Tara Lynn Schlappi Bodrero

This post is written by Becky.....

First of all, I don't know how I can make it through this post; but I feel as if I must try.  My heart is overflowing with love and gratitude.  It's so full it's just indescribable.  I must write and express some of my feelings - I know I am speaking for my husband also. I just am in awe at the highs and the lows we have felt the past 29 days.  Yes, tomorrow it will have been one month since Tara and I were in the room at EVDI hearing the results of that first CT scan.  I have lost complete track of all time and sense of days.  Everything is a blur.  In less than one month we have experienced more emotions than I've experienced in a lifetime it seems.

The wedding reception last night was enchanting.  Picture perfect.  Every last detail came off without a hitch.  If I start thanking people, I know I will fail and leave someone out - so please know that the army of people who pulled together for this wedding will never be forgotten. I tried to have pictures taken throughout the day of everyone who showed up at our house to help; but I know that I missed people - people who did work prior to the wedding, people who took care of any detail I could possibly think of that I needed done.  Every time I thought of something I needed to do; someone was there by my side offering to do it.  To pull a wedding as perfect as Tara & Josh's was last night; was nothing short of a miracle AGAIN; especially to pull this off in 5 days!!!  I've tried to express some of the kind acts of service that have been done; but I know I have failed and missed some things.  Just know that you all are so loved and we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts.  It's tough for us sometimes to accept help - it's much easier to help others than to watch people help us; but we've learned to accept help through this.  I guess that's part of what we have to learn through this experience; allowing others to serve.  I'm much happier being the one serving than the one being served; and I know Scott feels the same way.

Everything was perfect; from the twinkly lights to the food.  I stand in awe at what my decorator friend and food caterer friend pulled off in such a short time.  They did have help from our army of other friends; but they still headed up much of what happened last night.  Thank you so much Ahtanya Riggs and Jamie Campbell.  Ahtanya was my decorator - we had met a few months ago and started this process; but it was still a major accomplishment to pull off all rest of the details in such a short notice.  For those of you who want a decorator in the future, her phone # is 602-469-3866.  Jamie Bingham Campbell headed up the food - and doubled the food estimate from our previous guesses.  We did not run out of food - can you believe that?  Her phone # is 480 215-7859 and her email is jamiecampbell888@gmail.com.

Before the reception started, I made time for Josh to take Tara around the yard as a guest would walk around the yard.  We were all blown away by the entire setting.  It was breathtaking and that was even before it got dark!  It was even more breathtaking when it was dark and all the twinkly lights, candles, and other lights were lit.  All of it was perfect and it far exceeded Tara and her mother's dreams.  Rachel is already asking if her wedding will be this pretty?!  Please wait, Rachel, I know you caught the bouquet, but really, you have some time here (just kidding - I have to bug her).  Scott & I were in tears so often all week as we watched our friends work for us.  We did not even see all the behind the scenes work.

Scott & I want to publicly thank all of you who helped so very much.  We are hoping to create a list of those who helped with this wedding so that we will always have it to refer to and remember.  If you are left out of that list; please know that we appreciate you and we love you and could not have done it without any of you; but our minds are foggy and we have so many things running around in our brains; I know we will unintentionally leave someone out.

I have heard rumors the receiving line was long and those of you who had to hurry through the line; I'm so sorry!  Tara was so very tired - we tried to make her sit down on the captain's chairs that were there for her and she did sit some, but she was fading fast.  The last 45 minutes were pretty tough for her; but she was so happy and really wanted to see everyone.  We have to remember she just had major surgery a brief 2 weeks ago!  WOW!  With Tara's usual grace, (have to tease my daughter since she has my "grace" - sometimes we both trip UP the stairs - crazy, I know - how to you do that?) she tried to RUN out of the reception with her dress all around her. She tripped and fell and we were worried she had hurt her head.  I got a text from Josh sometime last night saying that Tara was fine and already laughing about tripping out of her wedding reception.  They are taking a break until Tuesday and not answering any phones or probably not reading any emails or blogs.  I have a feeling Josh wants Tara all to himself for awhile......and Tara feels the same way about Josh.

The wedding in the temple was a spiritual highlight for me and probably those attending also.  I can't describe it here; but watching a child get married in the temple for eternity is one of those high points as a mother you just can't top.  Tara and Josh were absolutely glowing.  They glowed all night.

People have asked me if I'm stressed from planning the wedding - the completely truthful answer is NO.  This wedding was so not stressful.  How could it be?  I didn't do anything!  I spent my week sitting in doctor's offices while the Citrus Heights Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints (AND friends, AND decorator, AND caterer) did all the work!!  Monday night I literally typed my list of what I should have done for the wedding, sent it to some friends and never worried about it again. I was asked sometimes what was going on, where something went, or such things, my honest answer was always, "I don't know."  I did not know where anything was, how anything was hooked up, absolutely nothing.  All I knew was that my daughter was radiating happiness and everything was perfect.  I loved seeing all of you and giving you all a hug.  I promise the only thing that keeps us going is everyone's faith and prayers and love.  Keep praying for those powers of heaven to heal Tara - we still need it.

Thank you family members and friends for making the effort to share this beautiful night with us. My only regret is that there wasn't time to see each one of you as much as we would have liked to.  We will have more chances!!

I kept joking to many people last night that the weather was "Miracle #64!" Tara quickly corrected me and said, "Mom, it's way more than 64!  It's got to be over 100!!"  We haven't been keeping track of the number of miracles; but it's definitely getting up there.  The weather was the icing on the cake.  You all know hot HOT Mesa is in June.  Last night had to be a record for the absolute perfect temperature EVER in June with the perfect amount of breeze.  All the candles stayed lit, all the lights stayed lit (thanks neighbors for all your electricity!!) and we never ran out of food.

As I was too tired to stand up anymore and was considering going to bed I went in the kitchen and saw some friends on their hands and knees mopping my floor with rags at 11:45 pm. That epitomizes what all of you did for me - soooo many people helping prepare food, serve food, clean up food, run errands, set up, take down, print pictures, frame pictures, make corsages, bouquets, and boutainneires, alter wedding dress, make cute bag for Tara to take to the temple, make wedding cake, make 500 cupcakes and desserts, take pictures, be bossy about the line keeping moving (only my sister could do that - but that was her idea, not mine just so you know - but it was much needed I believe!) hunt for keys, take down twinkly lights, set up sound system, etc. etc. etc....

Love you all!!!  We can never possibly pay you all back; but we send our love and heartfelt thanks.  This wedding in 5 days - who would have ever thought????  The invitations only took one day to mail within town!!   I wouldn't recommend going through what we did to get a wedding planned for you; but the wedding kept us focused on happy thoughts.  As Tara said earlier in one of her posts (or was it just to me?  I don't remember..) I like wedding planning so much more than brain planning!  I informed her she wasn't planning, she was WATCHING the wedding being planned.

We have a break from doctor's until Tuesday.  Radiation starts whenever they get it ready.  I guess it's a complicated process.  They're waiting for us to get the MRI so they can do their high tech stuff.  Radiation will not be longer than a week from the MRI.  Here we go.....we'll hang on for the ride.  With faith and lots of prayers, we can do this thing!  That's the only way you can do it.

We'll await Tara's return from her honeymoon for the next post.

I made it through the day while not seeing her smile this morning - I imagined it in my head as she was with Josh and that got me through the day.  I know she's happy and that's enough.