Grace

Grace: favor or goodwill; mercy

Let there be grace. For all. Let there be mercy, favor, goodwill. So many people I know are experiencing challenges these days. Unemployment. Health issues. Relationship woes. Financial stress.

There are times when it seems so unrelenting that we all wonder WHEN better times will come back 'round. Really, when will they? There don't seem to be easy answers for any of the issues I'm seeing in the lives of friends and family.

So let there be grace. Let us show mercy on ourselves and others. Let us show goodwill towards one another. Let us do what we can to help each other through difficult times, especially when so many are struggling right now.

Grace.

The winds of grace are always blowing,
but you have to raise the sail. ~ Ramakrisha

Ahhhh, weddings

This fall is full of weddings for us. The first one was this weekend in G.R., when Rico's cousin, Dillon, married her love, Sammit -- TWICE


The lovebirds met when Dillon was in highschool (just like Rico and I). Seven years later they got married. It was such a sweet ceremony -- both times. They actually wed during their rehearsal, where it was intimate and about them rather than the drama of the "wedding day"). Here they are moving in to seal the deal after getting married on Friday...

And here they are after the big to-do on Saturday -- Indian Barat, Irish blessing, big dress for her and full-on Indian wedding garb for him, carriage ride, and all.

Rico's parents, who are actually Dillon's aunt/uncle, were the "Grandparents" for Dillon since her grandparents passed away long ago. Here are Ardis and Bill with their grandkids after they sent the happy couple off for a carriage ride around downtown: And here they are on their wedding day (oh so many years ago, 1964 I think):
Their marriage led to two boys, and those two boys led to two girls who were sisters...



And that led to two boys and two sisters getting married (yes, I know, it's freakishly odd). The younger set married first at Ardis and Bills B&B -- can you guess when this was?

This lovely little flower girl is Dillon (this weekend's bride ) in that wedding many moons ago:
And then much later the older boy and girl married in uber-casual style -- NOT this...

Yes, that's Rico and I on the far right when we were "bests" in their wedding...

But rather this beach wedding that started with us sending just our immediate families on a scavenger hunt where they arrived at our wedding. Hows that for a winning prize? Aren't we funny?

Small, intimate, about us, and not the "wedding" stuff... alot like Dillon and Sammit on Friday.

Ahhh, weddings. To each his own.

And just because I can, and because I know my sis will LOVE it (not) I'll leave you with this:

Isn't she SO cute?

A wee bit of me Wednesdays... er, Thursday

I know, it's not Wednesday -- but I just came across Leigh Ashley's blog today and it looks like fun. Here goes:

{one} what is your happiest childhood memory?

Camping with our big extended family (with two families of aunts, uncles, and cousins too) at Timber Shores Resort in Northport, Michigan. It was a resort that was North West of Traverse City back in the 70s. So much fun! Campfires, swimming, tennis, shuffleboard, crafts, "kids camp", square dances, singing "You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille" accompanied by the jukebox during happy hour. It was awesome!

{two} what is your middle name?

Rene (yes, with one "e", like a boy's name in France)

{three} what’s the habit you’re most proud of breaking?

Huh... once I stopped expressing sarcastic comments for 6 months. But I felt like a watered-down version of myself, so I stopped.

{four} what do you order when you order Chinese food?
Hot and sour soup, egg roll (no shrimp), and General's Chicken

{five} what’s the best bargain you’ve ever found at a garage sale or thrift store?
Like-new Chaco sandles -- the sole is almost totally unblemished, so hardly ever worn -- that retail for upwards of $100.

{six} what’s the best costume you’ve ever worn?

Black-eye'd P's -- we work black shirts with a big, white felt "P" on the front and a killer black eye for each of us -- thanks to a beautiful palette of eyeshadow (artfully applied)

{seven} who’s your favorite game show host?
Drew Carey

{eight} what’s your favorite breakfast food?

Denny's pancakes.

{nine} what’s your least favorite word?
Um, I'm not comfortable putting it in print -- but I really dislike it -- really ;)

{ten} describe something that happened to you for which you have no explanation.

Being swindled by a lawyer who took our money but didn't do anything.

I like this post from "Notes to Self"

Go here to read it: Request for Transfer

I'm ready for "Handling Crazy Abundance 101" too. Bring it on. :)

Then I could stock the house with Amy Butler linens, towels, and fabric. Looking at my towels makes me happy. Ahhhhh. (Yes, all I can afford is the hand towel -- don't judge me! Thank goodness for Bed, Bath and Beyond 20% off coupons).

Love, love, love.


And her "Full Bloom" bedding? L-O-V-E.




And this porch with her towels blocking the warm summer sun. Sigh.

Musical stylings

The musical stylings of... Glee.

I watched the end of the season show earlier in the week and I was craving me some Glee the next day. I went to my music source, Dave, because his wife and I have similar musical interests. If I'm lookin' for something chances are Beth already has it.

Guess what? She DID! Season one anyway. Score! So now I'm gleefully listening to a bit of Glee.

The next day Dave had a question for me... have I heard of Jack Johnson? What? OF COURSE!

I have lots of his music, including the two most recently released albums which I had just picked up at Target. Now if only I could find them... they're MIA (I suspect I loaned them to my sister):
To the Sea

En Concert Here's what I managed to dig up to give to Dave. Take a listen, he's one of my faves.

I love Upside Down from Curious George
Sleep Through the Static

I love "Banana Pancakes" from In Between Dreams

Jack Johnson

On and On

The funny part of this -- funny ironic, not funny ha ha -- is once upon a time I asked my brother if he'd ever heard of Jack Johnson, and we played out the same scenario. In fact, my niece, who was 7 at the time, could sing the words to many of his songs. Great minds think alike, eh?

Just keep swimming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmyUkm2qlhA

Like Dory says, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."

I wanted to share those words of wisdom with a friend of mine today, but I wasn't sure she'd "get" it. Her kids were well past the age when they'd watch animated feature films when Finding Nemo came out by Pixar. So would she get the reference? I wasn't sure. And lord knows I'd sound pretty stupid if I said "Just keep swimming" in response to a troubling event in her life. Swimming? Huh? Wha? (And then in the back of her mind she'd be thinking, what in the heck was up with M?).

So you see, while I thought it would be a positive response to her struggle, I just couldn't use it.

For the rest of the day I heard Dory saying "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." Over and over again. Seriously. Thank goodness I like Ellen DeGenerous, so I didn't mind hearing her voice all afternoon.

Have you ever been stumped about how to offer comfort? Or great words of wisdom? I often am. Pearls of wisdom don't fall off my tongue.

Maybe having a blue tongue would help. Tomorrow I'll give it a shot.

TGIF

I tore this picture out of Country Living and have it hanging in by cube-ette at work. It fills me with joy when I look at it and imagine myself there with a book and a Diet Coke instead of stuck in tan-cube maze. Read a little. Nap a little. Repeat.

Doesn't it just make your heart glad? Hopefully after the hooligan's football game tomorrow morning (8:30 a.m. game -- so much for sleeping in on the weekend!) I can spend some time in a hammock. Or an Adirondack chair.

I need it. My jaw needs a chance to un-clench. My teeth need a break from grinding. Sigh.

I need another 2 week vacation at the beach -- with my hammock. :)