A Summer Wedding

My sister in law and I photographed our second wedding a couple of weekends ago and I've been a bit slower this time around in sorting, editing and labeling.  Alas, better late than never!  It was another beautiful day filled to the brim with love and all that good stuff.  :) Here are some highlights.

Some Gifts

Today I wanted to share a couple of projects I just finished for my friend, Ariel.  She asked me to do these for her birthday. This first commission was to frame her wedding vows.  Even though this was very simple to do, I thought it was such a great idea and a great reminder of those sacred vows that those of us who are married have promised each other.  I may do this for my vows, too.  

I also created this plaque for her.  The hebrew is the word for "love", pronounced "che-ssed".  The phrase below is the more specific translation of this word.  What a beautiful reminder and sentiment to keep in her home.

Week of Blessings

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

Pleasures pure and undefiled,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

621. A blissful and restful week of vacation

622. unexpected vacation for Brian and time to spend together

623. July 3rd, birthday festivities

624. July 4th festivities

625. lots of naps

626. sitting with Lili at church

627. a family reunion

628. Church BBQ, meeting new friends and sitting on the baby blanket

629. Monday morning and Tuesday morning activities...

630. special party favors

631. "Sarah Plain and Tall" dress

632. the Maggiacomos

633. parades, parties, fireworks with the family

634. Salem Willows with the Heindels
635. happy announcements

Contentment

(a weekly sabbath puritan prayer)

_________________________________________

Contentment

Heavenly Father, if I should suffer need, 

and go unclothed, and be in poverty,

 make my heart prize Thy love, know it, 

be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. 

It is Thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, 

for by these trials I see my sins, 

and desire severance from them. 

Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations,

 if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, 

and be delivered from it with gratitude to Thee, 

acknowledging this as the highest testimony of Thy love.

When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead 

of sin He became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; 

His kindly rule replaced sin's tyranny. 

Teach me to believe that if ever 

I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, 

but must invite Christ to abide in the place of it,

 and He must become to me more than vile lust had been;

 that His sweetness, power, life may be there. 

Thus I must seek a grace from Him contrary to sin, 

but must not claim it apart from Himself.

When I am afraid of evils to come, 

comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying,

 condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live;

 that in myself I find insufficiency and no rest, 

but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; 

that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good,

but in Christ I have ability to do all things.

 Though now I have His graces in part, 

I shall shortly have them perfectly in 

that state where Thou wilt show Thyself fully reconciled, 

and alone sufficient, efficient, 

loving me completely, with sin abolished. 

O Lord, hasten that day.

The 3rd of July

Happy Birthday, my love!

I love life with you.

This Moment - A Bride and Her Mother

This Moment:  A moment from the week that I'm pausing to remember and savor...

(Yet another week when it was so hard to choose just one! 

Here's a sneak peek from the wedding I photographed last Saturday.)

Joining with SouleMama:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual

Lighthouses in Sea Kettle Studios

Check out the beautiful New England lighthouses being created in Sea Kettle Studios this week!