Bride Wears her Mother's Dress

I'm not quite sure why I find family weddings rather emotional.

With this one, the tears threatened when I saw Rosalynn in her mom's wedding dress,

Here she is, my only sister, the one I stood up for in a Once Upon a Time land.

 

Being an auntie gives me some special privileges and I got to go and see Rosalynn  as she was waiting in the library before the ceremony started. I took some quick impromptu shots in case I would not have much of a view later.
Now, if you look at the back of this dress, I will point out some little changes made to it. The original dress had a zipper all the way to the top. Rosalynn wanted a lace up idea. Since the sweetheart neckline did not lend itself to a full lace up, the seamstress came up with a unique idea, using a tear drop opening. I was told that quite a bit of the lace at the bottom of the dress was removed and then the flounce part of it was picked up a bit more. The veil was switched up with a simple blusher.

 

 Our artsy, movie loving couple used old frames and chalkboard ideas for their props. Their guest book was a beautiful photo album that guests signed wherever they pleased.

During the weeks before the wedding, mother and daughter spent many hours making the paper flower bouquets for tables, bridesmaids and the bride.

The ceremony . . . I could have enjoyed it a bit longer! Such a significant covenant . . . so short
 . . . the bridal party came in . . . I could not even catch the flower girl and ring bearer as they raced by . . .the couple  made their vows . . . they signed . . . there was a grandparent's prayer
and they were pronounced husband and wife.

At the reception we enjoyed a catered Mexican buffet and then desserts made by the family.
There was a lot of chatter and family heading to different tables to catch up with each other.

 

I saw Bob and Monika still smiling after 33 years . . .

oh . . .  and it's their fourth and last to be married.

Maybe that plays into it.

The girl cousins came and asked if I'd take a photo of them . . .
Naomi, Chelsea, Kristal, Julene, Katie,
Carmen, Rosalynn and Larissa. We missed Kari.
And if you look closely . . . three babies are on the way.
So much fun!

 

The wedding cake was definitely eye catching!
So uniquely made for them by Erin Toews.

 

Rosalynn and Mark . . .
 thank you for allowing us to be part of your day!

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
 bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 3:3

A Walk Down Memory Lane Visitor

 

Lilly was my Sunday School teacher when I was in Grades 10 and 11. Yes, about the time I was falling in love with my H. Isn't  she a beautiful lady? She now lives in Winnipeg, but she called me last weekend to let me know that she was in the area and would love to get together. ( She had seen an ad for the Mennonite Girls  Can Cook cookbook and recognized me in the photo.) What teacher remembers her students 40 years down the road? This one does. She came over with a notebook in hand in which she had all the names and numbers of the 143 girls she taught over a period of 16 years. (We each had her for two years, overlapping with the older grade first and then the younger, in essence, doubling that number by body count.)

If I would have had the time and energy to, I could have called any one of them . . .  but I kind of kept her to myself this time. Now, it may be surprising that 15 / 16 year-old girls would still go to Sunday School. In our church, at that time, they did and most of us wanted to be there because of who was teaching the class. She was single, allowed us to call her by her first name, showed interest in our lives, had us over for pajama parties and promised never tell our moms what we told her. 

Lilly taught truth from God Word but she did not only do that. She lived it and loved us in spite of how we behaved. At our coffee time now, she eluded to the fact that sometimes she'd gone home and felt like the time she had spent preparing her lesson had been in vain, because we'd get side- racked with other issues - but she always tried to bring things back to what mattered and I'm sure she had more of an influence on our lives than we even realize.

Lilly got married when she was 45 and moved to Winnipeg. I had moved away by that time and so I now enjoyed hearing the love story of one who found love later on in life. She was happily married for about 25 years. Her husband sadly passed away of cancer six years ago and so she comes out West to see family and friends on her own now.

 

 

I'm so glad we could do some reminiscing together.

Next time she will send me her list ahead of time.

Spring at the Lakehouse

May long weekend these days is about getting some spring clean up done at the Lakehouse.
Those who were around on the weekend, came out to help. We drove up the lane to the house and were greeted by a picturesque meadow of wild flowers.
 

Buttercups and various kinds of daisies graced the lawn.

I quickly took photos before the lawn mower drove over them.

After the winter, everything looks like it needs a little tender care

in spite of the fact that I also love the natural beauty of this place.

The youngest helper was my niece Larissa's one-year-old and the oldest worker was Abe,
who has eighty years on him. The men got busy with the pressure washer and when they were done, some of us cleaned windows, inside and out. Larissa got us started on cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. Rosalynn also came along a little later, as she was busy with bridal things.
It feels good to get these things done, especially as Bob and Monika will be hosting their upcoming wedding guests here.
 

Hy H and I each had a quick hamburger off the grill, while farmer sausage was just being put on.
My mom made her bean salad for everyone. I do have to post that one day.
We left after we ate, while the rest stayed on.

Where it all Began

It was a Friday after school on the May long weekend, 1973. My girlfriend had invited me to come camping with her church youth group. The bare essentials were packed - a sleeping bag, jeans, frayed cut-offs, t-shirts, flip flops - and my dad dropped me off at the church. He hung around a bit, to see which youths would be driving and who was in charge. I sensed his care about things I had no idea about as a fifteen-year-old. Today I wish I had a photo, but I'm thankful for images that become part of us in one way or another.

Little did I know the direction my life would take because of this weekend. Leaders packed tents, plastic tarps and the food while we were organized into vehicles and headed out to Hicks Lake. I'm not sure when it began to rain, but it had a big part in how the weekend played itself out. We set up tents and the guys actually dug trenches around them to keep the water from coming inside. A makeshift outhouse was built, because there were no facilities. In the center of the grouping of tents, a fire was kept alive to cook and keep us warm; but I remember it being so cool in the tent that I got a big cramp in my leg and there was nothing I could do as I did not want to wake the other girls packed around me like sardines. If anyone wanted to wash their hair, the lake was the best option. It's not the kind of camping I've ever fallen for again.

However, inconveniences became minor issues when I began to notice that someone was paying special attention to me.  Sitting around the camp fire, he made sure I got the fluffiest, perfectly toasted, marshmallows anyone had ever made. When the rains died down and we all went for a hike or a game of kick the can, I'd find orange peels stuck in my back pockets. He even offered to take my wind breaker,when I took it off, and tied it around his waist. I may have looked innocent, but I knew this was more than just making the new girl feel welcome. A flame was sparked.

I don't know how, but on Monday, when it was time to pack up and head home, some shifting of car passengers, landed me right beside the driver who I've now been driving with for forty years! Yes, I can drive myself, but the ride is still always more fun together. 

It was a rainy weekend in May that convinced him to convince me in whatever way and time it took.
A blend of spoiling, silliness and looking out for each other worked then and still does.

Put in it's Place

Little girls drawing rainbows is not a new concept in this house . . .
but what was unusual to me was how my name looked . . .



Before I could ask, she explained that the G was too far away so she added the arrow.
You can't help but love how a five-year-old mind works.

 

Spring Beauty

While I was away last week, my H brought out the lounge chairs and patio table,


 

and I came home to a spring garden in it's prime. 

A season of promise

a season of beauty

a season of needs supplied.

Lily of the Valley bouquets have graced our home with their
beauty and heavenly scent these days
and reminded me of how God, who cares for the lilies of the field,
has shown His care for me.