I must share these darling pictures of the cutest little baby ever!  Of course, I may be a little prejudiced.

 “The Lord has done this…it is marvelous in our eyes.”    Psalm 118:25

In 2010, when Joy and I went to Maui, the only thing she wanted to do that we did not, was go on a zip line.  Now why she wanted to do that, I do not know.  We were raised in the same home, with the same parents, and I have sense enough to know that feet are designed to be on the floor or the ground.  I know, as well, that we were not meant to fly.  If we were so intended, we would have wings.  Furthermore, when you try to do something that the good Lord did not intend for you to do…things happen…and the results are not always pleasant.  Obviously, the lessons did not stick with her!

So, when we made our plans to return this year, and to bring our friend, Patty, along…she immediately hit Patty up to go zip lining with her.  I think it sounded something like this, “We’d love to invite you on our trip and all you have to do is agree to go on a little ride with me.”  To which Patty replied, “Well, that sounds like a good deal, if I ever heard one…so, I’m in!”  As soon as we got to Maui, I called the lady I like to work with there for tickets and such, and told her we needed 2 tickets for the best zip line on Maui.  She called me back a little later and said due to our other scheduled events, the only time that was available that they could go…was the next morning!  So, I took the tickets and relayed the good news.  Patty, upon hearing that she was going on not one, but three zip lines way high above Maui, turned a little green.  But, since Joy had already gone on the bus adventure to Pearl Harbor while we were on Oahu, Patty knew she was going zipping in the morning.  And, they did!  I, remembering the lessons of my childhood, knew that a day spent shopping in an outdoor mall next to the ocean beats dangling from a line high above the earth and flying through the air any old day!  And, so I did!  Joy said her prayers before they left.

They had their orientation, and learned all about what they were going to do, and how to be safe.  ( ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ZIP LINING IN 30 MINUTES  OR LESS just doesn’t seem like quite enough time to instill a  feeling of confidence…I’m just  saying…)  And, then they began getting all their gear on.  Packs front and back and a seat sling and helmets.  They were really cute…don’t ya think?

And, then it was time…time for the first line.  (By the way…waaaaaaaay down there is where they are going)

To be sure, they have beautiful scenery to look at while travelling!

Two trips down and then across the HUGE suspension bridge to get as high as possible for the last zip.

AND……THEY’RE OFF !!!

“WOW!  That was fun! ”

“I did it!  I did it!  I did it! ”

And, after removing all the gear, they boarded the truck and headed back to the hotel.  I was resting peacefully, after a glorious morning perusing all the boutiques in the Whaler’s Village.  When I heard such a racket…you can’t even imagine!  Banging on the door…yelling…laughing…more banging!  It was the two zippers back from their adventure!  Oh, they were pumped!  Neither one could stop talking.  Oh, how their children would have laughed to see them so excited.  And, they should be very proud of their sense of adventure!  I loved it when Joy said, “I feel like I can do anything!  There’s not anything I wouldn’t tackle!  I feel just that good!  I can do anything!”   Funny thing, though, she didn’t seem that excited when I asked her to prove it and carry the extra suitcase I had to buy !  🙂

And so, a wonderful Maui adventure, zipping through the air,  comes to a close.  This beautiful island is like a huge playground to those of us who love to spend precious hours and days here.  It continues to capture our hearts with each new experience.  We are blessed by the time we are able to spend within its shores.

More adventures coming up…..

I honor the mothers that are in my family today.  When I look at their faces from so long ago, more than anything else, I see strength.  And, perhaps that is what has been passed on to me through the years.  These are women who raised their families with much less than I have.  They lived through dark days.  And, yet…their children call them ‘blessed’.

My great-grandmother…Della Delenia Tew

My maternal grandmother…Annie Tew Merritt

My mother, Eloise Merritt Townsend, with me…

…and with Joy and I…

My paternal grandmother, Lillian Esther Hallman Townsend…

My Mother-in-love, Elizabeth Meadows Owens…

Don’s paternal  grandmother, Iola Owens…

And the newest mother in my family, my daughter-in-love, Suzanne Horn Owens and Baby Levi…

These are the women who have molded our family through generations.  I come from a strong heritage of women who loved the Lord, loved their families, and loved others in their communities.  I am blessed.

My beautiful Mom…I miss you every day…

To my boys…thank you for making motherhood an adventure…I love you all…

In case you don’t recognize me…this is my portrait, drawn by Ian years ago.

When Amy began planning her wedding, she had a distinct idea about what she wanted.  Searching online, she found pictures of decor she liked for the reception and her cake and the actual wedding decor.  Her new hubby was able to put most of the pieces together.  He works with wood and so he knew just where  and how to get the trees, to cut apart, to cut into circles, to drill holes in, and exactly where to get the little trees that were used atop all this when it was glued back together! 

Then we took 3 sizes of clear glass cylinders and wrapped each with a variety of rustic trims…burlap, jute,cords, raffia.  These were placed on the larger of the rounds, and each had a white candle of varying sizes.   Pods, flowers,etc was placed around the cylinders.  Each table was covered with a white cloth and a burlap topper.  These pieces were not stained or varnished, but left ‘as is’.

This was the tall arrangement that was on the food table….along with the display around the bottom.  There were 5 round tables with the long table in the center, all under the big white tent.

