It’s A Barnyard Affair

There is no greater cause for celebration in life than a wedding. Ok, ok, maybe a baby ranks right up there on the party list. But since no babies are on my immediate horizon (for now!), we packed up the girls and drove up to Massachusetts this past weekend with my parents and brothers to celebrate the marriage of my beautiful cousin Katie to her long time beau Jarrett.

 

 

Many extended family members on my side were also in attendance making this event a rare opportunity to see my girls spend time with so many of the people that I grew up with. This barnyard wedding was a beautiful affair, relaxed and casual, full of personal ritual and meaning, handwritten vows and verses, chickens, homemade brew, and lots and lots of love.

Bride and groom came up with a wonderfully unique ceremony that embodied who they are as a couple. Katie wore blue, Jarrett was shoeless and comfortable. And together they expressed their love and commitment through the exchange of food and drink, the opening of fortune cookies, the adding of sea glass, and the spoken words of the people that make up their family. Even Jarrett’s Grandmother participated in the ceremony via Skype which was honestly so amazing.

The community of people that surround my cousin is astounding. Stone Soup Farm- the farm she and her husband share and tend and cultivate- is beautiful, complete with chickens, a blue barn, and a yellow farmhouse. The lights twinkled and the wildflowers bloomed to set the stage for a night truly reflective of the love shared between them and the rest of the people that make up their village.

Eyes deep in dust and sand, Lilly ran around free and happy, chasing chickens, yelling and screaming, playing on the tire swing, and picking flowers in the field. Grace was toted around by Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents, and we all got to experience one tiny sliver of Katie’s life as she lives it up North.

     

   

Congratulations, Katie, and a life of love and happiness to you and Jarrett.  So thankful that our family could enjoy such a wonderful day with you.

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Of course this trip East has not been without its difficulties. Naps are practically non-existent and bedtime is out the window. Mommy and Daddy are tired, but it is all so worth it in the end.

We do the best we can, muster up the most patience we can find, and try to laugh off the stress.

With Lilly around that’s not so hard as she is comic relief for almost any situation. When we’re exhausted from
driving and arriving at a very run of the mill econo-lodge, she’s there, sincerely thanking Poppop for taking her to this “best place she’s ever been”. And when we’re arguing about what to do and where to go Lilly pipes up to “stop talkin so loud cuz she’s talkin on the phone to Uncle Casey”. She’s constantly asking why and how come-on-mom! and puh-leeeease! in that cute little voice that I dare you not to smile at. Gracie goes with the flow, smiling and sleeping and watching. She gets bounced from arm to arm happily enjoying this crazy life we’ve been living.

So with all the help from my parents, and the constant attention my babies get from their Uncles, everything works out in the end and we are thankful to even be able to manage these types of things at all. We couldn’t do it without them!

A special thanks to my brother, Nicholas, for all the amazing pictures- for once I actually got  to be in them since I wasn’t the one taking them!