Week 261: The one that ends with a wedding

December's Reads

The Bookseller of Kabul
by Asne Seierstad. I've started reading this several times, but now I finally got the audiobook. We'll see if that helps me finish.
Sleep Tight, Little Bear (with DVD)
by Martin Waddell. Oh my sweet goodness. If you can get the book with the DVD, then you'll be treated to Waddell reading the story in his beautiful Irish accent. THIS is the book (and DVD) to get for wee children this season.

Big Reads

Eclipse
by Stephenie Meyer. Certainly my favorite of the series so far. That's not to say I'm absolutely loving the series, only that I'm continuing to read them.
New Moon
by Stephenie Meyer. Working my way through the books. I liked this one better than the first one, although a trend is developing that the plot doesn't work for me once the crisis is over.
Twilight
by Stephenie Meyer. You know what? It wasn't half bad. I'm going to finish the series and then write a full review.
Brooklyn: A Novel
by Colm Toibin. Even though it was slow, I was totally captured by the plot. The story is about an Irish girl's new life in America. I found it engaging, but then the ending was flat for me. (Odd since that's what seems to redeem it for most people.) (****)
The Year of Magical Thinking
by Joan Didion. (audiobook version) After my summer of grief (which seems to be following me into my autumn), this was the book I needed to read. Cathartic. If you have ever experienced the loss of a loved one, you need to read this book. Absolutely. (*****)
Reading in the Dark: A Novel
by Seamus Deane. Read it again with my Irish lit class. Haunting, mythic, and reads like a memoir. Happy to say my students enjoyed it as much as I did. (*****)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
by Betty Smith. A wonderful coming-of-age story. I read it on the airplane and cried. Beautiful blends the identities of being Irish, being American, and growing up poor. (*****)
Where the Heart Is
by Billie Letts. I was very skeptical about this book, and it ended up being such a delight. Really loved it. (****)

Week 261: The one that ends with a wedding

It's a big week. It'll be impossible for me to capture everything in words, but parts of it will be captured in photos. One part specifically will probably be capture in hundreds of photos.

It won't be Monday, the day that Sydney starts swimming lessons, although I'm sure I'll get a few pictures of that.

It won't be Tuesday, the day that Sydney's hair gets trimmed at the salon (as a result of me haphazardly chopping two inches off).

It won't be Tuesday night, when Jason comes home from his trip (hallelujah, praise God for Tuesday night).

It won't be Wednesday, the day that we pack up all our belongings in our Salem apartment and say goodbye forever to our beloved Oregon phone number that we've had all our married lives.

It won't be Thursday, the day that Jason packs up his classroom and says farewell to a school he has loved teaching at.

The pictures will start Friday evening, and then continue all day Saturday.

The blessed event? Rebekah is getting married.

It would be exciting enough that the World's Best Nanny is getting married, but there is a little something extra that makes it even more exciting: Sydney is the flower girl.

While being a flower girl is a plenty big honor, the real perk of flower girl duties is THE DRESS. Spinny princess dresses fill approximately 78% of Sydney's dreams (the other 22% being divided equally between princesses and ballerinas and kittens). And this one does not disappoint.

She got to try it on a few weeks ago when we went to a bridal shower for Rebekah.

Sydney took her duty seriously and helped unwrap presents.

Unwrapping presents AND a spinny flower girl dress? Does get any better?

Not likely. Check out her shirt, by the way (it says Flower Girl).

I got to thinking I probably shouldn't have cut Sydney's hair until after the wedding, but it'll be fine. She still looks cute as a button.

And we could always add some ribbons if we need to.

Yep, big week. My little girl is in her first wedding.

You can bet I'll be crying--at Sydney, at Rebekah, at the end of a week that'll be marked by beautiful beginning. I'm a sucker for weddings...and for adorable flower girls.

Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM in Milestones, Sydney | Permalink

Comments

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And the princess dress is pink! That makes it even better. Hope you have a wonderful reunion with Jason and a fabulous time at the wedding. I'm waiting on Friday too--that's when we (hopefully) close on our house!

Posted by: Jess | Monday, June 22, 2009 at 08:24 AM

What a beautiful dress--no wonder Sydney is beaming! It sounds like this week will be great, or at least good. I know that saying goodbye to places is hard though. When one gets to be my age, weddings are rare. I miss those days!

Posted by: Margaret | Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:56 AM

Oh What fun!!
Tell them Congrats for us please, I know Darren alway's enjoyed their family.

Enjoy TUESDAY night!!!!!!!

Posted by: Karen | Monday, June 22, 2009 at 03:52 PM

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Creature Bug

After 15 years away, I've returned to my childhood home on the Family Farm in southwest Washington (we farm families, not food). As a longtime Oregonian, I'm trying to remember to pay sales tax and how to pump my own gas. Fortunately, living next door to a dozen family members makes the transition easier.
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