Celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Poole

My one and only sister got married on Friday. It was picture perfect in every way. Liz was the kind of bride every woman hopes to be; Incredibly calm, gracious and absolutely gorgeous. The whole day went smoothly and the evening went off without a hitch. I've got just a few pictures from the day/ evening, but nothing fancy. In fact, my huge regret from the night is that we didn't capture one single photo of our little family. There are entire Bates family shots, but not one of just Josh, the Bear and myself all gussied up. Darnit. I've got an ache in my stomach for missing that opportunity. How did that even happen!?

After days of rain the sun was shining, but it wasn't too hot; which was pretty much an accurate snapshot of the evening. Everything that could go right did go right. It was enchanted.  Josh and I were so honored to stand with my sister and her new husband, Brent, on this special occasion. Below is the toast I gave at the reception. I only got choked up twice, but quickly recovered. I meant to print this out, but ran out of time and ended up using my iPhone, which was difficult since I was holding the mic with my other hand and am really only comfortable talking when I can flail both of my hands about. But regardless, we made it. What a magical night. What a beautiful sister. What a sacred ceremony. What a blessed couple. What loyal friends and supportive family. What a way to celebrate this new marriage.

Liz and Brent, thank you for inviting us to witness and participate in this sacred evening. It is a profound privilege and a pleasure to come together to celebrate with you, to cheer you on, and to commit to supporting and praying for you as you begin your life together. We want you to know you can count on us in every season of your marriage. We believe in you and affirm that God has done a good thing by bringing you two together as husband and wife.

Liz, I couldn’t have asked for or dreamed up a better sister than you. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

I have countless incredible memories of you and with you.

I remember when you were a little girl; sporting an edgy hairstyle we now lovingly refer to as The Bullet, a poetic mix of the classic bowl-cut and timeless mullet. You pulled it off, but even better than your hairstyle was your budding fashion sense. As a four year old, you would always be drenched in costume jewelry, fancy shoes and bold, colorful clothing. As is completely evident today, you had style woven into the fabric of your being. You were constantly changing outfits, trying out new combinations of beads, feathers and Disney princess dresses. At one point this wardrobe obsession become so elaborate that mom had to enforce the kitchen timer rule. You were only allowed to change outfits once every 15 minutes. This was a stretch for you, but you made it. And look at you now! Epic style and incredible grace.

I remember when you were 10 and I was 14, we flew with mom to New Mexico to visit Grandma Molly. It was on this trip, in a new place, sharing a room, and spending time together just the two of us at such a formative time in our lives that we unlocked a secret that would forever change our relationship. We discovered we could be more than blood relatives, bound together by our parents and our address. On this trip we learned we could be friends. We started an endless stream of inside jokes and rock solid non-verbal communication. We began to confide in each other and to have each other’s backs. This was a turning point in our relationship.

I remember just four years later leaving for college at the same time you began high school. I missed you so much during that season. As much as I longed to stretch my wings in a new city, I also longed to be at home with you, present and involved in your every day life.

I remember one time when I came home to visit and you shared what you thought was merely a simple reflection, but what I now believe was a profound insight to your soul. After several months of observing and interacting with the sea of people high school inevitably brings your way, you shared that you had made the decision to like everyone. You said it casually in the moment, but I could tell you held a conviction to look for the very best in each and every person in your life. And as the years went by, I noticed you not only committed yourself to seeing the best in others, but to actually bringing out the best in others. So many of us in this space tonight would say we are our best selves when we are around you. 

I remember when the time came for you to prepare for college. And, oh what a journey that was.:-) I remember proudly watching you blossom into a beautiful woman of God at Corban as your faith deepened and your dependence on Him increased. I admire the way you articulate your faith and how devoted you are to growing in Christ.

Liz, it is an honor to have been granted a front row seat to your life. I am grateful for the kind of relationship with my one and only sister where we can always be the truest, messiest and funniest versions of ourselves. You are a beautiful, exceptional young woman and will be a phenomenal wife to Brent.

Brent, welcome to our family! I don’t remember too many conversations with my sister growing up about what our wedding days would look like, but I do remember having countless conversations about the kind of man we hoped to marry. I believe these conversations came up so early and often because of our dad. The kind of husband he has been and is to our mom set the bar at a very young age. When we were young, marrying someone like our dad was a given; of course we would marry someone as kind, thoughtful, present, patient, sensitive and godly our father! But as we got older, we realized that men like this were a rare treasure. We began to pray for our husbands. When I met Josh, there was a resurgence of hope; men like this still existed! Thankfully, Josh agreed to marry me and we continued to pray for the perfect mix of godly, funny, wise, and kind for Liz. And Brent, here you are; evidence of God’s goodness and answered prayer. You are gentle, but strong, you are kind and thoughtful. You are disciplined and smart. You are a safe place for my sister. You know who you are and you are pursuing who God has called you to be. You embrace all that my sister is and encourage her to become all that God is calling her to be. I am so thankful for your and so proud to call you brother from this day on.

Brent and Liz, this evening is the stuff of dreams. You two have graciously given so much time and energy into making your wedding memorable and meaningful. I feel confident that if you commit yourselves to investing this much time, thoughtfulness, energy, effort and intentionality into your marriage you will live an extraordinary love story that your own children and grandchildren will tell for ages and will aspire to themselves.

Please join me by raising your glass one more time to toast Brent and Liz Poole!