Love and Light

We had the pleasure of attending a really beautiful wedding on Saturday. A good friend of mine, from college and from West Shore Chorale, married the love of his life in a hip, artsy space, in the company of well-dressed friends.  The food was terrific, the Dj was solid, the dance moves were spectacular.

We clean up well, don't we?  ** See story below about Ivy and the dressing up...

I do love weddings.  All that joy!  Anticipation!  The promise and potential, the pretty words in the ceremony, the looks on everyone's faces as they take it all in.  The way all the people in attendance come together around these two people they all share in common.  I love watching the kids come out on the dance floor, and then the older relatives, letting loose.  I love all the love.

This one, though?  Better than most.  And not just because of the delicious cupcakes.  Jason and Chuck have been together 13 years and have been waiting for this day for almost that long.  Yesterday they were able to marry, LEGALLY, in their home city and state.
About time!

So, multiply the feelings of love and joy and anticipation and togetherness by about 5 million, and you'll have some idea of how it felt to be at this wedding.

It was a perfect.

As if Jason's wedding wasn't enough-- this weekend treated us to glorious weather, again!   I am so grateful.  This morning's view:

A wonderful hour at the beach, kids discovering hidden icicles on the pier, making couches and desks and whole dramas from the crazy piles of sand.  It was a terrific morning for sea glass, too.  Terrific morning for just about anything, actually, with the bit of sun-warmth on our skin and the lake so calm it was hypnotic.  We could have stayed all day, but for the need to feed our children.  Which we did, on the way home, at the Chinese buffet.

So yeah, it's been a pretty good weekend...

** Aforementioned story:  Just wanted to capture a bit of what life is  like with my Ivy-girl around.  

Saturday afternoon Jack was dying to go ice skating. Ivy, not so much, so we did the divide-and-conquer thing and Ivy stayed home with me while Nat took Jack to Wade Oval.  Decided to get a jump on the getting ready, since I am notoriously indecisive about clothing for formal events.  Ivy was SO excited to help me pick out an outfit and get ready.  Before our shower we laid out a few choices and she was so careful to be sure she understood it all ("So, mom-- THESE shoes are the ones with this dress and those boots go over there with that one?") and so effusive with praise over the fluffy skirts on the dresses.  I tried on each choice and she carefully took a photo of me, which we then reviewed.  She was completely heartbroken when I did not go with her choice of THE most fancy ensemble--"mom!  Those skirts twirl out!  This one has a skirt too tight!  You won't be able to move your legs that way and this way to dance!" -- but managed to cope with her sadness in time to go get dressed up, herself.  She had to assemble exactly 3 choices, same as me, so we went to the playroom to pretend to buy a few more fluffy dresses.  Then she tried them on and I took her picture and she was pleased to choose THE fanciest ensemble, of course.  I'm not sure where this girly-girl came from--but I do so enjoy her!