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Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism. 

The moment I became your Mother is the moment my entire world change. You have made me into the woman I am today and for that there are no true words.

On this your special day, I wish you a lifetime of happiness, a day filled with joy and an infinite amount of love.

You are my masterpiece and I am so proud to be your mom.

Happy Birthday Jacelyn Breanna Jackson.

Love You 

Mom

Happy Birthday BFF

The bond between friends cannot be broken by chance; no interval of time or space can destroy it. Not even death itself can part true friends.  When she unexpectedly left us, a piece of my heart was forever broken

Brandy Corley is and always will be my best friend.  By the grace of God and our preschool director Mrs. Melvin putting us on the carpet together, me in the red square and her in the blue square, we became inseparable. She thought it was a great idea for us to be class buddies and we never looked back.  We did Pig Tails, Girl Scouts, Pink Nike Short Sets, summers in Campanella Park, Cheer Squad, Boyfriends, Learning to Drive, Late Night Party Line Calls, Soda Pop Club, Graduations, Babies, Careers... Everything together. We had 30 plus years of friendship, love and sisterhood. 

The moments in life that we had together can never be replaced. We smiled through our defeats, celebrated our victories, cried when we needed it and laughed until we had tears rolling down our faces.

I am truly saddened by her death… but from this sadness I have a feeling of gratitude that emerges. I feel honored to have known her and blessed that her passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive easier, share more, explore the world, and love everyone around me. I can think of no greater way to honor her than to live this way. 

The weird, weird thing about devastating death is that life actually goes on. When you’re faced with a tragedy, a loss so huge that you have no idea how you can live through it, somehow, the world keeps turning, the seconds keep ticking.

The void within my soul is too deep to be filled but I know that God has a plan for all of us and my hope is that everyone take this time not to be sad but to celebrate her life and all that she did while here with us. 

I can't wait to see her again but until that day, I will keep her in my heart, speaking to her in my prayers and continue to love her as my best friend for life....

Bride Gets Walked Down The Aisle By A Man With Her Father’s Heart In Tearful Ceremony

A Pennsylvania bride who lost her father to tragedy 10 years ago found herself walking down the aisle with the man who received his heart.

Jeni Stepien was unable to hold back tears when she embraced Arthur Thomas for the first time Friday and felt her father’s heart beating inside him.

“Can you feel it?” Thomas asked her in a video taken by Pittsburgh TV station KDKA. She tearfully held his wrist and chest and quietly nodded.

Stepien’s father, Michael Stepien, was killed in a 2006 robbery when she was 23. After he spent 24 hours on life support, the family accepted the inevitable and donated his organs, Stepien told The Huffington Post.

KDKA

Jeni Stepien feels her late father’s heartbeat inside Arthur Thomas, the organ recipient.

At that time, Thomas, who Stepien’s family calls “Tom,” had been waiting nearly 10 years for a heart transplant at his home in New Jersey.

“He was going to die if he did not receive a new heart in the next several days,” Stepien told HuffPost via email Sunday. “Tom received my father’s heart within the next 48 hours.”

The Christmas following his transplant he wrote to Stepien’s family thanking them for what they had done.

The families kept in touch through letters and phone calls over the years but it wasn’t until they started planning Jeni Stepien’s wedding that she saw the perfect chance for them to meet.
“When my fiancé proposed, one of the first things I thought of was ‘but who will walk me down the aisle?’ I could think of nobody more meaningful than Tom,” she said. “My fiancé suggested I write him a letter; that way Tom would feel in no way obligated or pressured by my request.”

A few days after sending the letter she got a phone call, she said. Tom’s answer was yes. She met him for the first time on Friday.

“Meeting Tom was so incredible!” she said. “He is such a gracious and kind-hearted man. You could tell he was so thankful for his life, and that radiated from him.”

The decision to invite Thomas brought joy to her entire family, Stepien added.
“My mother was very touched by the idea also and thought it was a very appropriate gesture to honor my father. I knew how important it would be for her and my sister to receive this piece of closure by finally meeting Tom as well,” she said.

