So we sat down at the counter, and it turns out that Dre had really been doing his homework. I just sat back in my seat while he browsed through diamond bridal sets. He liked several of them, but when he found my ring (just like when he met me) he knew it was the one.

"I like the way it sparkles in the light...and I love the way it looks on your hand." So one thing led to another and the next thing I know, he's slipping the ring on my finger and the sales lady (Josephine Lopez aka J-Lo) is hugging us, bouncing around excited. It was really a great surprise, and I can't stop staring at it....I'm tempted to take it off while I'm typing because I keep getting distracted heehee. So now we are officially official, and no one can argue that. :) Andrea

Golden Wedding by Kelly

Last Sunday was the Golden Wedding mass. It was for couples who have been married for 50 years. This was the 8th year I've worked it. I am always in charge of making sure there is enough toilet paper and getting people's families out of the church before the mass starts.

Obviously two very important jobs. This year was very easy thankfully to a very helpful janitor and due to the fact that everyone besides one person knew that family couldn't be in the church. After politely asking her to use another bathroom she not so politely screamed in my face.

Its ok. I can take it. I get yelled at every once in awhile at work* (*Kelly is a bartender). Usually from some idiot person who decides paying $6 for a beer is insane. I've learned there's nothing people hate more when they're mad is to have me listen to them politely with a smile on my face.

So besides that very mature woman, the day went perfectly. All of the couples renewed their vows. They're all so cute. People were dressed in tuxes and super fancy dresses. Then I served them cookies and probably ate more cookies than all of them combined.

I can't wait until I'm 77 and can be at the Golden Wedding Mass. I hope they let me take a break from working so I can renew my vows. I also can't wait until I'm 127 so I can be at the....platinum wedding? I'm assuming by then we will be living much longer.

Poor Jake. He probably doesn't realize he's stuck with me for a loooooong time. Kelly

Wedding Dress Drama from Kelly

So I'm writing this from the treadmill at the gym. I always write gum when I mean to write gym and then I laugh.

My wedding dress came in last week. Ok it came in like three weeks ago but I finally had time to pick it up last week. it was much prettier than I remembered it being. I actually wore makeup while putting it on so that helped.
But then I tried to zip it up and couldn't! One of my bridesmaids was with me and she couldn't even zip it up!!! So the dress quickly came off and I have taken up residency in the gym.

I used to wait for Jake to get off work and then we'd go together. But I've realized I don't like going at night so I am here during the day now. I always decide I'm going to go home after I work out and clean the house and cook some big meal. Instead I sit on my bed and next thing I know its like 3 hours later and I'm just waking up. Oops. Kelly

Our First Anniversary: Andrea

Our first anniversary was August 9th. I’m not sure how our perception of time got skewed, but this year has gone by so fast…yet so slowly. When we met at our friend’s wedding last August, I had no idea that we’d be where we are today. All I knew was that something told me to hold on to him. That “something” was definitely God. I’m just as sure today as I was when we first started dating that he is the one for me. I feel like I’ve known him for years already, yet I can remember all the little details about the 1st week we met as if it were just yesterday.

Mom and Dad hosted a couples’ luau where we announced our engagement to all their friends. Then just this past week we announced it to his family visiting from California. Obviously everyone wants to know how he proposed. But since there’s no ring and no “official” story, I had to seriously stop and think about when exactly we knew we wanted to be married. When I look back on the past year and all the things we’ve been through together, I realize that he actually proposed 5 days after we met when he asked me to be his girlfriend. We both knew in our hearts that this was it. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t even known each other a week. Time is irrelevant when you’re working on God’s clock.

So for the last year we’ve been getting to know each other better to be ready for marriage…but even as virtual strangers we knew we were meant to be together. Not intelligent logical knowledge… It was soul knowledge. That’s why I brought him home to meet my parents after the first date. Some said we were rushing things, but God’s time is fluid, so we didn’t really care what people thought. We are blessed. Andrea