We have all been living in our post-wedding bubbles these past ten days. July 18th was a perfectly perfect day from start to finish. Our intimate gathering of seventeen celebrated Carmen and Jack’s nuptials with much laughter and joyous tears. My sweet husband wore his heart on his sleeve, succumbing to emotion several times during the day. I’ve only seen that emotion from him once before, fifteen years ago, when he walked Laurelle down the aisle. Laurelle and Carmen will always be their “Daddy’s Girls”. My girls would say I was more emotional at my son, Brett’s wedding five years ago, but truth be told, I cried an equal amount of joyous tears for each of them. Seeing them commit their lives to another, makes my heart happy. It is God answering my prayers as I cradled each child in my arms as infants and prayed for them to find their life partner.

I prayed for those two boys, Matt and Jack, who are now my son-in-laws, long before my girls met them. I prayed for them to love, honour, and respect my girls before they laid eyes on them. I prayed that they would be men of integrity, honesty, compassion, and be faithfully devoted to my girls. I prayed for them to be spiritual leaders in the home, to walk humbly before God, and to be trustworthy in all things. I prayed too that my girls would honour and respect their future husbands as well. That love would bear all things, and God would be the Cornerstone of their relationship. I believe God answered my prayers as He continues to teach them, and grow them into the men and women He wants them to be.

I prayed for my daughter-in-law too, as I rocked my son to sleep after an active day. His toddler sighs filling my senses with overwhelming love. I prayed his future wife would love him wholeheartedly. That she would love, honour and respect him, and be his greatest encourager throughout life. I prayed for a Proverbs 31 woman for my son, and God heard and answered that prayer when Chandler came into my boy’s life when they were in Junior High.

It blesses my mother’s heart to see my children happy, and settled with their individual spouses. I continue to pray everyday for each of them. I am blessed to welcome grandchildren into the family, the newest one, Everett, born to Brett and Chandler on July 17th, just in time for him to see his Auntie Carmen get married!

Chandler posted a video of her three boys the other day. I laugh every time I see it! It showcases the unique personalities of each of them so well. Newborn Everett, serene and peacefully asleep in a cradle out on their back deck. Then she zooms in on her firstborn, Pax, three years old, playing with a garden hose, calculating in his mind, no doubt, the capacity and time it will take to fill up his blow up pool with water. He is our explorer. Then there’s Atti, two years old, the nudist, backside to the camera, flinging wet clothes around with wild abandon!

It should not surprise you to know I am already praying for their future brides! 😁