My Dearest Aunt Elizabeth & Going to Cameron's Wedding

While I was in Moab this summer, I got a message from my Aunt Elizabeth on Facebook.  Cameron Gygi was getting married and she wondered if she could crash with us the week of the wedding.

First of all...Cameron Gygi was getting married?  I had heard nothing of this.  He was getting married in a month?  I had heard nothing of this.  My Aunt Elizabeth wanted to stay with me?  YES PLEASE!

Let me tell you about my Aunt Elizabeth.

Living thousands and thousands of miles away from your biological family makes it hard to get together for holidays and special occasions in each others lives.  My family figured out that the best way to combat these feelings of missing family was to simply...pick and choose some new family members.

We picked Elizabeth to be our Aunt. She was hilarious to have around!  She told the best stories and seemed to enjoy adventures as much as we did.  She traveled all over the world and for awhile, I got to have her as a Sunday School teacher at Church....at a time when I needed someone nice to be at Church.

She came to family holidays like Thanksgiving.  We went to Hong Kong on a temple trip together once and I got to be baptized for one of her relatives which was a GIANT spiritual deal to me.  She came to my graduation.  She came to my bridal shower.  She was my Aunt.

We LOVE her.

The only problem is that now that I live back in the States....my Aunt Elizabeth lives thousands and thousands of miles away.  So a chance to see her for a week?  A chance to introduce her to my husband?

YES PLEASE.

A couple weeks later, Cameron announced that he was indeed planning on getting married.  August 17th.

August 15th was my last day of work for the Summer.  Thank goodness because it was the day that my Aunt Elizabeth was getting into town and I didn't want to miss a single moment of being able to hang out with her.

After work, we drove to Salt Lake to pick up my Aunt.  Well...to drop me off to pick up my Aunt.  I wish that I took a picture of the sign that I was holding up for her when she got to baggage claim.  I was so excited to see her!  It had been 3 long years without her!

We got her bags and got her retail car all figured out.  Then we headed to City Creek to meet up with Aaron for dinner.  That was when my Aunt Elizabeth got to meet Aaron for the first time!  Luckily she approved...I don't know what I would have done if she didn't.  I can't really throw him back at this point, can I?

We ate at Cheesecake Factory...which was a new experience for me.  The food was amazing...but unfortunately that was when I started feeling a cold coming on.  NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

The next day I tried to relax at home with my Aunt and get over my cold.  We hung out and talked which is my favorite.  She was so mothering to me.  She would have me go and take a nap and when I would wake up, she had cleaned the kitchen.  If I was going to be sick, it was nice to have the next best thing to my mother around...in fact...it was probably a little better than my mother since my mother isn't the most compassionate.  LOVE YOU MOM!

At 4 o'clock we headed down to Sister Nielson's home for a "bridal/bachelor party" in Mapleton.  It is a 2 hour drive down but it was worth it   (I had to pee at a little restaurant attached to the Harley Davidson on the ride down since I was drinking A LOT and we got stuck in some traffic...it was pretty funny).

Elizabeth got to meet Cameron's soon-to-be wife Ansley and we all got to know her a little better.  It was funny because they had only been dating for 3 months and so none of her friends really knew Cameron and none of Cameron's friends really knew Ansley so it was good to get everyone in one room together to meet.

Sister Nielson set me up with some essential oils to try and get me feeling better faster.  Dang kids at preschool coughing into my mouth making me sick.  On the way back home, I did start feeling better.  I started to be able to smell the stuff she put on me...which was a major miracle.

Friday was the wedding!  It was a beautiful day for a wedding.  The Mount Timpanogos Temple was undergoing some cleaning on the outside so it wasn't the best view in spots but you work with what you've got.

Unfortunately my cold was still going pretty strong so I didn't really feel like taking a lot of pictures...which is still kind of feel bad about but I'm sure that his sister-in-laws got some good pictures.

Cameron's step sister!

Cameron's father and older brother.

The happy couple coming out of the temple!  Love it!

More gorgeous Rachel.  At her wedding earlier this year Cameron was talking about how he wishes that he could meet someone soon and get married.  I told him that he had plenty of time.  About 5 months later and I end up at his wedding.

Cameron's step brothers.

Cameron's family (including his Aunt Elizabeth...it's okay...I guess that I can share.)

Rachel and her sister.  Rachel is always so attractive.

My Aunt Elizabeth in her gorgeous dress from Pakistan (I told you she loves to travel!)

Rachel and her husband looking distant....weird.

After the wedding, we drove down to Provo to chill at Clarise and Geoff's place for awhile.  I wanted them to meet my Aunt and hear her stories and see how awesome she was.

Then when it was time for the reception in Orem, we headed off.

By this time, I wasn't feeling so great....so I didn't take a lot of pictures.  I just sat and talked and gossiped with everyone at our table.  The Nielson girls kept us entertained.

It was a very pretty wedding.  They really knew how to decorate a backyard.  It almost looked like Pinterest exploded in that yard.

The next day I got to go through the temple for the first time with my Aunt Elizabeth.  She wants to go to all of the temples in the world.  I think that that is a pretty good goal.  We decided to hit up the Bountiful Temple since the Ogden Temple is still being rebuilt.

We had a beautiful time...even though I scared everyone by forgetting my temple recommend!  Luckily the Church has me on record so that they can look online and see that I have a current temple recommend.

Before we left, we decided to walk around the gardens since they are always kept so nice.  And we found a little bunny living there!  What a wonderful home for a rabbit!  I guarantee that no one on the temple grounds is going to try to shot and kill you little guy.

My aunt stayed for a couple more days and so we got to keep visiting with each other. I love it when people come to other peoples weddings. Because then I get to see the person visiting A TON and the person who is having the wedding only gets to wave at them and talk for 15 minutes. I remember all of these people who came out for my wedding and I wished that I was able to spend more time with them so it is GREAT when people come for someone elses wedding.

Elizabeth pampered me all week long trying to keep us full of food and making sure that I took plenty of naps.  When I was awake she kept me laughing and feeling great.

I sure do miss her now that she is gone.  But I will just have to wait a couple more years when I'm sure I will either go to see her or she will come to see me.