Kristin and I attended Dickinson College together. She was a part of my small group Bible study her freshman year, and the following year I was a member of the Study she led. She and I also attended the Urbana 93 missions conference together. Since graduation, our relationship has been punctuated with a couple visits (where I rescued her from her life at Dickinson) and numerous phone calls.

Kristin and I had a great time catching up on all that had happened since the last time I'd kidnapped her. In addition, she was always in the kitchen helping Mom clean up after meals. She helped me get dressed for the wedding and to get primped up for the reception. She made instant friends of Joe's sisters, who were all ready to set her up for a blind date with one of their friends.

Melanie and I both studied at Asbury Theological Seminary. In '94-95 we were both part of a weekly prayer group, and in '95-96 we became prayer partners.

It was great to have Melanie around, since just a week before she had been in another friend's wedding. She was busy making suggestions, telling us what had worked and hadn't worked for the last wedding, etc. She also was very concerned about how I was doing and wanted to make sure I had a little time to relax so I wouldn't be quite so nervous.

Cindy and I became friends at Thurmont United Methodist Church, where she and my parents are members. In the summer of 1994 I worked as a nanny for her daughter Sarah (now 6 years old). We've sung together on occasion, and as far as I'm concerned, Cindy's one of my adopted sisters.

Cindy and her family were quite flexible in providing a place for Joe to stay on the night before the wedding. They didn't even mind him coming in late after the guys had him out. She lent us a video camera to tape the wedding and spent as much time as she could telling me how great I looked and how excited she was.

Cassidy, my niece, was born on May 31, 1991. She currently attends the Visitation Academy in Frederick, MD.

Cassidy was such a pretty flower girl. It was really tough for her, at age 5, to stand still in the front of the church all that time. But I was really glad my only niece (at the time) could participate in our wedding.

Joe and Bill have been best friends since they were roommates at Christian Heritage College. Last year they started the company Web Publishers together.

I don't know what we would have done without Bill. When I couldn't talk to Joe myself on the wedding morning, I had Bill make the call, telling him what to tell Joe and what to find out about from him. Somehow everything got figured out, and I have Bill to thank for that.

Josh and Joe have been brothers since Josh's birth on January 20, 1970. Josh is an Army veteran and currently resides in San Diego, CA.

The first time I met Josh, I wasn't impressed, but this time, I got to see him for the sweetheart he is. I mean, he was the one who lent us the $10 to go buy camera batteries the night of the rehearsal since mine went dead. And we'll pay him back. Honest, we will!

Michael is my only sibling, and, of course, I've known him all my life. He currently works for the family business (convenience store, motel, gas station) in Frederick, MD. He and his daughter both participated in the wedding.

They took a picture of the groomsmen picking me up. Michael had the upper end of me. I was so sure he was going to drop me, but he didn't! One of the moments I'll treasure for a long time is my brother coming up to me right before we left for our honeymoon and giving me a hug. Somehow that makes up for years of his picking on me!

I claim Eric as a little brother. He's 7 years old and the grandson of my former pastor. Rumor had it that Eric did not want to be ringbearer, but leave it to people like me to coax him into it.

I think Eric was the most well-behaved member of the wedding party. He really did his job well and was the cutest ringbearer.