ring the bells!

Though there was, actually, no singing at the wedding, even though it's potential was mentioned, there was a wedding. My brother, Ryan, and his 11-year partner, Kim, got married over Labor Day weekend.

We realized that the first time I met Kim, I was 12 years old. She is an amazing woman and I love her and look up to her in so many ways.

Kim's stepmother, Deb, ordered a bunch of flowers from a wholesale supplier, picked them up from the airport in Chicago, and drove them up to Madison. Once they got here, we set to work right away making boutonnieres, bouquets, and other flower arrangements. I got to make Aaron's boutonniere, and he made my bouquet. He was very serious about the creation of his flower arrangement, and everyone was super impressed with his masterpiece.

My dad was the "minister" for the ceremony, thanks to some online church-type-thing that he signed up for. The ceremony was really sweet, I think I cried the whole time. The fathers on both sides spoke, and then Ry and Kim had prepared some things to say. Ryan read a part from The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. I had never heard it before, but it was so beautiful.

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

as the north wind lays waste the garden. 

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. 

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. 

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart. 

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love. 

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. 

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

climbing the mountain

This last weekend, Aaron and I went backpacking/hiking up Mt. Timpanogos with our friends, the Peterson's. Even though as we were driving up to the canyon, it was raining and thundering, we persisted, and the scanty Utah rainstorm passed as we expected. We had only got caught in a little bit of rain on our hike up, but it was very welcome.

When we started, we were all so excited. We joked that the skip in our step wouldn't last long. And it didn't. Though we were still excited, it was a hard hike!

It soon got dark, and we had no idea how far we were from Emerald Lake, which was our camping destination. Once we were all pretty tired and cold, we lost the path in the dark to a large cap of snow and had no idea how to continue. We went back, found a nice little nook, and set up our tents in the dark.

Aaron and I are lucky to be alive, because I--trying to think of something besides carbs to bring for food--bought a package of tuna fish to eat for dinner. We scarfed it down in our tent, and then I prayed really hard that no bears would smell that tasty fish.

When we woke up in the morning, unscathed, we discovered we had camped in a field of amazingly beautiful wild flowers. We also realized that we were only about 20 minutes away from the lake, and could clearly see the path up the rocky cliffside. Oh well, we ate some Pop-Tarts for breakfast, left our camp behind, and headed to the summit!

  (If you look really close in this picture, way down by those trees in the grass, right below that little hill, you can see our tents!)

We made it to the saddle... and Utah Lake never looked so small.

And we continued on to the top...straight up the sheer mountainside.

 (Right by all that snow, that's Emerald Lake...where we wanted to camp. In the distance is Deer Creek Reservoir. When the dam breaks, that is the body of water that is someday going to flood the Valley, they say.)

Hooray!

The way back down was breathtaking. I really wanted to just live there, with the sun shining, the flowers bright and pretty, and the mountains so green. Unfortunately, we were in somewhat of a time crunch to get down and had to hustle.

I think I'll have to invest in a pine tree scented candle. Do you think there may also be a "Crisp Mountain Air" scent?

the life of a bouquet

Birth

Mid-Life Crisis

Preserved Death

If only they could stay babies forever.