photo challenge day 25: something pink

This is Anna and Emily, my amazing sisters-in-law.  Aren't they gour-jus?  I love them.  So, so much.  In-laws get a pretty bad rap, but let me tell you-- I LOVE MY IN LAWS from the bottom of my heart.  They are such a big, sloppy kiss from God.  One of those happy surprises in life.  I didn't really know what to expect from having in-laws, but God was like "Stephanie, I love you so much I am going to bless you beyond anything you can ask or imagine.  You don't even know how much your family can grow and your capacity to love more people deeply can increase, but I am going to show you that joy."  Thanks God.  Really.  I am so, so blessed, by these two girls, by a father in law who really loves me, another brother who, like Sven, is younger than me but bigger than me, so I think of him as a kind of big brother-- and, let's be honest... who doesn't love big brothers?, and a mother in law-daughter in law relationship that is so uniquely special there aren't even words to describe it.  She's like a mom and a friend, and a...I don't know...godmother?  Like I said... no words to describe it.  I miss her like crazy and look forward to seeing her so much.  I love you, Taylors!!

And then there's this guy:

*Sigh.*  I just love him.  He is so kind and thoughtful and smart and handy and helpful and patient and meek.  And he's pretty goofy.  He keeps me laughing.

And HOT! Does he look good in a tux or what?  I mean, da-a-a-ANG!  This picture doesn't even do it justice.

He doesn't like to get dressed up, but he had to.

He had a best-manning gig at his brother's wedding.  It was a very happy day.  Don't they look like twins? (Sarcasm)  Actually, I think someone told them that this weekend, and they were serious.  To be honest, this picture represents the most resemblance I've ever found between them.  They actually sorta look like brothers.

And here is the happy couple- Dan & Ashley!  I now have another sister-in-law!  And you know what... she's pretty great, too.  Isn't she just beautiful? 


Thanks God!


ps- you wanna know the down side to my in-laws?  

This picture is a small sample... Tim's sisters and two of his cousins (shout out to Alison and Katie!).  So pretty.  They make me feel like wallpaper paste.  In fact, as I was showing Mindy some pictures Tim's mom posted on Facebook, we were talking about how I felt like wallpaper paste, and then I flipped to a picture of me with all of the female Focht cousins, and I literally looked like wallpaper paste.  There was no denying it.  Check it out on Facebook.


But at least I never had braces.  That's my one consolation in life... or at least when it comes to comparing myself to Tim's family.  Because, you know, everything in life is a competition.