Happy Anniversary, Laura and Josh!

One year ago (Sunday) Dennis and I proudly and joyfully celebrated the wedding and marriage of our daughter Laura to Josh Dries. Many of you have asked to see more photos of the wedding. So in honor of their first anniversary we are inviting you to share our joy in the memory of that day!
As I wrote in several posts last summer and fall, here and here, weddings are packed full of symbolism and meaning for those who know Jesus. They are a foretaste of what will be ours one day at the marriage of the Lamb! Though the joy of Laura’s wedding day (as was the joy at our other children’s weddings) was one of the greatest moments of our lives as parents, it is no match for what will be ours when we have our “first look” at Jesus!
Enjoy this mini album at some of our favorite moments in Laura’s wedding and a few photos from their first year. May you be reminded of how much you are loved by your Father in Heaven, that He would choose you to be a Bride for His Son!

Sister, Rebecca, and friend, Anne, doing Laura’s makeup and jewelry

The moment she was zipped into her dress! The little girl in her was giddy in her gown of white!

Seeing each other for the first time that day. The anxiety and stored up anticipation Laura felt after waiting for ten years to be married dissolved in this instant. What joy was theirs and ours who witnessed that scene.

Our entire family, all in the wedding party in one way or another, all together for the first time in several years. Another joy to be united in celebration and united in our belonging to Christ.

Dennis and me with the happy couple

Laura being escorted by her two big brothers down the steps to her dad waiting to escort her down the aisle

When the doors opened and I stood signaling the audience to stand, I gasped and then cried at the beauty of my daughter in her glory, and at the joy of her love for her adoring brothers. Another never to be forgotten moment.

The outdoor  ceremony in perfect autumn weather, performed by our dear friend John Yates, rector of Falls Church Anglican, appropriately and importantly performed beneath the cross of Jesus.
And to continue the fun, here’s a quick look at some of their first year adventures!

They took an early spring trip to Napa and stayed at the cutest bed and breakfast, complete with Bouchon Bakery delivered to their door every morning! The weather was beautiful and a perfect getaway to celebrate their six months of marriage.

Laura was so funny about all of the “firsts” over the year. They had to celebrate each month in a small way (or in a big way, like Napa for 6 months!) and the picture above is from their one year “engage-aversary” dinner. She wanted to soak it up because she heard these things tend to fall off after the first year! :)
They rounded out their first year with a  trip to Boston with three other couples in early September. They made time to go see a Boston Red Sox game. Laura said Fenway was amazing in person.
The business of life is full of hard times. We live in a troubled and sometimes frightening world. But God gives us times of joy and Laura’s wedding was one of those for us. God is saying, “My plan will continue.” Even in the swirl of bad news He continues to bring good news into our lives.
Thank you for fulfilling the verse that says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
May these photos and story remind you of the high value of marriage. May you be inspired to keep making yours all God intends it to be by His power, His grace and His mercy to us who simply cannot do marriage on our own. It’s His idea. He can make it work!

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5 thoughts on “Happy Anniversary, Laura and Josh!”

  1. I am in wholehearted agreement with celebrating your monthly anniversaries! My husband and I married at 34 years of age and now after 19 years, still celebrate/acknowledge our monthly anniversary. Sometimes it’s just a simple remembrance of the day, often a note or card, some flowers or a special meal. It helps remind us, every month, of each other and the reasons we fell in love. It is such a great thing to do amid raising a teenager, the stresses of middle age and living as a Christian in a fallen world. Congratulations to your daughter and her husband on her 12 month/one year anniversary- may they celebrate many more!

  2. All this is so beautiful! Tell your daughter that we are about six weeks away from celebrating our 5th anniversary (we were 34 and 33 when we got married) and we still celebrate every monthiversary (#59 is up next) and every engagementversary. Those things only fall away if you let them, and we wholeheartedly refuse. We know we may never hit some of the huge year milestones because of our age when we got married, but we celebrate the daylights out of every little milestone! Excited for your daughter, and loved seeing all these pictures!

  3. Beautiful wedding photos! Thank you for sharing your photo’s…with 8 children and two married we are just beginning our wedding ‘stories.” Thank you, and Dennis, for sharing your lives with all of us as examples. I am grateful!

  4. What a joyful time! I pray my own children one day experience the same joy of finding the one God has chosen just for them. The cross in the background-what a beautiful statement and witness of their faith. Just beautiful!

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