I love weddings!

Okay...I admit it...I love weddings!  I have loved them since I was a little girl.  I was that little girl that followed the bride around at weddings.  I stared at her beautiful dress, her veil, the extra special hairdo.  I couldn't wait to see the cake, taste the mints (always made by the church ladies where I came from), and get a plate full of mixed nuts (because we never had those at home...I don't know why).  I never much liked punch, still don't.  But was always curious what color it would be.  For nearly 30 years I dreamed of wearing one of those "blusher veils" that is over your face until your beloved lifts it off to see his bride.  I laid that dream down when I saw someone catch theirs on fire while lighting the unity candle....no blusher veil for me after that. 

I dreamed of the day I would be married.  What I would wear.  What my bridesmaids would wear.  The music.  The flowers.  The groom (of course).  I hoped he would look as handsome as my dad had looked in his white dinner jacket at my parents wedding.  In fact, I dreamed of my groom and his groomsmen wearing those classic white dinner jackets too.  And....I planned what months were options for me to get married....based on the humidity level that would ruin my hairdo!  Like August...totally out!  Too hot, too humid, really bad hair month.  July, out for the same reasons.  Always loved April.  But April showers would bring bad hair days, so no April wedding for me.  In fact, when Joe and I got engaged, he actually suggested that we hurry and plan a wedding in August (before school started).  Silly boy!  He doesn't have bad hair days, how would he know?!  December is a much safer hair month.  Even snow makes for better hair days than rain does.  December it was! 

Next week is "The Royal Wedding".  Prince William marries Kate.  I admit, I'm a little giddy.  Honestly, it has been written in my teal "mom agenda" since the date was announced.  Go ahead, laugh!  I know you are!  I'll admit, I'm thinking of inviting a couple of my fellow nerdball friends over for tea and scones to watch the big event.  If you're a mocker, you will not be invited!  Just sayin!  I am aware that the cost of the event is ridiculous....that you could feed a small starving nation with the money...I get it!  And should they have opted to donate the money spent on this event to charity instead of all the pomp and circumstance, I would have totally applauded them and been delighted.  But since they didn't, I'm gonna watch.  And I'm going to enjoy it!

I dare say, it won't be nearly as special as the wedding I attended a few weeks ago.  My sweet friend Mary married her prince!  Mary is 10 years older than me.  She and I became roommates about 27 years ago.  We became friends about 26 years ago.  : )  We have walked through a lot together over the years.  When I walked in to see Mary before the wedding, I started crying.  There has never been a more beautiful bride!  I'm not kidding, she was spectacular!  It was the sweetest blessing to see my dear friend, who has raised her two wonderful kids alone, walk down the aisle to meet the man God had surprised her with.  She wasn't looking.  She wasn't even dreaming she would get married.  And God just surprised her at the sweetest time.  It was one of my all-time favorite weddings, because God was so evident in bringing she and Tom together.   I'll have to admit I hate these darn almost 50 year old hormones that make me cry more now...but I still love weddings!

                           My beautiful friend Mary and her Prince Charming, Tom

                                     It made my heart happy to see Mary so happy!

                                   The beautiful bride and her beautiful daughter. 

                                                 So fun to celebrate this time together!!!

Latest Claraisms

When we were waiting to adopt Clara we thought of her all the time.  But I have to say, we never in a million years imagined that she would be so hilarious!  The child is funny!  She makes us smile and laugh all the time.  Harrison was a funny kid too.  He had a great sense of timing and once he got you laughing, he'd do just about anything to keep you laughing.  Harrison is the first child in just about every possible way.  He is cerebral, thinks things through, is cautious, yet funny and enjoys trying new things (with caution of course).  Now, having a little leftie, artistic, creative thinker is a whole new game!  After a week together on spring break I think Joe has a whole new appreciation for my skills at deciphering her Claraisms.  Here are just a few of her latest Claraisms.   - Our last night in Florida Joe ran and got us dinner at Ruby Tuesdays.  Clara asked, "where is this food from?"  So I told her, "Daddy got it at Ruby Tuesdays."  So she asks, "do they have art there?"  Looking confused, I ask, "art?  It's a restaurant."  Matter of factly, she says, "I know, do they have art at Ruby Tuesdays?"  So, Joe jumps in here, "Clara, Ruby Tuesdays is a restaurant where I got this food."  Clara, "so, did they have art there?"  Again, I tell her, "Honey, it's a restaurant, they don't have art there."  And she kindly informs me "well, at Freddie's in Edmond sometime they have art."  And that's the end of the conversation (in her mind).  Honestly, by this point Joe is scratching his head and looking at me like "do we need to get her tested?"  Then it hits me....at Freddie's (in Edmond) they do art on Tuesdays....once we went to Freddie's on a Tuesday night and they were doing little art projects.  Get it...Ruby Tuesdays...art at Freddie's on Tuesdays...both have food AND art.  Really, I don't know why I didn't get that on the first go around!   - The other night Clara told me, "I loved dancing with Chick and Dale at Disney World.  I love Chick and Dale...and the other one...I think his name is Pippa."  Really?  Pippa?  And honestly, I don't think there is another one....just "Chick" and Dale.   - Going to the drop off line at school the other day she told me, "if it's a green flag, we are outside.  If it's a red flag, we are inside.  You fink about that...in your mind...if you don't mind."  I don't mind.  I'll fink about it.   - An oldie, but a goodie....last summer we were swimming with some friends, both their little girls are Chinese also.  All of a sudden Clara announces loudly "Hola!  We're Chinese!"  I think one lady in the pool blew water out her nose she was laughing so hard.   - Yesterday in the car Clara told Harrison, "you are making me so frustrating".  Ahhhh, I understand that one!  What a blessing this little bundle of sunshine is!