They're Eternal!

Part III:  Misi's Wedding

The sealing was beautiful.  Elder Samuelson is a close family friend and my dad asked him to conduct their sealing.  I always love going to sealings to hear the blessings and covenants....such a spiritual blessing to be able to be sealed to someone forever and ever and ever.  I can't believe he's married.  What an incredibly emotional day.  I'm so proud of my brother for being who he is.  I'm so proud of him for always being such a great kid and always showing a great example.  I'm so proud of him for serving a mission.  I'm so proud of him for finding a lovely young lady and for being worthy to take her to the temple.  I can't believe all of us are married now (except Leka).  We're all grown up!  What a great day!  I have TONS and TONS and TONS of pictures.....it was hard to choose, but I will just post a few of them.....

These are from the temple right after the sealing...

(keep in mind my computer is broken, therefore no photoshop so I wasn't able to crop out the excess of the pix...)

Some of the groomsmen...

Bridesmaids Leka & Lexi

Some of the flower girls... Lote, Yana, Finau & Liva

Misi's family that was @ the temple

Our Makai family!

The newlywed couple w/ their Makai parents

My little family w/ the newlyweds

Makai siblings w/ husbands, kids & parents

(Lautala was so not cooperating with the camera..haha!)

My handsome boys

Daddy trying to keep his mini-me warm (it was freezing!)

McAbe ~ Pola ~ Misi ~ Ben

All the bridesmaids

All the groomsmen

Their line...

Pola w/ her Maid of Honor

Misi w/ his Best Man

They had their reception luncheon at the Little America Hotel ballroom.  It was set up so beautifully and was big enough to hold everyone.  To be completely honest, I was totally against having a wedding in a hotel (it's expensive and none of us had our receptions there)  Forking out that much money to have it in a hotel seemed ridiculous to me, especially when you can have it in a stake center for free.  My mind was changed after Misi's wedding.  It was beautiful. Since it wasn't in a church people prepared tau'olungas and actually got to fakapale, so the newlyweds got a good chunk of cash to start their lives with.  Tongans don't give gifts, they just don't.  They give envelopes with money for the couple, or they prepare dances for the couple and people can fakapale (throw money).  Since there is no more fakapale in church buildings, and most Tongans don't give gifts......it's just smarter to have it outside a church building (my new opinion...hahaha) Also, it was great because the families got to enjoy the event instead of running around catering and making sure decorations were ok.  And, when it was over, it was over and we all got to go home and leave the cleaning for the hotel staff.  I was totally against it, BUT after seeing how well Misi's wedding turned out.....I told Ova we're saving up cause when our kids get married, we're doing it in a hotel.  hahaha.  It was such a fun reception and I was really enjoying myself, so I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to.  Here's a few...

Our table

Auntie Namu & Tea w/ my boys.....I LOVE these two women...they ALWAYS

come through to help me with everything!  I'm so blessed w/ them!

Their beautiful cake!

My parents with the Kolipoki's

(Elder Groberg is a good friend of my Dad, he's the one that sealed Ova and I when we got married.  It was nice to have so many church leaders there to support my Dad and my Brother!)

Misi w/ my Dad's brothers...Uncle Taniela & Uncle Tevita

Leka ~ Newlyweds ~Siu ~ Me

A bunch of wanna be's.....hahaha all my brothers...

Such a brat...

She only wanted me....such a Mama's girl...

The beautiful bride Sipola Fakalata Makai