“I wanted to make the day special for everyone, not just for myself.”

In sharing her story, Stepien said she hopes it sends a message to others: Organ donors do matter.
“Organ donation can provide an opportunity for a second chance at life. It is an exceptional gift, one that is selfless and generous, and always appreciated by the recipient,” she said. “We were able to see how wonderfully Tom was progressing all of these years, simply thriving, and [that] in turn, helped us with our own grief.”

Where Should the Mother of the Groom Get Ready?

Photo: Getty Images
 

That pre-wedding girl time is critical. You get to get all dolled up, surrounded by the women who know you best and love you the most. It's a time for happy tears, champagne toasts, and cute photos galore, all topped off with the moment you get into your wedding dress. And while Mom, Sis and your bridesmaids will definitely be on the VIP list of who's getting gussied up in your suite, what about your future mother-in-law? She is, after all, a woman, and she's about to become a major part of your life (if she isn't one already). So should she join you all for your pampering session? Our experts weigh in.

If you have a good relationship with your future mother-in-law and are getting married in a fairly central/accessible location, by all means, invite her to join you. You can either have her come up to your hotel suite for the entire morning to hang out, or she can stop in when it's her turn in the makeup chair, sip on a little bubbly, and then head back to her room to finish getting ready. Does your fiancé have a sister who isn't in the bridal party? You should invite her along, as well!

If you're getting ready at a local salon, you should also invite your mother-in-law to be a part of the excitement. Again, encourage her to hang out for as long as she'd like, since you and your 'maids might be there for a while!

Planning a wedding in your hometown and getting ready at your parents' house? Who you invite to get ready with you might depend on how much space you have. If you have the room, keep the group as inclusive as possible. Tight on space? You might need to narrow down the guest list, or consider heading to a salon instead.

 

While your mother-in-law doesn't have to get ready with you the morning of the wedding, inviting her is a super sweet gesture, and a way to acknowledge that, in a few short hours, you'll be family.

Happy Holidays

From Our Family to yours... 

We wish you a very Happy Holidays!! 

Scott Jasmine Jacelyn and Isaiah

Thankful

Each year I take the time to reflect back on what has gone on this year with myself and my family. With Kids in school,  my Husband and I working, Life and unfortunately Death, it has been a time of blessings. 

I hope that everyone is Thankful today and everyday for all the ups and downs, Joy and sorrow and for being here for another Thanksgiving. 

Love and Blessings- Jasmine 

Kind father of the bride invites stepdad to help walk daughter down the aisle

Image: Facebook/Delia D. Blackburn Photography

Todd Bachman was ready to walk his daughter down the aisle. He also knew he couldn't do it alone.
Bachman stopped daughter Brittany Peck's wedding processional Saturday to request the presence of another crucial figure in Brittany's life — her stepdad.

Image: Facebook/Delia D. Blackburn Photography

Bachman and Peck's stepdad Todd Cendrosky have both played vital roles in Peck's upbringing — so vital, in fact, that Peck wasn't sure who should walk her down the aisle.

Two weeks before the wedding, Peck was torn. "She called me and said 'Dad, something's bothering me,'" Bachman told the Chronicle-Telegram in Lorain County, Ohio.

"I told her I already had something planned. She was so torn, and the last thing I wanted was for her to be torn."

Bachman kept his plan to include Cendrosky a secret until seconds before the wedding, when he grabbed Cendrosky's hand, pulled him from his seat, and led him toward Peck, who had just arrived at the ceremony and was preparing to walk down the aisle.

Image: Facebook/Delia D. Blackburn Photography

"Not a dry eye at the ceremony... including me," wrote wedding photographer Delia D. Blackburn in a Facebook post. "Families are what we make them... make it about your kids and not your ego."

