after da vinci comes and goes...

Check out this article in Relevant Magazine written by our very own Brian Lowery. Way to go B!! We're so proud of you!!

the junior groomsmen... 

the attendees... 

inside the castle... 

the couple... 

the villa... 

rings... 

motb...day 12...AHHHHH!!!!!

I was listening Saturday night to two of John's cousins talking about their upcoming wedding plans and how they are nearly finished. Nearly finished. Not a big deal except that I am anything BUT nearly finished and their dates are September 2006 and April 2007. Something very wrong with this picture.

But still I plug.

Monday has to be HUGE. Just huge.

Today was fun though. I think it's one of my favorite days so far. We surprised Shawna with a carriage ride to the Villa Kathrine. She thought her shower was at Veronica's house so the horse and buggy waiting there was surprise enough but she didn't have a clue she was headed to the castle on the river. She loves that place. It was a beautiful afternoon and aside from the fact that I experienced a delay in my arrival [which I can't go into here but would make for one hilarious post,] it was an amazing shower. It was a Cinderella- happily- ever- after theme and we do theme's grandly. A bit too grandly probably, but I'm a live out loud kind of gal.

Happy week. I'm praying God can somehow multiply the hours in these last 12 days, or atleast increase my productivity...

She giggles and if you've never been around her before you wonder "who is that?" That, is my cousin Jill. She has a giggle like no one else on the planet and she uses it unabashedly. Jill loves family gatherings. Jill loves me and everyone else in this family. Jill was the flower girl in my mom and dad's wedding. [She was really sick that day but she still looks adorable in the black and white pictures.] Jill used to let Veronica and I come over to her house and play dolls. She only lived a block away and although she is older than we are, she was always really good with us. I used to love getting her hand- me- downs. There were a pair of red shoes I thought were the most beautiful shoes in the world and she let me have them. I used to copy her handwriting for hours on end. Jill always circled her i's and I thought that was cool. Jill addressed all of Shawna's wedding invitations because I still think it's cool. Jill had three brothers. I think that's why she loved to play with us like she did, being the only girl in the house and all. Jill sure does love to giggle. I love to laugh. But Jill, she giggles.

Jill's dad, my mom's oldest brother, died from cancer when I was 15. It was my first real face-to- face with loss. My mom was devastated. I missed two days of school, getting to the parking lot only to have mom take me home. He was such a neat person. I remember him laying in bed, defying the pain he was in to show my dad some slides about salvation. My mom adored him and loved his teaching. I wish I had known him as an adult, I think I would have really enjoyed him.

Standing in my kitchen yesterday, surrounded by family, I felt like praying. I felt like thanking the Father for this legacy of faith lived before my eyes and letting these people I love so much listen in. I wasn't planning an Easter like this. Usually it's just the Fey's, my dad and us. But with the funeral this week and Jan and her family still in town, I thought it would be nice to be together. Jill's older brother was in town too, so we unexpectedly had ourselves a gathering. And Jill loves gatherings. So Jill giggled herself silly. It was just a lovely thing to enjoy each other like we used to at a time when there weren't so many people missing. The song hasn't ended but the verses have sure changed. And I think it's a lovely song. Not at all perfect but it's mine. And I love that He chose these people to be my family, to be my world. Life has taken us all to different places but it's nice to know they're out there and it's nice to know they love me. And it's really nice to hear that giggle.

hal.le.lu.jah.

He is risen. And the bridesmaid dresses are perfect. My faith in our seamstress has been resurrected. Only 2 of the 5 are done [6 counting the flower girl...] but we are showing some light at the end of the tomb. With that stone rolled away maybe I can breathe a little. She kept saying not to be afraid, that she would keep her promise but it seems like we've waited forever. I can't tell you how relieved I am. Gotta run and tell John. And Shawna...she's had her doubts too...

the sacks of life...

While folding emptied sacks from our weekend in St. Louis this afternoon the thought occurred to me that our lives can be somewhat chronicled by the sacks found folded neatly in our storage closet awaiting their reuse. Twenty years ago one could find the logos of stores like Kids/Toys R Us, The Children's Place, Baby Gap and Gymboree frequently snuggled together in a neatly folded stack. Through the years Gap Kids, Limited Two, Delia's and The Disney Store starting appearing. Wal-Mart and Target have always been staples as have Bergners and Penneys. We've had Old Navy and American Eagle phases and Bath and Body Works and Maurices. Then of course there are a few we always manage to hang on to from our trips up north- bags that remind us of those special places we visit only once a year- Christmas Point, The Totem Pole, Silver Creek Traders and Adirondack Coffee...somehow helping us cling to those afternoons miles from home. We even saved a few from Israel and Italy...just because. A peak in the closet tonight will reveal a more sophisticated palette as Express, Buckle, Gap, Lord & Taylor and of course Victoria's Secret bags are the current weakness. I'm thrilled to say not one Lane Bryant or August Max bag lies in the bunch and one of those Gap bags happens to be mine :) We've a ways to go before Vicky and me are ready to tango but who knows. If that day ever comes you have my word I won't tell of it here :)

Well this was a shallow post. Nothing life changing here just thought I'd share the thoughts that kept my shallow mind entertained for a few moments today. Moments that could have been more wisely spent I'm sure. And now that I've wasted even more of them writing this added to the ones you'll waste reading it, I'll call it a night.

week at a glance...

