"I wish that this weather would never leave"

One way or another, it always comes back to the Counting Crows: the title of my first post in months tributing the fantastic Pure Michigan weather we're having, Kate & Dennis' wedding and my upcoming roadtrip to kickoff the summer concert season with .. you guessed it, Counting Crows!

I thought about recapping the last months' events and decided it might take all day. Despite the fact that the seniors are gone and I actually do have some time to breathe, this overview might not be a good use of any of our time. I'll instead stick to the two exciting Spring events : the Fernandez-Lee wedding and my pond's resurrection.

"Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all" - Mumford & Sons

 What a joy to celebrate the love of two friends! Kate's the first close friend with whom I've experienced wedding planning from start to finish and boy did I have fun as the psuedo-MOH. From dress-shopping to invite-choosing to bachelorette/shower planning and welcome-basket creating, I loved every second of helping make Kate and Dennis' day the personal tribute to their love for one another -- and their friends. I've never been to a wedding at which the couple said to their guests, "This is really for you so enjoy it." Enjoy it, we did! Something I've grown to love about weddings is the inter-mingling of friend groups from various life stages and this one was no exception; getting out on the dance floor with the assortment of friends and family I've gained within my friendship with Kate was a highlight! While the party on Saturday had all the elements of a great wedding, Friday's ceremony truly embodied the gifts of love, friendship, and commitment Dennis and Kate gave one another along with those sparkly rings. A small group of family and friends gathered to witness this intimate exchange of vows, complete with touching readings and a Pete Fernandez original song. Blown. Away. As I've said many times since .. it is an honor to be this couple's friend and I wish them such happiness as they begin their lives as a married couple. In the slideshow Dennis created for the reception, Adam Duritz sang, "What's life without an occasional surprise" - what a life these two have in store for them! 





In a true celebration of the Easter season, my good friends at Christa's Ponds and Gardens drained, gutted, cleaned and refilled my pond in late April. The waterfall runs beautifully and through the skylights in my bedroom I can hear the gentle gurgle as I drift off. Needless to say, as the school year wanes, it's becoming increasingly difficult to get out of bed in the morning with such a tranquil sleeping arrangement. This weekend, Kate and I named ten goldfish and added them to the pond (see video below), my dad helped me hang lights and believe it or not, I've become even MORE obsessed with my backyard. My 8 year old neighbor Parker refers to me as the Secret Garden Lady, which is in my mind is WAY better than a cat lady. A few more weekends of weeding and I might actually get it under control; as Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote, “She made herself stronger by fighting with the wind.” I can't wait to welcome Amanda, Christy, and Stephano, just to name a few, into the garden this summer .. don't worry, ladies, the vino is already chilling.


"Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off
and they are nearly always doing it.” (FHB)



“There's naught as nice as th' smell o' good clean earth,
except th' smell o' fresh growin' things when th' rain falls on 'em.” (FHB)

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” (FHB)

As I mentioned, in a few weeks Kate, Tiff and I are roadtrippin' to check out one of our favorite bands of all time. On a grassy hill in Sylvania, Ohio I will dance, sing and laugh with two of my favorite girls on the planet and once again, it comes back to the Counting Crows: "You don't want to waste your life / I walk along these hillsides/  In the summer 'neath the sunshine / I am feathered by the moonlight falling down on me / Change, change, change"

Here's to Summer 2012.

PS. Here's the fish video .. it really needs to come with a 'Sarah is Crazy' disclaimer.