Friday Flashback....Ready for take off

Five years ago today my best friend Mandy got married.  If you're lucky enough to know Mandy...well, then you're lucky enough.  She is one of the sweetest souls I have ever met.

I was SO excited when Mandy called and told me she was engaged!  I was even more excited when she asked me to be a bridesmaid!  And then she said "By the way, the wedding is in Arkansas." - Wait what?  Really?

But it was all good, I would have driven to Alaska for Mandy.  I had only met Jeremy once before they got engaged but I knew Mandy was going to marry him.  He's perfect for her....seriously.  And sometimes the stars line up just right to make things work out.  Mandy was a flight attendant and she met Jeremy on a plane, while she was working.  It's a really cute story, but it's one Mandy should tell.

So we drove all the way to Little Rock, Arkansas for this wedding.  And I honestly dreaded that long drive to Arkansas and back but it ended up being fun!  Chris and I drove to Atlanta and picked up my friend JJ and his wife Kelli.  Then we headed to Nashville to stay for the night because a very good friend of mine and JJ lives there.  Keio is a drummer in Nashville so we got to hang out with him a little bit. Chris was really nervous to meet my friends from college...mostly because I had talked about how cool they were for years.  Turns out they really are as cool as I said they were and Chris loves them just as much as I do!

I can't believe how young we all look in this picture and that look on Keio's face...typical.

The rehearsal was fun. We giggled the whole time. That hat Mandy is wearing is another whole story.

At the rehearsal dinner Mandy decided to get us back for all those years of poking fun at her because she was an Arkansas fan.  She made us all put on pig noses and yell "Ahhhhhhhh, Pig Sooey!"  And she LOVED every second of it!

Cheryl: "Marti, can you believe she made us do this?"  Me: "Yes I can and she is loving it more than she will ever admit."

And because Mandy is way more responsible than the rest of us...she decided not to go out the night before her wedding.  But we had all just driven half way across the country and we wanted to see what Little Rock had to offer.

So there we were in a random bar in Little Rock. Celebrating how happy we were for Mandy and Jeremy and then out of nowhere this random girl shows up. We have no idea who she is and she says "Hey are you guys Mandy's friends?" And we were like Say what?

Turns out she is one of Jeremy's best friends from childhood and decided to join us. I can't remember her name now but she was really cool and only added to the good time we were having. She did however give us all a scare...we had probably been there a couple of hours when she all of a sudden busts out with "OH MY GOSH! I know something about Jeremy but I don't know if I should tell you guys!"

Now, you can imagine this scene - We all get silent and stare blankly at her.  We are all thinking the exact same thing. Really? Are you about to tell us something bad? Something bad that Jeremy did? Something that might hurt our sweet precious Mandy? Because if so, we are about to cause some major trouble! And then I think she noticed that we were startled and said "Oh it's nothing bad like that! He's just going to sing to her during the wedding ceremony tomorrow and it's a surprise. She doesn't know about it." And then we all started breathing again.  Whew.

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The next day Mandy was a little bit stressed but that's to be expected. But it was a really great day.  The thing I really like about weddings is that you are surrounded by everyone you love all at once.  I think it was everything Mandy and Jeremy wanted it to be.

Lunch at our itty-bitty table

And yes Jeremy sang to Mandy.  And we all cried like a bunch of girls.  And yes he sings very well.

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The reception was fun.  Lots and lots of fun.

These pictures will make Mandy cry, but they'll make her smile too.

1. I can't believe I actually got Chris to dance 2. That's Tiffany, don't ask  3. Cheryl didn't break out the funky chicken

Please look at how SERIOUS JJ is behind me, he does not mess around on the dance floor!

All the West GA peeps: JJ, Kelli, Megan, Marielle, Mandy, Me, Tiffany, Cheryl

And then they were off to Greece for their honeymoon

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Well you didn't expect that we just drove back to Georgia that night did you? Of course not. We went out for round two....and Little Rock will never be the same.

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Congrats on 5 years of marriage guys! And congrats on little Caleb as well.