And look at this wonderful piece Blake cut, stained, varnished, for the cake.  It was beautiful!

Then under this tree…….

…and in front of this pond…

Tina and Shirley did this arbor…

On either side of the arbor, we filled 2 fern stands with ferns ( of course!).  Now, Shirl had learned this wonderful trick to filling these stands to make them look full and pretty, and I want to share it with you.  The ferns came in those old, black plastic pots.  Shirley pulled them out of the pots and dropped each one into its own plastic bag.  We used the bags the moss came out of. 

The 2 black pots would not fit in here, but by putting them into the bags, they are able to be molded into the pots, and they have a very full look…

Then fill in all around with moss to hide the bags.  You can also push the moss in from the outside, as well.

Add a large bow…and you are done.  The bags can be left whole if they will just be used a short time.  This will keep all the dirt inside.  But, if they will need to stay there for a few days, you can poke holes in the bottom of the bag, so they will drain when watered.   They should be OK in the bags for 3-4 days.

At the wedding……..

Oh, we did have a very nice visit from some very special folks on Friday…Suzanne and Baby Levi.  I know, I know.  He’s just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!  I happen to agree with you!

And, that is all I will show until Amy gets back from her honeymoon.  I do not want to publish the pics of the actual wedding without her permission.  But, I’ll tell you this…she was a beautiful bride.  You’ll see…

I have had the privilege, over the past few weeks, of helping my friend, Tina, get ready for her daughter’s wedding.  Sweet Amy was to marry Blake…at his very rustic farmhouse several miles outside of town.  After Tina and Amy talked and came up with the plan…she and I met and figured out the way to get it taken care of.  We have been working on projects all along, so the majority of things we needed to make were done ahead of time.  One of the first orders of business for me was to make the brides bouquet.  I was anxious to get started, because I like to do this.  I made what is called an all-in-hand bouquet,where you start with a flower in one hand and keep adding flowers and turning it and adding flowers and turning…all the time keeping all the flowers in that one hand.  Then wrap the stems.  Oh, it looked great!  But, Amy thought it was too small for her…and I think she was right.  So, I set about making another one…still not big enough.  OK..I decide to use a form this time.  She says she wants it BIG!  Big enough to cover  her side to side when held in front of her.  I got the form and I got the flowers, and I clipped and wrapped and poked and wrapped and poked until I ended up with one of the biggest bouquets that I have ever seen!  Side to side, it would cover her.  This is bouquet # 3…

Shirl had come down from Moultrie Thursday and she and Tina went out to the house to get the decorating underway.  They worked most of the day  Thursday and got the front of her house decorated and then moved to the back and got things started there.    When I joined them on Friday, we had a discussion about the size of this  ‘fistful of flowers’ and agreed that it was too big.

 So, I set about removing all the flowers for the 4th time…placed them all into groups…and started over.  

 Now the danger of making something around a group of people, is that they all have an opinion about how to do it.  And, as such…I had 4 voices other than mine.  This didn’t annoy me..it just gets a little  frustrating. So, I pulled this flower out and put that flower in.  Then I took out this flower, and put another one in.  Then I’d take out  2 flowers and put back 1.  And, finally…finally it was finished.  Here is bouquet #4…

I was happy.   Amy was happy.  Shirl and Tina were happy.   Do you see how happy we were?   And, all was right with the world.    We should have taken that bouquet to a locked vault and put it in and not looked at it again until right before the wedding!     But , NOooooooooooo…..we decided that we  needed to make one ‘little’ change.  Because we don’t know how to leave well enough alone.   So, I pulled out a few blooms.  And, then…AND THEN !!!!!!!…

…the unthinkable happened…the foam, which was glued to the base, broke loose.  The flowers and a small bit of foam went one way.  And the handle, with another small bit of foam, went another way.  The rest of the foam went EVERYWHERE !  I was shocked!  Idon’t understand why this happened …the foam  only had 683 holes in it!!!!

And I cried.

Because the nearest store from which we could buy

 foam was 15 miles away…and it was already after lunch.  Tina and I began to brainstorm a solution.  And, somewhere in the house, Tina found a old silk flower arrangement…with dead oasis stuff.  It only had 10 or so holes in it.  So, I got a piece of tulle, wrapped the oasis all around, and hot glued the mess out of it onto the base.   And I made the bouquet for the fifth time.  Many of the stems had to be re-wrapped and wired and cut because the shape of the oasis was different.  And, it was so fragile already, I knew I could only stick the flowers in one time.  It finally came together, and, I finished the bouquet.  I did not ask them if they liked it.  They had to like it. Because IT  WAS  DONE !!!  And, I was done, too!

Now all that really did happen.  But, I loved every minute of it!    It’s always the most fun when we are working together.  It was an honor to be asked to do the bouquet, and help decorate.   All’s well that ends well…RIGHT?  Here is the finished bouquet…

And, the bouquet held together.  The bride was very pleased with it and she looked beautiful carrying it.  It even lasted through the reception.

Next post, I want to share with you some of the decor.  We had some really neat things to work with, and I think you will enjoy seeing it.  (But, I won’t show any pics of the bride and groom and the actual wedding.  She will want to do that in her own time.  But, once she does, I will share some with you, too.)

Oh, and maybe by the time Christmas rolls around, I’ll get to finish my posts on Hawaii! 🙂