The post I cant even type without CRYING my eyes out....

Look at this young face...

Its my friend Ryan with his momma, Stephanie back in 2004.

This picture was actually when she got good news of her cancer & he flew out & celebrated with her...

It was about 3 years later that Steph lost her battle...

How I miss my friend... but how blessed we have been to have Ryan & Stephanie's family in our life.

Ryan ended up staying around the area so Ricky & I just have loved him like our own family... always have.  He's just the most amazing young man.

See, he's always loved me :)

We have watched him grow up, graduate high school, watch him become a man really.... tried to help him when he lost his mother, who passed away only a few years after his father.  We watched Ryan make career decisions & go through training to become a firefighter... what an job to respect.  We also watched him as he met the girl of his dreams...

Holy COW... I was LARGE! .. & look at Ricky's HAIR! Old picture arent always fun to look back at!

You have to understand - Stephanie ADORED Ryan... It was actually comical & we loved to tease him about it... so I know how much she would have loved to see this day that he would take the title of "husband"....

Women of Faith 2005... we wore our tiaras ALL weekend

For the record, Stephanie & I went to a Women of Faith in June 2005 & there was a young lady that Stephanie & I kept talking about would be perfect for Ryan... her name was Chasity.  Of course, they were still both in high school & probably too young to think of dating seriously.  But Stephanie already adored the young lady that Chasity was & I know she saw the amazing woman she would become too...

So it was no surprise when Ryan & Chasity both took paths that led right to each other...

Stephanie had passed away before she saw this... but I truly believe she knew...

The wedding was this past Saturday.

We knew it was going to be wonderful, but hold all the bittersweet memories of the people who were missing - Ryan's parents. Particularly for me, my best friend... Steph...

Ryan entered the church & had two white roses & took them up front to the empty chairs that his parents should be occupying... cue the tears from the beginning...

Chasity was gorgeous (not a surprise to anyone) & the ceremony was just perfect for them - laughter & personal things said ... it was perfect.

It was time to give the roses to the mothers & Ryan took a white rose to his new mother... & then Chasity had a rose... she took it to the empty chair....

I thought I was going to loose it... along with everyone else...

The wedding ended with the pronouncement that they were HUSBAND & WIFE!  YIPEE!!!!!!!

So excited for the day.

We head to the reception & all the fun starts... getting to chat with Steph's family that I hadnt seen in so many years & just talking to friends & enjoy the moment of the day.

I was holding this girl when Stephanie passed away... she was just a baby... a sure sign on how long my friend has been with Jesus

So I'm talking to a friend when someone comes & grabs me & says, "They're dancing!" - I didnt even know. (They had forgot to announce it over the speaker)... so I run only to catch the end of their first dance.

Then its the father/daughter dance.  That makes me cry anytime anyways... but they danced to Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella" ... so it was even more amazing... so special - so lovely....

Then the time for the mother/son dance.  It just made me choke up anyways just imaging the pride that Steph would have dancing with her son... Ryan took his new mom with him to the dance floor.  It was wonderful... This family is just perfect for Ryan & have already taken him in as their own child... its like God made sure Ryan had this new family to marry into.

Then all of a sudden, my friend Erica tells me, "Give me your camera'... I was like, "HUH? Why?"...

only to look up to see Ryan coming towards me...

Wait...what?  What's happening?

Ryan had danced half the dance with his new mother in law & then came & got me for the final part of the dance.

I dont even remember it, but everyone said I kept saying "Shut up... Shut up...Shut up"

I couldnt even look up at first!!!!

I just remember bawling... crying so hard I was sobbing...

I couldnt even look up - I just buried my face in Ryan's shoulder & told him that I'm actually speechless... & that NEVER happens!!!!

Ryan said some things to me that I'll cherish forever while we danced... I said some things to him as well, but for the life of me, I dont even remember... he may not have understood anyways since I was all blubbery...

(I'm getting all choked up again thinking about it)

Telling him he's made me UGLY now with all the crying :)

I ended up crying like every 15 minutes for the rest of the evening :)

I just felt so honored for that privilege... to dance with him in honor of his mom... definitely not in the place of his mom, but in respect for my friend.

Dang it... I cant even type about it without tears flowing...

I tell you what... that Ryan... he's something...

Ricky & I adore him & have always thought of him as family & now we're excited to think of Chasity as family too....

I will say it was one of the biggest surprise I think I've ever had in my life ... I will never forget the moment...

I just felt honored & blessed... no other words...

Love having one of the best moments of my life captured... Words cant express how I felt... Thank you Ryan - you are an amazing man that your mother would be so, truly proud of