Sunday Lunch

After church today, a large crowd gathered round our dining room table. Dad spearheaded the meal preps...

...with John doing his best to keep up with the dirty dishes created by getting the food ready.

As busy as Nick and Kirsten currently are working AND preparing for their nuptials, we were so happy to have the engaged couple with us for the meal. After all, their wedding is merely week from today.

In the midst of wedding preps and Tina's high school graduation excitement, we've had to make a conscious effort not to lose sight of Kolya's 17th birthday today. Later we'll eat luscious Texas Sheet Cake to celebrate.

As we gathered around the table, lively conversation began immediately.

The young man courting Sarah, Alec, feels like a natural in this crowd.

Sarah's lab puppy, Ramsey, considers himself a necessity wherever food is involved. He got a bit cheeky about begging under the food-laden table...

...but a quick command from his momma and his manners immediately improved.

While Sarah was monitoring the behavior of her dog, Tina was checking on the antics of her puppy. Kaiya was a bit miffed about the being tied to a tree during the feast.

Matt was the last to come from helping with food prep to the table.

At that happy moment, the hungry birthday boy knew he was finally going to get to eat.

We enjoyed ham and green beans almondine...

...with the happy addition of a summer favorite, watermelon.

The only person missing as we enjoyed God's bounty was the young man courting Tina, who was celebrating his grandmother's birthday.

In the end, everyone was full and cheered by the fellowship.

As the eating wound down, Ramsey listened intently, hoping to hear some of his favorite words like park and walk.

I noticed toward the end the Kirsten was in her own world, I don't know if she was contemplating what she still has to pack for her move after the wedding. Or perhaps she was remembering the many times of rich conversation around this table. She and Nick will always be warmly welcomed in our home; they'll only be a hop, skip and jump away here in town. However in just over a week, they'll begin creating their own traditions.

My prayer for my beloved daughter is that in three decades she'll find herself as happily married as I am to this fine follower of Christ.

Presenting Mr. and Mrs...

From my seat in the front pew, I was delighted to witness that wonderful moment when the pastor said, "I'd like to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Castille!"

Less than Two Months Now

Before we know it, I'll have Josh and Zhenya's wedding photographs to share with you, dear reader. The wedding date is set, the dress purchased and the reception venue booked. With Zhenya's wedding fast approaching, I wanted to share some photos of the couple that I was blessed to be able to take not long after they got engaged. Our location for was beautiful Franklin, Tennessee. Franklin is just south of Nashville.

Before we left the parking garage to meet Josh when he got off work, Sarah freshened up Zhenya's make-up.

When Josh arrived, we were ready!

I was delighted to have such beautiful architecture as the backdrop!

Once we'd spent enough time in front of this grand old building, we began a walk down one of the main streets in the downtown Franklin. We stopped in front of a restaurant with a magnificent dark wooden door that sat perpendicular to a wonderfully old red brick wall. All this texture and color was a photographer's dream come true!

After I'd taken a few shots, Zhenya suggested that they should ask if the restaurant would be willing to let us put the couple's names and wedding date on their advertising sign that stood on the sidewalk. Honestly, I thought it was a long shot. However, Zhenya reminded me that it never hurts to ask as long as you're gracious. She marched right in and made the request.

Not only did the management say yes, the hostess, Ally, came out and created a work of art for the couple with her chalk. We were overwhelmed by the kindness!

When Ally finished, I took some more photos.

Josh demonstrated his creativity by suggesting that the two of them crawl under the sign.

Following an afternoon of fun together...

...I took one last shot that left me with no doubt that the wedding just can't come soon enough for these love birds!

How Josh and Zhenya Met

While you wait for the third post telling the story of Josh proposing to Zhenya, I thought you might enjoy knowing how they met. Nearly two years ago, Josh was the best man in his brother Sean's wedding. We attended the beautiful ceremony in the mountains of New Hampshire while on a trip to visit Eric Moores' family. Later that fall, Eric and our daughter, Alison would wed.

Zhenya was thrilled that we went out of our way to attend this wedding because one of her closest friends is Rachel Castille, the sister of the groom and best man.

During the reception, I was fascinated to watch Josh and Rachel dance together. There was a tremendous grace to their movement which spoke to me about the kind of friendship the siblings must have.

I was even more touched when the pair paused to watch their father dance with their little sister, whom I knew had been adopted from RUSSIA of all places.

Little did I know as I took these photos that God was putting into place the pieces that would later become the groundwork for Josh and Zhenya's love story. While Zhenya and Josh were introduced at this event, it would be another year before Mr. R got a call from Josh asking if he could court our oldest Russian. The Lord's ways are so mysterious! He abounds in lovingkindness!

Josh and Zhenya: A Visit to Relish

The great joy of our Memorial Day weekend was a visit from Josh, Zhenya's fiance. His four days here gave me a number of opportunities to photograph the two of them.

Thursday night the whole family made the trip to the Omaha airport to pick him up.

The next afternoon, Josh and Zhenya went to the Recorder's Office to file for their marriage license.

When they were finished, they were happy.

The architecture of the buildings that surround the courthouse is some of the most beautiful in town. We took advantage of the scenery and a lovely afternoon to take a few engagement pictures.

Poor Zhenya, though. She was in pain. Just before the trip downtown, she'd visited our orthodontist. She went to get her retainers tightened, and left with braces back on her lower teeth to turn one of her front teeth which was twisting out of position. With each smile for these photos, she was scraping the inside of her lower lip over all that metal.

When Zhenya saw this picture that I caught of her grimace, she said, "You can post that. I love that Josh and I feel so comfortable around each other that we can be real with one another." I'm thrilled to watch a love that will need to endure many hardships and trials during their years together grow between them.

Zhenya was a trooper, though, and went right back to smiling.

Then yesterday, we returned to Omaha for Josh's return home. We had enough time before his flight for the family to enjoy an outdoor lunch at the Spaghetti Work restaurant in the beautiful Old Market in the downtown area. While we waited for our food I took advantage of an unusual sight in Nebraska -- a bright red British phone booth.

We started with a bit of fun suggested by Josh.

They then practiced a dance move with phone booth as a backdrop. Before they know it they will be "dancing through the minefields" together for life. God is so good!

And all too soon, it was time to head to the airport for Josh's departure.