Want to Impress Your In-Laws? Do This

Photo: John + Louise Weddings
 
We hope your in-laws-to-be are warm, welcoming, supportive, and delightful to be with. We sincerely do. But even if you're marrying into the perfect family, it'll be a lot easier for you admit this one simple fact: Your in-laws are strangers. Even if you've dated their son for years and therefore known them for years. Even if they are truly great folks. Here's why: with your family members, you know, for example, exactly what message your Mom's sending you with her sidelong, critical glance. You know exactly what your Dad means with his hesitant, "Um, yes, inviting the entire wedding to the rehearsal dinner too is a great idea, honey." You know you'll be heading back to the racks when your sister says, "Seriously?" to your choice of bridesmaid dress.

Because these are your peeps. You grew up with them. In your bones, you know their likes and dislikes. You know when they're joking or serious. You know what's most important and what's frivolous. And you know where the potential minefields lie — where the wounds and difficult things lie in your family history. You just know them, their likes, dislikes and vulnerabilities, because they were all in the air you breathed your whole life.


With your in-laws, you're flying blind in these deeper departments. Yes, they're lovely, warm, and friendly. (Lucky you!) But as you become the newest limb on their family tree, it will help you to remember how little you actually know about the deeper emotional family history. About why your father-in-law, who's rich as King Midas, nickles-and-dimes you and your fiancé about everything . About why your MIL rabidly tries to control the seating chart. (What strained family relationships do you not understand yet?) About how your sister-in-law's actually just pulling your leg with her "Seriously?" about the bridesmaid dress. Yes, over the course of a lifetime together, you will learn more about their family history and subtle dynamics. But right now, you're a complete beginner. As you should be.

How to deal with all this not knowing you find yourself in the middle of? Be a cultural anthropologist. Go into their family gatherings with an attitude of observation, of curiosity, of information-gathering. Park all assumptions of what's actually going on at the door. Most importantly, let your fiancé be your guide. He knows his family. He knows exactly the message his Mom's sending with her sidelong, critical glances. He knows the back story, the hurts, and where the mines lie. So let him be your translator in this strange new world of your in-laws.

How to Avoid Mama Drama When Planning Your Wedding

While wedding planning brings some brides and their mothers closer together, your relationship with your mom can also be a huge source of stress when you're planning your wedding. Here are four common mother-of-the-bride behaviors you might experience and our advice on how to handle them.

 

1. Your mom has very specific ideas for what is "right" when it comes to a wedding...ideas you don't agree with. Try to empathize with your mom. Weddings are as much about our families as they are about the couple, and your parents may be worried that your choices might reflect badly on them to their friends or close family members. So just like you may need to remind yourself that people aren't judging you based on your wedding, you may need to remind your mom of the same thing.

 

2. There is a specific and seemingly unimportant detail of your wedding that your mom doesn't like...and she just won't let it go. No matter how many times you tell her that it's totally cool to have a brunch wedding or to not wear a veil, she keeps insisting that you'll regret it. Arguments like these often aren't really about the detail in question; they are about the fact that you're asserting your independence as an adult in a new, huge, and very public way. Again, try to be patient with your mom if she's worrying out about the small stuff...and find other ways to gently remind her that you still need her in your life.

 

3. She secretly enlists your fiancé or your future in-laws to take her side during wedding disagreements. Going behind your back to get approval for her ideas isn't OK. While it's fine for your fiancé to chat with your mom about wedding stuff, it's not cool to conspire with your mom against you. Ask your partner to firmly tell your mom, "I see your point but I'll have to it over with [the bride] first and then we'll let you know what we think" when she tries to start these kinds of conversations. Then make it clear to her (and your future in-laws, if necessary) that you're not OK with that tactic. This is the kind of behavior that will only cause more stress for you and your partner once you're married, so it's better to deal with it directly now.

 

4. Your mom won't stop talking negatively about her body or stressing about what she's going to wear for your wedding. Body image issues can affect women of all ages, and being the mother of the bride can bring out certain insecurities about aging, so it's no surprise that your mom is preoccupied with thoughts of how she'll look at your wedding. Do your best to reassure her that you think she's beautiful and help her find something she feels great in to wear on your wedding day. If the negative talk is really getting you down, ask her what would make her feel more confident at your wedding or if there is anything you can do to help. Calling attention to her behavior might help put a stop to it.

