It wouldn't dare rain on her parade? Would it?

www.weather.com - Tenday Forecast

The wedding is Sunday....I have checked this forecast every day for about 5 days now. It has gone from mostly sunny, to mostly cloudy, to Thunderstorms, and now it says isolated thunderstorms. She has insisted on an outside wedding from the beginning. The site of the wedding is a beautiful place, The Park Vista Resort lawn area.(the pictures above were taken in February when we were there checking it out, it was winter, alas, it's not pretty)  There will be flowers everywhere and a string trio. Hopefully, it will be the quintessential garden wedding. There is a back up plan in case of rain but it is not beautiful. It's a meeting room at the Resort. It has a very loud busy-patterned carpet, it's just a room. It's not what we want. I have forewarned her that she must not let rain ruin her day. That she will be just as married if it rains as she would be if it didn't. But ohhh how I don't want it to rain.

 

I guess this just about says it all

 

The Beauty of Love:
The question is asked, "Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young couple clasping hands   and pure hearts in the path of marriage?  Can there be  anything more beautiful than young love?"  And the answer is given.  "Yes, there is a more beautiful thing.  It is the spectacle of an old man and an   old woman finishing their journey together on that path.  Their hands are gnarled, but still clasped; their faces are seamed, but still radiant; their hearts are physically bowed and tired, but still strong with love and devotion for one another.  Yes, there is a more beautiful thing than  young love.  Old love."
                    - Anonymous

 

Your job, my dear Sarah and Bennie, is to accomplish this. And my job, I've decided is to love and encourage you both.

Bachelorette Party

Last night I did something really crazy. I went out with my daughter and her friends for her bachelorette party. I wasn't going to go. I tried every excuse in the book to get out of it. They insisted that I simply MUST be there to witness the mayhem and madness. Bennie's mom was supposed to go too. In fact, one of the reasons I gave in and decided I would go was because she was going. I kind of thought we'd start out with them and make a presentable token appearance and then leave after an hour or so. Well, at the last minute, Bennie's mom wimped out. When I say last minute, I mean last minute. I was dressed and waiting for her and she called to say she was tired and just didn't feel "up to it". Oh yippee, I was thinking I was off the hook. Ha! Think again! My niece calls me and says that she is picking me up. Not to worry, she has to work at 9 am this morning and she would bring me home at a reasonable hour.

We all met at a hotel in the historic district of Covington ( the younguns  would be staying there later). They chose this place because it was in walking distance to the Main Strauss (historical) bar street. When I say a bar street, I mean a bar street. It reminded me of a miniature version of Bourbon Street. Music and people spilling out into the street, sidewalk tables and revelry everywhere. Actually, the crowd wasn't all young people. There were some of my contemporaries around, they, however were with other people their age! I had to look ridiculous hanging out with these young pretty girls. People knew that we were out for a bachelorette party because Sarah was wearing a sash across her body with BACHELORETTE across it and a little silly headpiece saying, "Bachelorette on the Loose" with a small veil in the back. Suffice it to say, we got noticed! They are pretty girls, they would have been noticed no matter what. I was amazed to learn what boys and men yell out of car windows when they see pretty girls walking down the street. Nothing is off limits, it seems. They took it with a grain of salt. I, on the other hand found myself with my mouth hanging open in absolute amazement. I don't get out enough, apparently. So, we finally go into one of the bars. I decided I needed some liquid courage and "loosenerupper". I am NOT a big drinker. I hate the taste of beer. The only drink I like is Long Island Iced Tea. I know, for a nondrinker that's a potent drink.I needed a potent drink. Usually they are so smooth that they go down way too easy. Well, this was the absolute WORST LIIT that I have ever had. It tasted like medicine. I just kept sipping. I got about half of it down and had to throw it away. Horrible, vile stuff I'm tellin' ya. It did, however, have somewhat of the desired affect on me. I felt a little calmer, but still very much a 5th wheel. While standing outside the door to another bar waiting to get in, a youngish man brushed past me. He continued to walk a few steps, then came back, grabbed my shoulders and said, "Nice ass". Well, I had just enough of that LIIT in me that I smiled. Actually, I felt pretty darn good! Woo hoo, old mom had a nice ass! My ego inflation was short lived. When we got into the bar that we had been standing outside of they started playing, LOUDLY, one of my favorite songs. "I will Survive". That is just one of the best songs for a bunch of gals to sing out loud to. And, so, we did. Then, this really cute twenty-something guy walks up to me and says, "Hi, Mom." My nice ass decided it was time to go home.

I'm supposed to have some wonderful advice for my daughter, the bride.

