I appreciate this, but...

As I sit here at my computer, I can hear the rain coming down on our tin roof and some rolling thunder in the distance.  This is approximately the 57th rain in the past 9 days or so.

I DO NOT want to loudly complain about all this rain, but I'm starting to wonder when it may start to slow down just a little.  After surviving several years of incredible drought it is almost difficult to grasp the sheer amount of rain we've received.  It makes me wish I had 50 rain barrels set up in the back yard to catch some of this wonderfulness.

My garden looks lovely, especially when you squint really hard and just focus on the tomato plants and disregard the weeds that are quickly overshadowing everything else.  The pastures are green, the ponds are full, my grass needs mowed every three days or so....

Actually, now that I sit here and type out all the blessings from this rain, please disregard my earlier complaints.  I am terribly thankful for this rain, and keep up the good work, God!

Murphy's Laws: Wedding Edition

• If you plan an outdoor wedding, there will be a threat of rain.  If you're really "lucky," a flood occurs that's second only to Noah's.  One inch per hour, folks.  No joke. 
• If you're son is chosen to be esteemed ring bearer #2, rest assured he will fall ill with something rather deadly mere days before he is set to perform his duties.  Allergies, cold, botulism, take your pick. 
• If your son does come down with aforementioned illness, please take note that he will spend the days prior to his important wedding duties in a bit of a fog.  THE FOG leads to a host of spills and mishaps, including but not limited to: falling down the stairs, falling off a chair (x2), running into doors, running into table corners and general falling/tripping over absolutely nothing.  The poor child looks like he went 10 rounds with Ali. 

Yes, all these things and many, many more have occurred in the past 72 hours, but you get the point.  I actually had four more bullet points of mishaps we experienced but the list just became too depressing.  

Yes, Kenyon was in a wedding tonight.  Yes, he managed to make it down the aisle (his dad stood by the preacher and shook a can of Pringles chips).  Yes, we had to leave immediately after the supper ended and our sickly little child passed out in his car seat before we made it a mile out of town.  Yes, the wedding had to be moved indoors rather last minute.  All these things happened and more.  But who cares?  

The bride was beyond gorgeous, the food was superb, music sounded great and at the end of everything stood two folks who became one in marriage.  A good day, regardless of Murphy and his confounded laws. 

The outdoor rehearsal on Friday night was beautiful.

The groom's father built the awning they were to be married under.

Let me get this straight... They kiss at the end?  That's kind of gross.
(This is quite possibly my favorite picture of the entire weekend.)

Be still my heart.  If there was a cuteness quota for ring bearers, rest assured it was met.  And passed.

God Bless Children's Photographers

Photograph them in their natural habitat, Pinterest said.  It'll be fun, Pinterest said.  

Well, it was fun for the kiddos.  Pinterest got that much right.  Worthy of hanging above the mantle?  The jury is still out.  Great subject matter, just less than stellar paparazzo.  

K and his friend J are fairly inseparable at times.

Obviously less than thrilled to have their attention temporarily turned away from the spring livestock show at hand. 

You must click to enlarge this photo.  I think the dirt around his eye looks similar to Mike Tyson's tattoo.  'Cause my kid is super cool like that.  And yes, this is the closest thing to a tattoo he will probably ever get.

I have no words.  I keep racking my brain, wondering what direction I might have given that could have prompted these two responses. 

Pasture Picnic

The men spent all last week going from pasture to pasture working baby calves.  We took lunch to them to help speed up the process and Kenyon absolutely LOVED it.  I enjoyed it too.... a little bit.  I'd much rather be able to actually do something; but this whole baby-in-belly thing really puts a kink in wanting to work near animals that kick.  Bummer. 

The supervisor.

 

Mamas and babies reunited.  A beautiful thing. I can attest.

This is the extent of my superior culinary abilities when given only a few hours notice.  A bountiful tailgate buffet of sandwiches, chips, deviled eggs and watermelon.