 

If your mom is causing drama during wedding planning, try to think of your her as another adult and not just your mom. When you know another adult is going through a lot of emotions, you're probably patient whenever you can be and firm (but polite) when necessary. Try your best to give your mom that much...and don't forget to send her flowers for Mother's Day!

 

  Photo by Nosnibor137/Bigstock.com

—By Rachel W. Miller

Best Man Mashes Up Pop Hits In A Tearjerking Speech For His Brother (Video)

While most wedding speeches from the best man involve a few inside jokes and well-wishes for the newly-married couple, a musically-inclined brother recently went above and beyond his responsibilities.

Singer Daniel Buccheri prepared an unusual toast for his brother and sister-in-law that combined pop hits like Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” and Backstreet Boys’ “As Long As You Love Me.”

Buccheri’s deeply personal rendition, complete with rewritten lyrics, was an emotional (and sometimes humorous) ode to the newlyweds.

Buccheri certainly sets the bar high, and his brother couldn’t have received a more touching tribute.

12 Heartfelt Ways To Include Lost Loved Ones In Your Wedding Day

Nothing compares to physically having all of your loved ones by your side on your wedding day. But by honoring deceased relatives and friends in a way that feels true to your relationship, it allows those people to be there in spirit.

Below are 12 sentimental ways to include them in your celebration.

• 1. Set up a photo display with a special message at the reception
   
  The Brauns via Ruffled 
   
• 2. Wrap the bouquets in ties he once wore 
   
  Zofia & Co.
   
• 3. Sew a cherished photo of that person into your wedding gown
   
  Lauren Balingit via Style Me Pretty 
   
• ...Or a handwritten note that you've held onto
   
  Janine Deanna Photography
• 4. Cut a piece out of a man's dress shirt and make it your 'something blue'
   
  Fawn Christiansen Photography via Bridal Guide
   
• 5. Hang tiny picture frame charms from your bridal bouquet 
   
   
  The Brauns
   
• ...Or choose a single photo
   
  Vesic Photography 
   
• 6. Create a simple bracelet using a loved one's wedding band
   
   
  By Way Of Ney
   
• 7. Carry a family heirloom, like this prayer book, with you down the aisle
   
  Hoffer Photography 
   
• 8. Wipe your happy tears with a loved one's handkerchief
   
  Mandy Fierens Photography 
   
• 9. Make a charitable donation in that person's name, in lieu of a wedding favor
   
   
  Zofia & Co.
   
• ...It's more meaningful than any small favor you could give
   
  Zofia & Co.
   
• 10. Wear a loved one's wedding ring in addition to your own
   
   
  Mandy Fierens Photography 
   
• 11. Reserve a seat for someone who couldn't be there with a single flower
   
  Vesic Photography 
   
• ...Or save a place for them with one of their prized possessions
   
   
  Heavenly Blooms
   
• 12. Hold a framed photo of that person during the ceremony
   
  Del Sol Photography

3 generations of brides share 1 dress — and 100 years of happy marriages

For one Pittsburgh family, a wedding-day tradition has also served as a good luck charm — a beautiful satin and lace gown, worn by three generations of brides on their wedding day.

It's a thread that connects the family through nearly 100 years of marriage among them.
Jenna Bush Hager met up with these real-life love experts to find out their tips for relationship success, and learn about their magic weapon.

Courtesy of Jackie Fiterman

 

Chester and Helene Gryzwinski, the couple that kick-started the family tradition. 

 

The story begins with Chester and Helene Gryzwinski, who were married in 1947 after Chester returned home from war. Helene's fond memories of their time together back then include her roller skating hobby, and how Chester would come and watch to make her happy, even though he couldn't play along. "He didn't roller skate good," she laughed.

Helene's daughter Cindy Kost describes her parents' marriage as "success in simplicity," and granddaughter Jackie Fiterman has fond memories of her grandparents' love.