Being a collector of quotes and a sappy sentimentalist, I should have no trouble whatsoever coming up with some lovely thing to say to my daughter as she is about to be married. I am, however, stumped.  I've been married for 27 years. I have seen a lot. I have had my illusions trampled and I've done my share of trampling illusions. I'm an eternal optimist and a complete romantic at heart. But I know the problems they will face. I know the heartache she will suffer. The  mother in me wants to wrap her up in a protective net that will prevent any unhappiness from ever touching her. The woman in me knows that this is impossible. It's not that I don't believe in marriage, I absolutely do. It's not that I'm miserable, I'm not. I just remember so well the lofty ideas I held when I was a young bride and so much in love that I thought I was bulletproof. I've spent about two hours pouring over quotes about marriage and love. There are so many perfect ones, and yet nothing says what I want to say to her. Maybe it's because marriage is so complex, love is so dimensional, and the human heart is so multi-faceted that it just cannot be tied up with one simple quote. I remember the little thing my mother said to me on the day of my own marriage. We were sitting at the bar in the kitchen having coffee together and she simply said to me. "I have only  two things to say to you on this day: Pay the bills together, and if you take care of the little things, you won't have to worry about the big things." Not bad advice.

Bennie, Sarah's husband-to-be is a wonderful guy. They have dated for seven years and he absolutely worships the ground she walks on. I couldn't hope to find a more wonderful guy for her. I love him like he is my son. I have every reason to believe that they will make a wonderful marriage and be very happy. It is very refreshing to see the wonder in their eyes and realize that they are so hopeful and optimistic about their future life together. I want them to quard against all the potential problems that could come between them. I want them to know, what they can't possibly know at this happy time of their life. I want to make them wise and patient in a way that they can only become after years of  living together and weathering storms. Idon't need a quote...I guess I need a miracle. Any ideas?

 

 

Try to look at this planter and not feel happy!!

You know, it's the simple things in life that sometimes give the most pleasure. I love flowers, I love colorful flowers. I am so happy with the way this planter turned out. Everytime I see this, I can't help but smile. I wanted to fix two of them exactly alike, but wouldn't you know I could only find one planter like this. All winter long I look at my hundreds of gardening books and magazines and plan the season's flower gardens. Planting season here in our area  begins the day after Mother's Day (danger of frost is gone then), I hit the garden center like a kid with a pocket full of money in a toy store. I bring home wagons and wagons of flowers. All annuals, much to my husbands chagrin. I know that perennials are more practical and I have lots and lots of them in my yard, but you can't beat annuals for color. Besides, I love to get my hands dirty and play in the dirt. Two years ago my daughter, Emily, moved to Florida and took her cat. I didn't realize what a rabbit deterrent that cat was until she was gone. The first year, the darn rabbits ate $600 worth of annuals in about two days. I bought more, they ate more. I gave up. The next year I planted again, bought a spray for the flowers to keep the rabbits away that cost a flippin' $38 a bottle. It worked, until it rained! They ate my flowers, I bought more flowers and more spray. Last summer, my daughter and son gave me a golden retriever puppy for my birthday. This year, he is a big enough threat that the rabbits haven't eaten a single plant....YET! When I brought this year's crop of flowers home, my husband snickered and said, "Hmm, more rabbit food, huh?"  We will be leaving for Tennessee for the wedding next Friday morning....Tucker will be going to a kennel while we are gone. I am so afraid that I will come home to the leftovers of a rabbit banquet. I used to think of rabbits as "bunnies", cute, sweet little bunnies. Now I know exactly how Mr. McGregor felt and think that rabbits are anything but cute.

I can't believe my baby is getting married in 11 days!

This is my Sarah Kate, my baby girl. She is 22 years old and is also a nurse. She is marrying Bennie, her boyfriend of 7 years. She is such a sweet girl. Such a friend to me. I love Bennie, he absolutely adores her. He has felt like one of my kids for years now and I couldn't have found anyone better for her. But, when in the world did she grow up??? How could I not have realized that my little girl was barreling her way into adulthood. And now, it's here, she is going to be someone's wife, and eventually, I hope, someone's mother. I'm so proud of her. So happy that God chose me out of all the mother's in the world to give her to. Look at that face!! Am I not the luckiest woman in the world to have such a wonderful daughter?

Well, here we go!!!!

At the moment I'm preparing for my daughter, Sarah Kate's wedding. It's going to be a "destination wedding". I'd never heard that term until we started planning one. She is getting married in the mountains of Tennessee on a beautiful lawn at a resort hotel. It's not easy planning a wedding from a 4 hour drive away. I can only trust those people down there helping me and pray for no rain. I have decided  that I'm going to schedule a nervous breakdown for myself after this is over. I've earned it, and I'm going to have it.