All Grown Up

Throughout life, we meet a lot of people. A LOT A LOT of people!! So many that sometimes when I bump into someone I haven't seen in a long time, I don't remember their name nor where I know them from. Was it from school? which school? old church? new church? old work? new work? a friends' friend? at a party?  conference? on vacation?

You get the picture?

Sometimes it's little people. No.. not that kind of people. Kids... Babies... Children. They grow up and I don't recognize them anymore. My only memory of them is when they were 5 and now they are 25. They don't go by JonJon, Ali, NicNic or Chellie-Bellie anymore. It's Jonathan, Alison, Dominic or Michelle. They are adults... attending college... driving... dating... and even getting married.

Oh but I am getting ahead of myself. I should start at the beginning.

My first experience with children (other than being one myself) was teaching Sunday school at my old church, CIBC O. I remember trying to figure out where would I best help out in the church. I didn't want to do nursery (carrying them for an hour while they were crying for their mom to come back did not sound like something I wanted to 'serve' in); toddlers were still too little and I didn't want to do the 'diaper-thing'; but preschool was do-able. Four and five-year-olds seemed more independent, self-sufficient and self-entertained than all those other younger ages. (Little did I know that elementary aged kids are even better.)

I started helping out in the Children's Church (ages 4-5). It was here that I first met Crystal. She was very outspoken and obedient young lady of four years and always had a huge smile on her face. Her brother Jonathan (Jon Jon) was only a few years younger than her and was super smart.. now I mean .. SUPER smart... I think he even skipped a grade and he played the piano like it was a part of him.

A few years later, Crystal and Jon Jon's family helped start CI's church plant in my current home town. My boyfriend, at the time (and now husband) and I soon followed to help start and build this little family oriented church. It was an incredible time of building wonderful relationships with some incredible families all of whom are still near and dear to us today. I continued teaching Sunday School, this time 2nd/3rd grade, and Crystal was in my class again and JonJon soon followed. It was teaching Sunday School that I decided to change careers and go into teaching full time.

Fast forward many many years later. Crystal went to UCD for her undergrad and became involved in a Christian Fellowship called InterVarsity. Her heart was drawn to teaching college students about God and even though she taught high school for a little bit, God was leading her to do something different. She became a campus minister back at her alma mater and that is where she is today.

But not alone.. you see.. she just got married to Michael (another IV staff worker but not from UCD... but all the way across the country in Detroit.)

Jonathan graduated from UCLA with his undergraduate degree and is now at Berklee College of Music pursuing his passion and dream in music.

I came out of retirement and had the privilege of coordinating Crystal and Michael's wedding ceremony. My husband was even an extra photographer for them (which I was thankful for since these pictures on this post are his).

It was a honor also to stand with Crystal's parents, Alan & Angelina, dear dear friends of ours during this precious time in their daughter's life.

Nowadays, weddings are an 'event-filled' and event-planned' affair meaning that the bride and groom hire professional wedding planners and decorators to plan every aspect of their wedding from the engagement portraits, invitations, table settings, to photo booths and cupcakes and favors all coordinated and tied together seamlessly to a specific theme. It's gorgeous but very expensive!

Crystal and Michael's wedding was one of the simplest yet beautiful weddings I have ever attended. They made God the center of their wedding and honored their guests and family throughout the wedding and reception.

Nearing the end of the ceremony, their officiant Brian (who did an awesome job.. you would have never known that this was the first wedding he officiated), the bridal party and their guests all laid hands on the new couple to pray a prayer of blessing upon their new life together. What an honor and blessing to God!

Now getting back to Kids turning into Adults. Crystal and Jonathan. I've only known them as kids. I didn't know at that time many years ago what or how they will grow into adulthood and what they will do with their lives. Or what kind of decisions they would make for themselves. You just don't know. I didn't know. I was just a Sunday School teacher to them. Just a tiny part of their precious life. And to see them at this wedding... it brought tears to my eyes.

I am so proud of the adults Crystal and Jonathan have become.