Lately and a Hollywood Wedding

So life is nice and full. 

Our rooms are all full of students, our lives are busy but with enough time to relax and watch a funny movie (case in point, currently watching "Hot Fuzz" and thanking God for this movie and its hilarity....This movie gets me....Oh my word). 

Currently in house we have Jessie (15 year old Chinese high school student - such a sweetheart), Lyndsay (mid-twenties youth worker and church friend - also my first roommate in Vancouver  and an adopted cousin - love her!), Rachel (early twenties student from church - such an answer to prayer - she is awesome) and Duncan (late twenties, Craigslist find - a great addition to our home). Then there's Paul and myself - of course we are awesome, late twenties, rad).  It's alive and so much fun. Tonight at dinner we had Paul's sister Katie over and our student Jessie home. We got to hear about her first day and chat with Katie. Then my some of my boy cousins came over to hang out for a bit. So much laughter. While the boys chatted and made silliness I made lunches for the crew. Salads with quinoa - awesomeness. 

Anyways - it's been a great summer (which I can say now that's the summer's over) lots of days at the lake, lots of time with friends and many a good hangout. Also, lots of food and normalness. 

Also I found a simple new outfit:

Casual and gold. 

And I found this hilarious chart of Maslow's hierarchy of needs

I also cooked lots of good food, most notably this chicken potpie - heaven.

Our house LOVED this recipe

We've also attended a bajillion weddings - 11 between March and October to be exact. I just found these photos taken by Dylan and Deve Jenkinson at Yhan and Larry's Wedding and loved them. 

And this one with Irene - 

co wedding junkie/organizer, coworker, co womens ministry leader, friend, church family and more. 

So thankful for this lady!

I had this awesome rommate named Ana. She was from Brazil. She lived with us all summer and is now on her way to live with friends of ours in Saskatoon. We will miss hear greatly as a household. Ana and I got to have a final brunch at Cafe Barney before she left town - best Eggs Benedict's in town...mmmbacon. Anyways, we had a lovely time and we will miss her GREATLY.

The last wedding we attended was on the 18th - we had to come back from camp just to attend! I was more than happy to do that as there is NO WAY I would miss seeing these two get married! I met Ereka when she had first moved here - I was one of her very first friends here! I LOVE her. She is sweet and kind and gracious. She loves God and people. She works as a Campus Missionary for our church, as I used to, so we have lots to talk about. She is now married to a guy named Vic - they are the couple that got engaged at church and that are also basically the cutest couple ever. Vic is a lot of fun, and together they are great to be around. 

The ceremony was outdoors in Port Moody

Ereka looked GORGEOUS 

Being joined by her Canadian "parents" - Keith and Arlene. 

Look! They're married! I love how very happy Ereka looks.

I love this shot of Vic as they walk down the aisle - it cracks me up!

After the ceremony the whole wedding was ushered into the theatre that was on the site and we watched the CUTEST introduction video of all time. They drew their relationship on a white board while narrating. I LOVED it. 

It is a great testimony to what God has done in their lives AND it's cute as all get out. 

Their wedding location was in the Port Moody city hall & library/theatre. It is a really sweet location. Ereka enlisted a bajillion friends to help and the place looked gorgeous. There was a team of 4 women and our husbands that ran the show. Normally I would say that is waaaay too many people but in this instance it was necessary and helpful.

They had a cute photobooth set up, as the theme of the wedding was Hollywood and Instagram - so they had a hashtag and were encouraging people to take and post photos. I was so busy running around that I was in hardly any pictures, but below is one of the ones I am finally in. And it's a gooder because I'm with a group of ladies I adore. How lucky I am to be surrounded by philipinos! Truly, God is good. 

Next up is an event that is a source of pride to Paul and a source of mild embarrasement and some fun for me. The bride and groom were a bit shy about kissing, so hoping that no one would volunteer to show them how, they set up the rules of a game: no clinking of glasses for a kiss - if you want them to kiss you have to get up and show them how! When Paul heard this his eyes lit up - I knew I had to give in. Below are some of the fuzzy camera shots people got of us - it was pretty fun. 

And I love that last frame - the looks on the bride and grooms faces are priceless.

All in all it was a wonderful wedding. Watching Ereka grow from a new christian, and timid new arrival in this country, into a strong godly woman surrounded by friends and a newly made family as such a treat. Watching Vic go from coming to church to look for girls (his words!) to being this strong supportive, godly man, is also such a gift. Vic and Ereka, I am so so so happy for the two of you - your wedding day was a treat - the dancing was awesome (as usual in thanks to Norman, haha), the stories were inspiring, and your love is beautiful to watch. Thank you for letting me share in your big day. Love you both. 

And now, it's back to regular life - a week with more weddings (Yay Sam and Stef!), more friends, more house full's and more goodness.