Well, here we are and a happy time it is. Sarah and Ryan are tying the knot, and we can all celebrate. What comes to mind is Patience. Without it we live in the past or dwell on the future. Patience brings peace. Someone once said Life is precious, no rewind or fast forward, just patience and faith. Another is that anything is possible with Patience and Love.

I have watched as Sarah and Ryan have grown together and found harmony and peace. The good times have come out of challenges. The strong have succeeded in bringing families together. Ryan is quick with a smile and as friendly as one can be. He is thoughtful and smart with a good kind heart. His peaceful nature is a great balance for Sarah.

Sarah told me one day that the world is backwards where we should travel and explore when young and work when we are older and wiser. Always smart and quick with a smile. Her friends are loyal and close. She surprises me all of the time with her insights. I am the left brained and both of my girls/women have taught me the balance of the right brain.

I feel today that Sarah and Ryan are in a great place and balance of life is their priority. I am happy for them. Frankly my family seems to be is the best ‘Space” ever. I have no complaints whatsoever and my Love for my Family is deep. Thank you for reading this and attending Ryan and Sarah Browers wedding. When does one plus one equal one? On the Wedding Day. Bless you all.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthian 13:4

We pray for love

We look for love

We want someone to love

We want someone to love you back

Love is all around

Finding that special someone

The one who understands you

The one who reads your mind

The one you can be quiet with

The one you can share your dreams with

The one you can share your space with

Finding that someone is a fantastic moment in time!

Sarah and Ryan have found their someone

We are so very happy for them

We look forward to celebrating their marriage and LOVE with all of you in September.

My kids and I were lucky enough to meet Ryan a couple of weeks after he and Sarah met. I liked the name when I heard it. I thought, of course this will be the one! Anything to make life a little more confusing.

Sarah was pretty smitten right off the bat so I knew when I met him this could be something serious. It only took a few more minutes to confirm my suspicion. My daughter loves to meet new friends and was instantly showing Ryan all of her toys. One of which was her stuffed animal bunny, "Bun Bun" that she slept with every night. Ryan said, "Oh I had a bunny I slept with named Thumper!" My sister ALSO had a bunny, "Bingo" and still has her bunny to this day. That's when I knew. That's my bunny lovin' future brother- in-law.

As Sarah's younger sister I got to watch her grow up before me, watch her be a girl scout, narrate a play, play softball, get amazing grades, ride in her car, watch her get into Vanderbilt, and more. There is so much in the "more" but that would be a whole book! Our sisterhood is one of the greatest love stories of my life! But I know that my sister wanted to find her true soulmate. A man that is patient, kind, calm, forgiving, and loves her unconditionally. I always wanted that for her too. I loved her so much and I knew there would be someone out there to reflect all that she is back to her. I knew it would happen one day. Never knew how or when or that it would be in Asheville, NC. but God is good and picked one of my favorite cities!

I wish I could choose the right words to express my happiness for you both. But with sisterly love and romantic love it often goes without saying. You just know. And I know my sister knows how much I love her and want what's best for her. It's a sister thing! And now I am your sis too, Ryan! So I hope you both feel the love and how incredibly happy I am for you both!

I would like to close with some marriage encouragement: always remember those bon fires, the flowers and topo chico left at your doorstep, the hand written notes, and first kisses. Those memories will get you through many moments as you continue to grow together. One of the joys of getting older and settling into family life is that it's really so simple after all. To have each other is such a gift. You are both blessed beyond measure to have found each other in this crazy world. I wish you all the best in every way, always and forever, and that you remain dangerously in love. I am here for both and will be routing you on in life and in love. Always remember to keep choosing each other and to put love first.

I will never forget the call where I knew my brother had found the one. Let me first start with a little back history:

My brother and I grew up in a not so stable, yet very loving, home. Our mother suffered from bipolar disorder, which it turn led to many not so healthy relationships. So many of our beliefs stem from what we witness as children. It's really freaking difficult to change thoughts instilled in us at such a young age. I'm not sure if that is the reason Ry and I have struggled with relationships, or the fact that relationships are just hard. What I love about Ry and Sarah's love story is it proves to me that we can break patterns, and it doesn't have to be "hard" if it's with the right person. So, back to that call.........

"Bear, I just want to tell her that I love her," or something close to that is what Ry said to me not even two weeks after meeting Sarah. I'm probably not supposed to spill this, but he also told me he wanted to marry her. Now let me tell you, he has NEVER said that to me in such a way. I knew this was different than anything else he has ever experienced. It also had me freaked out a bit. I had to remind him that our grandpa said to always give it four seasons. He understood my concern, but he was love struck and nothing else mattered! To be honest, I knew this was it for him too because he has always been my best friend, and I know him almost as well as I know myself.

Ryan is one of the most logical, level-headed people I know, and although that has served him well in many areas of his life, it was doing him a disservice in the love department. You see, he started looking at love with logic instead of feelings. It was basically his way of giving up on love, settling, if you will. His arguments were so persuasive that he even had me questioning if I was searching for something that really didn't exist, except in movies, of course. Then, along came this Florida beauty that felt like home to him from the start. Sarah's astounding fashion sense, along with her shiny blonde hair and dimples, are not the attributes that make her a beauty. It's her warmth, kindness, intelligence, sense of humor, spunky, spiritual soul that got him hooked. I mean, I'm sure the dimples didn't hurt.

Words can't express how proud I am of my brother. He has always had the weight of the world on his shoulders, especially when we were younger. My mother's illness, along with a lack of a father, basically left him in charge of not only raising himself, but me as well. In the past four years he has managed to get sober, get out of the dreaded restaurant business, and create a successful nursery from scratch! He is a one of a kind, stand up man, father, brother, uncle, and partner. I truly believe his prize is Sarah.

To say I wish you both nothing but happiness and joy is true, but we all know marriage is a journey. It's not about always being happy, it's about loving each other as best you can through the valleys and the peaks. You have both already proven through many challenges over the past two years that you have that covered, and then some! I love you both <3

.....Salude!