Good Intentions

As of last weekend summer was "unofficially over".  The last week of August was the first week of school and I have blogged about none of it.  Not even the last day of Kindergarten, where I failed to notice that school got out early that day and a classmates mother had to pick HT up from the bus stop.  My good intentions to write about it all have been lost in the busyness of summer, what with swim lessons,

VBS,

vacation,

"Wook at me, I'm doing nuffing!"

a wedding,

anniversaries and house hunting our days are full and night time comes too soon and some days not soon enough.  Not that there wasn't anything to say, just not the time to do it justice or so I have thought.  I know that some of you have missed my posting and I'm pretty sure some of you have forgotten all about me.  You, like me, probably like to read something of substance, or be entertained, to have a chuckle or at least something to make you think or to smile, in pictures or in words.  That being said, if my stated objective in blogging is to keep an online scrapbook of sorts, I am failing miserably. And as you can see I have lots of pictures to share.

We have said good bye to friends who moved away, visited with old friends home for a weekend.

We have been to the zoo, the aquarium and countless parks.

Dipped our toes in the ocean and ran through sprinklers in the back yard.

Played pee wee baseball and watched how the big boys play.

Watched the fireworks on Independence Day and set off a few of our own.

We have traveled near and far to visit relatives and friends and I would be remiss not to thank them for their hospitality and generosity.

We truly enjoyed our time with each and every one of you and left wanting and wishing for a little more time.

And just so you know this post has taken me the better part of today to compose and edit all these photos.  No wonder I don't blog much.  Then again, maybe if I did a little more regularly one post wouldn't be so time consuming or so painful (painful for me anyway, I hope it wasn't too painful for you).

Let Them Eat Cake

I'm pretty sure everyone has been to a wedding where the lovely couple, perfectly groomed and dressed up in their finest, feed each other the first slice from their wedding cake. The perfect ending to a perfect day. At least it's supposed to be.

The couple together cut the cake, put a slice on a plate and then in turn feed each other a bite, only they don't always do it kindly or gently or respectfully. Instead, with their friends egging them on, they shove that little bite of cake into each others mouth, pushing it down their gullet as if they are trying to push a watermelon through a straw. And everybody laughs. If you have not witnessed this in person then certainly you have seen it on "America's Funniest Home Videos". Sometimes the bride or the groom is unsuspecting of the impending smear and will get upset and decide that in revenge they are going to throw the cake at their partner or spread it all over their face in which a food fight ensues. And still everybody laughs.

Well, everybody but me. It has always bugged me when couples do this. I don't believe the first act together of their married life that these two people who say they love each other should be one of aggression and disrespect. I mean these two people are planning to spend the rest of their lives together (hopefully) and why would you want to start out with a bitter taste in your mouth, one of resentment and anger. Not only that but think of all the money that was spent to make their wedding day perfect. The brides gown, her hair, her make-up, her manicure and pedicure, not to mention the grooms suit or tuxedo, which has probably been rented. A wedding cake alone can cost several hundred dollars or more. So if you are getting married please think before you act, those people who are laughing and egging you on aren't the ones with cake on their face or in their hair or staining their clothes. Or if you know someone who is getting married, remind them to be respectful of one another.

In conclusion, I just want to say that I am so proud of my nephew and his beautiful bride when at their wedding last month the cutting of their wedding cake did not turn into a food fight.

I love you guys!

Aunt Syd

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

We attended the wedding of my nephew a week ago last Sunday and the minister said some things that really got me thinking about love, life and relationships. It was a very lovely wedding and traditional in the sense that you heard and saw what you would expect to at any wedding. The bride was radiant and gorgeous and with joyful tears she walked down the aisle. The groom beamed with pride and adoration at her coming.  At long last hands clasped in solidarity.

The minister talked about faith and fellowship, not only towards each other but to God and within their respective families. Reminding us all that when we marry we are forming new boundaries. Boundaries that now include our spouse but that will also inevitably be exclusive to the marriage partnership and rightly so. When we create such deep emotional, physical and spiritual ties with another we are vulnerable to one another and that creates an intimacy that touches every part of our lives, of our very beings. And we are bound to hold that vulnerability and intimacy faithful, to give each other our trust, a trust that should never be broken.

We are asked to seek God's grace and wisdom to guide and sustain us in our relationships with each other and with the newlyweds. To be mindful of those boundaries.

The minister also spoke on Paul's admonition in Ephesians 5:21-22, 25. Which is oftentimes controversial because we have a tendency to misunderstand his words and to take them out of context. I am reminded of what I have heard before that we are to listen to what is being said to us and not to use what is being said to another as a cudgel. Those words are not for us, we need to pay attention to those words that are! Each party must "be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ"! Did you catch that, "subject to one another", the admonition is not mutually exclusive but inclusive to both parties. This connection, this commitment to one another must be inclusive to succeed and echoes the words of Christ who said that no greater love exists than that which moves a friend to lay down his life for another.

Love is a beautiful thing, it is also hard work and can sometimes come at great personal cost but man is it worth it! No greater love have we seen or will we ever see than that of our Lord himself for us. It is humbling and convicting and makes my so called sacrifices pale in comparison.

The bride and groom did not get the sunset on the beach wedding that they had hoped for, but I'm sure they didn't really mind and as they stood under the arbor pledging their love and lives to each other with the sea breeze rustling through the dangling chimes reflecting the light like a thousand stars and clinking like champagne glasses in a toast, we didn't mind either. At least the rain held off until we got inside for the reception.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother 

and be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh".

Genesis 2:24

I'm linked up today.

A Picture of Grace

Dancing on the patio at my wedding.

We hired a swing band.

This is one of my favorite pictures from my wedding it is of my nieces and nephews enjoying a moment to be themselves, to let go for an evening and spend time in each others company.

I'm linked up today with Emily at Chatting at the Sky, click here for more photos.

Six Years Ago Today . . .

We were in church . . . celebrating.  I'm the one up front dressed all in white.

This quote from C. S. Lewis sums up the last six years beautifully.

"This is one of the miracles of love:  it gives a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted."

Then there's this quote from Ben Franklin:

"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage and half-shut afterwords."

Ten things I remember about that day:

 1.  It was a beautiful day into evening, the weather couldn't have been nicer.

 2.  We had a full moon, a blue moon.  (For those of you who don't know what that is, it is the second full moon in a month, considered to be good luck in some cultures.)

 3.  My brother Phil told everyone during his toast that he was only there for the cake.

 4.  We were having so much fun they had to kick us out.

 5.  The light streaming through the stained glass windows cast a golden glow across the sanctuary.  It was magical.

 6.  Pastor Mike brought his trumpet and played along with the band

 7.  My father-in-law sang "Blue Moon" as the band played.

 8.  Everyone cried but me, even the groom.  I was too happy and excited to cry.

 9.  It was the best wedding I have ever attended.

10.  My niece caught the bouquet and her brother caught the garter.

And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the wedding and reception.

(Are we on photo overload yet?  It is hard to pick, there are so many good ones.)

All pictures are courtesy of Bruce Gardner Photography.  Thanks Bruce.