It has been a weird week. Feel like wheels are spinning above the point of worthwhile traction but they are spinning. Two days in St. Louis with Shawna. She was at a beauty expo [let me just say, that was an experience. lots of perfect hair, lots of glam and lots of well, breasts. perhaps it should have been called an "expose" instead :) there were of course products and demos. just lots of breasts. I felt like my mother all afternoon- wanting to sneak up and cleverly paint in the cleavage like she did with an old Tom Jones album cover once upon a time...there was a cool demo we watched though- two stylists cut a girl's hair at once...and we're talking like Edward Scissorhands cutting. hair was flying and they were moving around her in circles...loud music wailing. quite the show....]

Anyhoo, Sha had an expo and I tried to conquer some more of the to-do-months-ago list. Some success. Much frustration. And I've had these annoying stomach cramps for three weeks straight. Might need to check into this. Veronica thinks I'm pregnant. Not only would that not be funny, or even in the same zip code as funny, but God just wouldn't. He just wouldn't.

My Uncle Ralph passed away last Friday evening so my cousins are all in town and we had a house full after the visitation Tuesday night and the funeral mass was yesterday morning. He had a rough last month or two and the combination of Parkinson's and emphysema was a tough one to fight. He died six months to the day we lost dad. Poetically one can picture them either fishing at that big pond in the sky, or begging to add their bongos to the ongoing chorus of the angels. Loss is hard this side of the clouds but it is part of life on this side of the clouds. It is always a fun time getting us all in the same room. Much laughter. Many memories. Great love.

I went to bed at 7:00 last night. Slept through until 7:30 this morning and I feel like today is going to be a good day. So far the stomach feels pretty good and the sun is glorious. If Emma tries on her attendants dress [given the seamstress finished it last night] and we like what we see, Loretta will be a happier camper. This unexpected delay has been a real challenge for me. Enough challenge I ordered 5 dresses as back ups. We started this in October. Not funny. It will all get done. It will all get done. It will all...

Happy Holy Thursday. I think it will always brings warm memories of a Holy Thursday in 2004 spent in our home with friends and family. That evening will always rank on my list of kisses from heaven. Was planning to do something similar tonight but things have gotten away from me. Will have to see. Love to all. Hoping to catch the Good Friday service at MPCC tomorrow night and then services at church over the weekend. First time in several years it isn't at Junior High. Good timing on my part :) I'm sure it was a ton of work...

later taters...

and scene. 

Took me all night to figure out if that was his hair or as I was told afterwards, a hat. Baby brother can sing too... 

Glove: Check. Cowboy Hat: Not this trip... 

So cute. 

We had great seats thanks to the Woollard... 

Rebecca... 

the wait is over... 

She kicked and then some... 

They rocked. 

Barlow Girls... 

B.R.....for Brian :) 

At the RST concert the night before we left for Israel... 

Love John's face...this was at a shower a month ago... 

They are just so cute... 

Just a couple pics from last Sunday's shower...and yes. John joined us. "Worked the room" the entire time... 

Kevin did me the small courtesy of running some errands with me the other night. Given how he hates this type of tedious activity it was a more significant courtesy for him to extend than you might think. He also manned the wheel for the evening which given his impatience with traffic, his irritation with my backseat driving and his apparent narcoleptic-like boredom with watching the road, was also a most lovely gesture. Any trip beyond the city borders I captain by default. He simply cannot stay awake and gets too annoyed with directions; although if anyone gets us lost, it's me. All this to share how funny he was when we drove out to Kohl's, which is located east of the city in a shopping development in progress. I had been "directing" him from store to store in a logical & efficient progression. As we passed Wal-Mart, Home Depot and finally the exit to the interstate that leads to all things dangerous, he grabbed the wheel with forced confidence and pure determination and proclaimed with great pride that he was now driving way beyond his limits. You should have seen him squeezing the wheel and hitting the blinker for the exit lane. Like he was landing his first plane. Well done, I said. Or tried to say. I laughed for a long time...

my pink tulips...

it's the little things and the not so little things.

pink tulips from my baby girl on my birthday yesterday-

"is it okay if I get lunch today?" asked my baby girl today-

And my favorite:

I was saying that I'd like to work out the hours for a new job I'll be starting in such a way that I'll still be able to spend some time with my sister who has Thursday and Friday "off". I was thinking about working M T W when my baby suggested I work T W Th instead. I had to smile that she wanted me to keep Monday's free: her day off...

This new stretch of road might not be so hard after all...

"All day long I will proclaim your saving power, for I am overwhelmed by how much you have done for me." -Psalm 71:15

I read that verse yesterday morning and something about it wouldn't let go of me. [I have been taught that means He's trying to tell me something...] I reflected on it off and on through my day yesterday, and I'll be darned if it wasn't on my mind first thing this morning. [Hours were better the last couple days, but last night Kev & I both tanked before 9:00. I was up at 6:00 on a gloomy Saturday...]

I am easily overwhelmed by how much God has done for me. Past. Present. Process. What has stuck with me is how I fail or succeed at proclaiming his saving power all day long and what exactly that means or looks like in a life well lived. The NIV reads "though I know not its measure." Clueless. Simply clueless I am sometimes. I am overwhelmed by what I actually realize he's done for me, but if he were to reveal it all at once to my midget mind I'd be like a little dot on the floor of the parted sea and the waters of his massive saving heart would simply flood me under. He even saves me from a complete understanding of it all. My life should scream his saving power all day long and into the night. A power that created every thing, that raises the dead, that saves me and dwells within me should be impossible not to proclaim and I'm thinking he wants me to examine exactly how well my life is shouting. Or not shouting. And how I can do a better job of proclaiming his saving power in the middle of wedding plans, responsibilities and chapter transitions. In the middle of life. He has saved, is saving and will save me eternally ever after. That, my friends, is amazing and I wanted you to know I think so.