RORY AND RACHEL'S WEDDING
Rory and Rachel's wedding has been one of the most joyful events of 2012! It takes miracles and time for Heavenly Father and His angels to get the perfect people together - but somehow it happens! For 4 months my friend, Debbie Johnson, told me that she knew of a girl that Rory needed to meet. I didn't think that he was quite ready, especially since he told me he didn't want any relationships until 1.5 years "after-the-fact", because he wanted to be "fully present", with feet planted solidly on the ground before meeting anyone new. However, Debbie called me each month, and told me that it wasn't just her, she felt that the Holy Ghost was prompting her - because the feeling that he needed to meet this girl was very strong. She gave me the Facebook link to the girl - her name was RACHEL LINDSEY. So Rory and I explored her page, pictures ... and she looked so fun ... lots of action shots of jumping off cliffs into water, dancing and dinners with friends, and culinary artistic specialties that she had made. She was cute, and he thought OK, but nothing was done about it. Then one Saturday night Debbie and her husband were here with Rick and me playing cards and Rory walked in. They told him they weren't going to leave until he called Rachel for a date. He went into his bedroom and seemed to come out only 1 minute later - and said, I did it. Really? That was fast, but he had asked her for a date to Freestone Park, for a picnic (barbeque) ... it was that simple!
Rory came in from the date and said, "she is gorgeous!". Then after a day, he asked, "when would it be appropriate to ask for another date"? I told him that he was an adult and there wasn't a "waiting time". So he went into his room, called Rachel, came out, and said, "she said to come over now". And it turned into full swing! Rory really liked where Rachel lived ... it was the tiniest little house, just south of the Mesa Temple. He liked to walk around the temple grounds when he was waiting for her, or they walked there together. Everytime he came home he said how easy Rachel was to talk to, how beautiful she is, and when he brought her here to meet us we had to agree! What a stunning couple!
At Thanksgiving Rory went to Safford with Rachel to meet her family. He LOVED them and loved the whole experience. He was already smitten, and while he was there he talked to Rachel's father and asked for permission to marry her. He said her dad was easy to talk to and he gave him his blessing and good counsel. Rory came home from that trip ready to move forward into a new and wonderful life! Alex and Aurora absolutely loved Rachel, and when then ran into the house, it wasn't me Aurora was looking for anymore, it was Rachel! That's how it should be - and my heart is so overjoyed!
The time for the wedding came quickly due to Christmas holidays, finding an apartment, moving Rory there first (thanks to Ryan and his workers the difficult move up to the 3rd floor didn't kill anyone!), and working out all the details of the wedding and reception. Rachel's aunt, Donna Barney, is a decor and event specialist, so between Rachel's dream vision of the reception, and Donna's brilliance in design the work was divided between many of us. I was impressed with Rachel's detailed planning, and could see that she is a good organizer and that she pays attention to details. It was good getting to know her better and better - and liking her even more!
The temple has been a big part of their relationship, where she lived so close to it, and it is going to be a most joyful day when they kneel over the altar and make the covenants for eternity that will seal them together forever. Yes, this has been one of the most beautiful miracles I have witnessed in my life, and I have seen many! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for answering a mother's prayers for her precious son. I guess that goes for Rachel's mom too - as I feel that she was there all along the way, guiding her daughter, but from behind the veil, on the other side of mortality. I feel close to her and had a special experience in the temple when Rory, Rachel, Rick and I went there to do initiatory work. I am so grateful for God's amazing plan of happiness!
My favorite memory of the reception (it was absolutely the most gorgeous reception ever!) was when Rachel's uncle sat them back-to-back on chairs in the courtyard, and each of them had the other person's SHOE in their right hand. When her uncle read questions to stump them about each other - not even one time were they stumped!!! They knew one another - and it was amazing! It was the end of a beautiful day, but the beginning of an eternity together - for that is what they want and will work for! Welcome into the Gurney Family, Mrs. Rachel Gurney! We love you!
Rory and Rachel's wedding has been one of the most joyful events of 2012! It takes miracles and time for Heavenly Father and His angels to get the perfect people together - but somehow it happens! For 4 months my friend, Debbie Johnson, told me that she knew of a girl that Rory needed to meet. I didn't think that he was quite ready, especially since he told me he didn't want any relationships until 1.5 years "after-the-fact", because he wanted to be "fully present", with feet planted solidly on the ground before meeting anyone new. However, Debbie called me each month, and told me that it wasn't just her, she felt that the Holy Ghost was prompting her - because the feeling that he needed to meet this girl was very strong. She gave me the Facebook link to the girl - her name was RACHEL LINDSEY. So Rory and I explored her page, pictures ... and she looked so fun ... lots of action shots of jumping off cliffs into water, dancing and dinners with friends, and culinary artistic specialties that she had made. She was cute, and he thought OK, but nothing was done about it. Then one Saturday night Debbie and her husband were here with Rick and me playing cards and Rory walked in. They told him they weren't going to leave until he called Rachel for a date. He went into his bedroom and seemed to come out only 1 minute later - and said, I did it. Really? That was fast, but he had asked her for a date to Freestone Park, for a picnic (barbeque) ... it was that simple! 
Rory came in from the date and said, "she is gorgeous!". Then after a day, he asked, "when would it be appropriate to ask for another date"? I told him that he was an adult and there wasn't a "waiting time". So he went into his room, called Rachel, came out, and said, "she said to come over now". And it turned into full swing! Rory really liked where Rachel lived ... it was the tiniest little house, just south of the Mesa Temple. He liked to walk around the temple grounds when he was waiting for her, or they walked there together. Everytime he came home he said how easy Rachel was to talk to, how beautiful she is, and when he brought her here to meet us we had to agree! What a stunning couple! 
At Thanksgiving Rory went to Safford with Rachel to meet her family. He LOVED them and loved the whole experience. He was already smitten, and while he was there he talked to Rachel's father and asked for permission to marry her. He said her dad was easy to talk to and he gave him his blessing and good counsel. Rory came home from that trip ready to move forward into a new and wonderful life! Alex and Aurora absolutely loved Rachel, and when then ran into the house, it wasn't me Aurora was looking for anymore, it was Rachel! That's how it should be - and my heart is so overjoyed!
The time for the wedding came quickly due to Christmas holidays, finding an apartment, moving Rory there first (thanks to Ryan and his workers the difficult move up to the 3rd floor didn't kill anyone!), and working out all the details of the wedding and reception. Rachel's aunt, Donna Barney, is a decor and event specialist, so between Rachel's dream vision of the reception, and Donna's brilliance in design the work was divided between many of us. I was impressed with Rachel's detailed planning, and could see that she is a good organizer and that she pays attention to details. It was good getting to know her better and better - and liking her even more!
The temple has been a big part of their relationship, where she lived so close to it, and it is going to be a most joyful day when they kneel over the altar and make the covenants for eternity that will seal them together forever. Yes, this has been one of the most beautiful miracles I have witnessed in my life, and I have seen many! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for answering a mother's prayers for her precious son. I guess that goes for Rachel's mom too - as I feel that she was there all along the way, guiding her daughter, but from behind the veil, on the other side of mortality. I feel close to her and had a special experience in the temple when Rory, Rachel, Rick and I went there to do initiatory work. I am so grateful for God's amazing plan of happiness!
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