The Wedding- Abbey and Justin

Okay- it's here!  The blog about the wedding.  Abbey and Justin got married June 10, 2012.  It was a glorious day and evening and a beautiful wedding.  I will try to capture the events through pictures:

Friday: Abbey cooks lasagna for the family before her bachelorette party.

Carter loves Connor!

Finley loves her Connor

Saturday: Luci gave a beautiful bridal luncheon at Chez Zee.

Abbey, Tina, and Bella

Abbey and Mother of the Bride

Rehearsal Dinner at Sasha and Juan's in San Antonio

Brooke, Bella, and Hudson

Abbey and Pappa

The Groom

Connor and the Hudson

 Wedding Day:

More to Come.....

Here is a special prayer for Abbey and Justin.  There is no reason to say more!  Count Your Blessings, Bella

Wedding Day Prayer

Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us, to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.

We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman in his Name.

By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing upon this man and this woman.

Defend them from every enemy.

Lead them into all peace.

Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.

Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death.

Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

--Book of Common Prayer (1979) 

Great Grandparents and Grandparents

My mom always told me that she loved her grand kids more than her kids.  I didn't understand that until I had grand kids- but I get it now.  Finley, Carter, and Hudson are perfect in every way.

 I like to go to Dallas and meet the grand kids there so I can take them to my parents house.  We did this a couple of weekends ago. For my birthday,  Friday night Jeremy and I went to see Mamma Mia as we have season tickets. I loved it!   The actor that sang " The Winner Takes It All" had me in tears.  I even think Jeremy showed a little emotion after that song.  It was fabulous. Kirk had to watch Finley at the hotel and get her to bed.  He was moderately successful.  The next day the boys played golf and Finely and I set off to see Momses and Pappa and " the big dogs."  She is so comfortable at my mom and dad's house.  She knows where the toys are and enjoys her visits.  It is delightful to see my parents interact with her.  We went to the toy store to get a toy for Carter.  She picked out a Winnie the Pooh for him.  We also went to the park that afternoon.  It was a quite Saturday with grandparents and great grandparents loving on a perfect little girl!

Here are the pics:

Pappa put pillows behind her back so she could eat- so sweet!

On the big slide!

Perfectly, perfect Finley Grace Smith

A week earlier, we went to Waco to visit mom and Stephen for mom's birthday.  She is a young spirit and enjoys visits with her grand kids.  Ross brought the girls as Debbie and Hunter stayed back in Dallas due to illness. We brought Connor, Abbey, and Justin.  Stephen cooked a wonderful meal and we had a great afternoon celebrating mom's birthday.  Ross and Debbie's girls are so wonderful.

Stephen, mom, and Abbey

Ross, Lauren, and Bella

We love our new son!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Grandparents make the world...a little softer, a little kinder, a little warmer. 


"I love this child. Red-haired — patient and gentle like her mother — fey and funny like her father. When she giggles I can hear him when he and I were young. I am part of this child. It may be only because we share genes and that therefore smell familiar to each other.... It may be that a part of me lives in her in some important way.... But for now, it’s jelly beans and 'Old MacDonald' that unite us."

 Count Your Blessings, Bella

30 Years Ago Today

Hmm- 30 years ago today- isn't that the beginning of a Beatles song?  Well the Beatles music lives on and  so do Kirk and I- without the break up of course.  As of June 5th, we were married 30 years.  Where did the time go?  I so remember our courtship at UT and all the dorm parties, trash can punch, UT games, intramural teams, and oh studying.  He did much more of that than I did.  It seems like just yesterday.  I know I am lucky to have married a great man who is also my best friend and loves me no matter what.  We work hard at marriage and life and most days it really pays off.  Many people have asked us- how do you do it- stay together for so long?  Well the only answer I can think of is we just do it- with a lot of help of course.  We have God and the commitment we made to each other on June 5, 1982.  We have had support from our parents, our friends, and our children as they grow into adults.  So I don't have anything really philosophical to say about marriage.  It is just something we do, day in and day out.  Some days it is really awesome and some days it is okay.  That is life.  I wouldn't trade my life with Kirk for anything in the world. It is my life, my marriage, my spouse.  It is who I am and to quote a movie- he completes me!  So here is a poem dedicated to the love of my life that I read 30 years ago:

What made us come together long ago
Well I think I know
The best in me and the best in you hailed us through because
Always and always since time began
Our being together was part of God's Plan!

I love you Kirk Alan Smith!  We actually went out to the Melting Pot and had a lovely dinner for our anniversary!

Count Your Blessings, Bella

Buster the Hyperactive Puppy

I usually post about the dogs once or twice a year.  It is time again for me to talk about Buster. What unending joy that dog has brought into this house.  Maggie our other dog loves to play with Buster each morning.  I on the other hand am not enjoying the mornings as I am off work.  See Buster likes to get up at 6:30 to play.  That means jumping on the bed and chasing Maggie who will sleep quietly in the morning if Buster does not bother her.  We will work out our morning routine eventually, but for now I am enjoying his energy after 9:00 AM.

A few weeks ago, Kirk and I took Buster out to the farm where he was born.  His mom and dad still live there and he seemed to enjoy playing with his kinfolk.

Buster with Mom and Dad

At the Farm

My beautiful Puppies

We had to board the dogs during Abbey's wedding last weekend and when I picked them up the vet had wrote on the well check sheet that Buster was hyperactive.  I have to say I was a little offended.  He is an extremely active herding dog- now isn't that a nicer way to put it.  We are working on his energy level in the house- but he is who he is and I love him!  Thanks Buster for your high energy, fun loving spirit, and total devotion.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."
- Gilda Radner


Count your Blessings,  Bella

Graduations!

Lots to blog and post about these days.  Kirk and I went to Houston to see my lovely niece graduate from high school.  She was so pretty and it was such a joyous occasion.  I was so impressed with my brother- he brought out her scrapbooks from her school life, chronicling her entire school life.  Any scrapbooker would have been proud.  Pretty darn impressive!  Way to go Alex, we are proud of you.

Lloyd and Alex