Sara and Christopher’s reception completes our summer as a wedding reception venue. I don’t have many photos, but it was a lovely evening. I love celebrating events and milestones at our house.
Besides the happy couple, my favorite memory is the cousins from Shari, Richard, and Rebecca’s families laughing and joking together in our kitchen as we packed up lots and lots of marbles and flowers. Little things.
This is what we have to show for our family’s efforts this summer, a party full of lights and people, a celebration for Daniel and McKenna.
So many people helped us, and I have kept a record of the tender mercies that got us to this day.
I asked my sister Susan to take photos with my phone so we could have some candid shots of the wedding day. I think these photos can be more fun and can tell a story better than professional photos.
Eventually we will see the professional photos, but the day after a wedding, I am anxious to relive the day in my mind. These candid snapshots are a blessing to me. Thank you, Susan!
Another reality about the day after a wedding is that I awoke this morning on the couch where I had collapsed the night before. But look! My hairstyle was still intact!
Sometimes it is easy to forget to take a photo, or put it off until everyone can be there. I have learned to take the photo, even if Joe isn’t there, and even if we will be together again soon. Just take the photo.
Richard took these photos of our Mother’s Day table. 💕
I used flowers from our yard and photographs of our mothers and grandmothers to decorate the table. Richard did most of the cooking, and it was a delicious meal.
Smoked chicken
Mashed potatoes
Green salad
Homemade fan rolls
Eclairs
Apple pie with whipped cream
We had nine at the table tonight, including my parents, and we were joined by Tim in a video call after dinner. 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 Ten happy faces.
We had a Mother’s Day show and tell, where we could tell a memory or show an object to represent our moms. I loved hearing what people shared, even though I realized late in the game that some anecdotes were going to be about me. It’s funny, but I don’t really think of Mother’s Day as being about “me.” It felt good to have my mom here to celebrate her.
Each year during Holy Week, we repeat our tradition of reading scriptures and setting out objects to remind us of Jesus Christ’s last week.
This year, my thoughts kept returning to Peter’s three denials of Christ. He really messed up here!
On Easter evening, we listened to the words of John 21:15-17 in a song,
15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
In perfect mercy, Jesus allows a great reversal, offering Peter the opportunity to affirm his love for him three times.
With each “Yea, Lord,” and, “Thou knowest that I love thee,” the denials are overcome, one by one.
In the days following Easter, I want to remember Peter’s story of denial, and his story of reverting to fishing when Jesus left. Most of all, I want to remember the reversal that Jesus made possible for him. Peter’s story could be anyone’s story. No one is perfectly loyal to Jesus. Everyone can accept Christ’s mercy, repent, and get (back) to work feeding the sheep. That is just what disciples do.
It is a formula that works, to visit Marysvale each summer. This year, we visited for a couple days during Spring Break. Many trails were still covered in snow, but we discovered a new waterfall and had adventures all the same.
So much of my heart went into this night that it feels strange to write about it here. I’ll fill some pages in my journal about it.
Please enjoy the pretty pictures of my family and homemade petit fours. (Mark helped me with the fondant glaze and Paige made the rosettes.)