"The two of them just clicked," she said. "I have a lot of great memories of just, you know, sitting on the porch with them while we would just talk about nothing. It felt easy and good."

Helene and Chester's marriage inspired their daughter, who married her husband Denny nearly 40 years ago — and Jackie, who tied the knot with hubby Eric five years ago.

She shared the best advice her mother and grandmother have given her: "Laugh a lot. Love hard. Work at it."

Courtesy of Jackie Fiterman

 

Cindy, Jackie, and Helene pose with their wedding dress. 

 

This is a family with ties that run deep and traditions they hold dear: The most cherished tradition being the same wedding dress that all three woman have worn on their big day.

"The dress was never a question. I knew I was going to wear it," Jackie said. "Growing up, I had heard the stories of the dress. You know, my grandma would talk about it. My mom would talk about it. And it was almost like a mystical, magical thing."

To Jackie, the dress is more than just a beautiful article of clothing. "It symbolizes, for me, generations of happiness in my family," she said. "Every woman who's worn it has been happily married."

Courtesy of Jackie Fiterman

 

A detail of the shared gown, which a clipping of Helene's wedding announcement describes as a "bodice of lace, seed pearls and irridescent [sic.] sequins." 

 

Of course it takes more than a lucky dress to keep a marriage working successfully.

Denny says that Cindy makes their marriage work by not going to bed mad — the couple joke that she will keep him all up night to avoid this situation, and that if he starts to fall asleep, she'll poke him.

Jackie says she and her husband's key to success is laughing often with one another, together, and at themselves. "Enjoy the journey," says Eric. "Enjoy the ride."

Groom Makes Wedding Vows To 3-Year-Old Stepdaughter In Emotional Video

On his wedding day last January, NASCAR driver Brian Scott recited vows to not one, but two of the important ladies in his life: his bride Whitney Kay and her then-3-year-old daughter Brielle.
The couple tied the knot on a snowy day in McCall, Idaho. At one point during the ceremony, Scott bent down so he could be eye-to-eye with Brielle and made a heartfelt promise to love and care for her, no matter what.

Credit: PenWeddings

"I promise to always hold your hand and skip with you down the street and bring comfort to your life," he said. "I vow to make you say your prayers before you eat. I promise to read you stories at night and to always tuck you in real tight. I vow to show you how a man should treat a woman in my relationship with your mother. And above all else, I vow to protect you, care for you and love you forever."

The emotional video -- shot by wedding videographer PenWeddings -- was posted to YouTube last year, but recently resurfaced and went viral with more than 350,000 views at the time of publication. HuffPost Weddings caught up with Scott on Wednesday and reminisced about that snowy day last year, which he called "emotional and surreal."

"I always felt like my vows to my wife Whitney would maybe affect me more and I would get more choked up during those, making those promises to her," he told The Huffington Post. "But I misread that one. It was really when I was reading my vows to Brielle that I got the most choked up. It really all just hits home in that moment -- you're there and dressed up and all the people around. You're living in the moment. It affects you more than when you write it or plan for it or practice it. You get engulfed by it."


Credit: PenWeddings

The Scotts, who live in Charlotte, North Carolina, first met through mutual friends in 2011. In November 2014, they welcomed a baby boy named Joseph. So far, Scott says he's really enjoying fatherhood.

"Just being there for [the kids] and enjoying family moments together and playing with them and hearing them laugh and seeing them smile -- all of those things are so much better than any of the negative aspects people like to bring up about having kids. It’s not baggage -- it’s great addition [to my life]."

Goodbye 2014..... Happy 2015!

Happy Holidays... Love The Camerons!!

Sweet 16

On this day 16 years ago, God blessed me with a healthy and happy baby girl. From the very first moment I saw her sweet face, I knew that not only was she my greatest achievement but the great love of my life. She has grown up to be an exceptional young lady and no one makes me prouder to be a Mom like she does.... 

Happy Birthday Jacelyn Breanna Jackson, I Love You!