Wedding Weekend

My thoughts have become redundant.

Every week--at the beginning of the week--I think as I look at my planner, "OK, this looks like a great week. Not too many events planned, some blank space left on this planner page. I don't feel stressed, and I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of things done this week!"

Every week--at the end of the week--I think, "Whew, that was such a busy week, the busiest we've had in a while. I wonder when things are going to slow down so I can actually get some work done?!"

The big event of the past few days was the wedding of one of Jeff's co-workers. She had asked Jeff to officiate at the wedding, so he got to be a wedding preacher for the second time since we moved here. I love to watch him perform weddings! I know they make him sweat since nobody wants to be the guy who messes up in a wedding! But he does such a good job; and it's a joy to watch how he can be so dignified in the many serious, meaningful parts of a wedding ceremony, and also warm and light-hearted in appropriate times.

On Wednesday of this past week, we had the engaged couple over for breakfast, some last-minute wedding planning, and a premarital counseling talk. On Saturday, we attended the dinner and rehearsal; and Sunday was the wedding, held on the lawn of a 1938 home that they just bought. (The home was originally built for a Dr. Tanner, the town doctor of their town. When I learned this, Gloria, the bride said, "I bet your dad remembers him." And sure enough, Dad knew him. Such is life in a small town!)

Saturday and Sunday became kind of a blur for me. Saturday morning was Josiah's soccer game, then home to eat lunch, get the boys in bed, and drop onto the couch for a nap for me before we headed off to the rehearsal and dinner. Sunday was basically the same: church service in the morning, a bite of lunch at home, a quick nap, then off to the wedding. By the time we returned home each evening, it was all I could do to get the boys in bed before my energy gave out; and I certainly didn't get anything done here around the house! Saturday evening when we returned from the rehearsal, it was so encouraging to walk into our house and find my mother doing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen that had been left a mess from the night before when we hosted about 20 people for our Friday night fellowship potluck. My mother's labor was by far the most that occurred in this house the whole weekend!

Today has been catch-up day for me, and it's a great feeling to have the house/my schedule/my kids/my thoughts/my soul back in order! I didn't even do laundry today (my usual Monday project)--just focused on getting back in the groove of life and tying up some loose ends that should have been done a while ago. Tomorrow we're off to the library which is always fun! And after that, we may meet with an old friend of mine and her children. I'm sure it will be another busy, but good, day.

Here are a few pictures from the wedding. I was so focused on watching my boys that I didn't even get any pics of the bride and groom--oops!

~ Jeff collecting his thoughts before the ceremony began
~ Jeff and Josiah at the reception (Josiah is holding a noise-maker that he made good use of during the whole reception, mostly to chase and pop bubbles with!)
~ David enjoying popcorn at the reception

One thing I've got to mention... This wedding was by far, the most kid-friendly wedding I've ever attended. One fantastic thing they did was have a popcorn machine (like you'd see at a carnival) at the reception for people to get popcorn to munch on while the wedding party was taking pictures; that kept my hungry boys happy during a period of time that can be quite a tough wait at some weddings. Another thing they did was to rent carnival-type games and have them available for the children--ring toss, baseball throw, etc. Those games entertained Josiah and David both on Sunday during the reception, and also Saturday evening during the rehearsal while we waited for Jeff to be finished and ready to go home. Plus, the wedding was outdoors, in the couple's yard, so there was room for the kids to run, blow bubbles, play with sticks, etc. There was even an extremely comfortable porch swing (not really on the porch, but that kind of a swing) in one corner of the yard that David and I made good use of right before we left the reception when David was exhausted and at his wit's end--and he wasn't the only one! :)