All The Places

We did all the things today.  Including, but not limited to, Ikea, shoe store, wedding store, dollar store, eco store, dress store, another shoe store, and some other stores.

It was super fun and we rocked all the stores and all the stuff.  Weddings require stuff.

Here are the bride and groom looking exactly like a commercial for joyous unstressed people getting married on Saturday.

We Baked All The Things

At some point, one must say to oneself, "enough."  How many baked goods can our guests consume?  Surely, we are reaching saturation point.  Anyway, it's not healthy to overindulge, am I right? 

The blobby yellow stuff will look better at the wedding.  Seriously.

So we went to Byward Market and had dinner and a storm.  

All the Things Baked, we can move on tomorrow to Getting All The Things.  That requires driving around Ottawa for five hours and stopping and parking and getting out of the car twelve times.   

Or so.  

And going for lunch probably.  

Right, Lu?

Wine and Cheese and Beautiful Brides

All brides should smile this much. Isn't she exquisite? 

We are here in Ottawa now, arrived last night for some wine and cheese at Lucy's apartment.  Tomorrow we start All The Things. 

 All The Baked Things.

Boys going off to baseball game.  So we can bake and drink coffee and talk about love and romance and marrying and napkin colours and floral arrangements in peace.  

 Six more sleeps.  

She's Ready

Lucy is getting married in less than three weeks.  She's ready.

I know she's ready because she is calm and happy.  She's not freaking out about All The Things.  

In fact, I think All The Things are in order.  

We leave home in twelve days to come and help prepare all the Week Before the Wedding Things.  Like make the stuff and drive to the places and get the things and hang with the in-laws-to-be and practice walking up the aisle.  Don't worry, Scout.  Dad's all practiced up.

I have this vague anxiety that gnaws at me.  

I was in Ontario when my Mom got sick.  We were days away from a wedding when we lost her.  

As the trip to Ontario and the next wedding approaches, some vague anxieties stir in my belly.  I wish I could ignore them, but I can't.  Better to acknowledge it, talk myself down, remind myself that it's an irrational fear.  Something earth-shattering and life changing probably isn't going to happen.  And if it does, what am I going to do about it anyway?  God's timing is not my timing.  I don't get to be in charge of All The Things.  I'm not master of the universe.  

It's been a year of beautiful things and of adversity on many levels.  The beautiful brides - starting new lives.  Creating new homes and becoming new families.  Signs of heaven.  Love.  Beauty.  Joy.   

The hard things - signs of heaven, too.   A new home where burdens don't exist.  Where I'll get to be with all my family, past, present, future. 

Where love, beauty and joy aren't just signs but living, breathing eternity.  

Pray for our bride, and her fiance as they prepare for marriage.  

You Can Have Some, Too...

I have a new hobby.  I like to learn how to make cocktails. 

Yah.  Okay, I know that is super weird, considering I'm a way radical conservative Christian hippie.  But life is a curve ball, and if I want to make and drink cocktails, I will.  I also wear mascara.  Touche. 

So we are presently at camp.  Each year, us, the Landrys with our dear friends, put on a Catholic homeschool camp.  So, what a great time to invent a new cocktail.  

One third gin, one third grapefruit juice, on third tonic water over ice, with a hefty squeeze of lemon.  Served in a coffee mug.

It's dry. 

It's strong. 

It's fresh.  

It's tough.  

It's practical.

It's fun. 

It has attitude.

We have christened the new cocktail the 

"Homeschool Mom."

Highly recommended.  

Feline Saves Young Woman's Life

As predicted, by yours truly - this young woman is being nursed back to health with the aid of a small mammal.  Her brother says, "I am defenceless against the power of your cuteness."

A boy and his Delphi.  

Happy Girl

Sweet home, coming.