I'm going to be mad if we drove all this way and miss the wedding

Mark is always on time. Come hell or high water . . .he is on time. We drove over to Mobile after spending a week in Orange Beach. Our hotel room wasn't ready so we drove to a nearby restaurant and had lunch and then we were able to check in. The hotel (Hampton Inn on Providence) was really nice and clean and the folks working at the desk were so nice and helpful!! (they are not paying me to say that!!) We were afraid that we wouldn't be able to check in before the wedding so we had showered, etc. at the condo in Orange Beach and we were ready to change in the hotel lobby bathroom if necessary. I'm glad we didn't have to do that!!

Lauren, our sweet daughter-in-law, called and said that she and Levi would like to go with us to the wedding. This was exciting to me because I want a close relationship with her so for her to initiate riding together made me feel really good!! Glenn was already at Bellingrath Gardens since he was in the wedding. Levi was staying with them. Well, evidently Levi had bought a new book and wouldn't stop reading. They were supposed to meet us at the hotel around one. Mark was in the car . . .it was cranked and ready to go . . .air conditioner on high . . .and they weren't there. Lauren and I were texting and she was telling me that Levi was making them late. You have to understand what I told you earlier. Mark is NEVER late. He kept saying, "Glenn said the wedding was only going to last about 10 minutes. If we drove all the way over here and got a hotel room and miss the wedding . . . " He never would finish the sentence. For some reason (maybe because I had an ativan earlier for motion sickness) I was calm and collected. I kept trying to get him to calm down. They rolled into the parking lot at 1:10 and Mark literally pulled his car in behind theirs in the parking lot WAITING! We've been married a long time and I knew he was irritated but I didn't want them to know (they know now because we laughed about it later). I was chattering up a storm. I said things like, "Hey Levi. How was teaching this year? Are you going to teach at the same school next year? Do you have a girlfriend?" As we got closer to Bellingrath Gardens, Mark relaxed a little but not much. As a matter of fact, we whirled into the parking lot and everyone jumped out of the car and took off at a trot. I have short legs and am overweight . . .and was huffing and puffing behind. Sweet Jerel slowed down and walked with me!!

So we walked all the way to the back of the gardens . . .and there were about 12 chairs in the shade . . .and there were people sitting in them already. You can tell by the lighting in this photo that we were in direct sunlight. We were thrilled to be able to sit with some of our favorite folks (who didn't make us late after all). As a matter of fact, if we had been any earlier we would have just been standing out in the heat!! Look at all those big sunglasses! You can see part of the gorgeous house (that unbelievable house was a fishing camp originally!! - Mark loved that fact) behind them.



I handed the camera to Jerel and said, "take our picture for proof that we were here" or something equally as stupid!! We are only glowing at this point. We clean up pretty nice, don't we?

We had front row seats. The bride and groom were on one side of this fountain and we were on the other side!!

This wedding was very different from any other wedding that I have ever attended. We are very active in our church and try hard to walk the walk (of course, we fail miserably multiple times a day but keep asking for forgiveness and keep trying again) and most of our friends live pretty much the same way we do. All that said, everyone we know has been married by a minister . . .there has been a prayer . . . .usually a blessing of the rings . . .Scott is a Christian - grew up in a great youth group in a United Methodist Church in North Alabama . . .went to Wesley at Auburn. I don't know the story but all I know is that Brittany isn't "religious." She didn't want anything even remotely religious in the wedding ceremony. The ceremony was performed by a judge. No prayers. No blessing. Different. At the end of the wedding, instead of prayers they made wishes. First the bride and groom threw pennies into the fountain. (I think this photo is cool because the camera was fast enough to catch the drops of water - I told you that we were sitting really close!!)

Then each bridesmaid came from one side and met a groomsman in the middle and they each threw a penny into the fountain. I'm so proud of Glenn. . . just because!! (I get to say that because I'm his momma right?) Look at the rest of this picture - it was a gorgeous day and a gorgeous venue. Look at the blue sky and the water beyond.



After the wedding was over, we were invited to walk over to the white tent for the reception but we were so hot that we walked over to the shade and we walked around for a few minutes admiring the location. I leaned over one of the ponds of water and took this picture and I love how you can see the shadow of the trees. The water looks so blue and the lily pad (or water plant?) looks so green.

This is the front of the home (the fishing camp!!). We didn't go in the house. I would love to go back and tour it also. I'll be they decorate inside the house for Christmas like they decorate the gardens. I'll have to google that and see!! You can see the Spanish moss hanging in the trees. Beautiful.
These are the stairs from the wedding site (we were at the top for the wedding) and there is a fountain running between the stairs all the way down to the lake. So peaceful and so wonderfully shady!!


Mark was able to relax at the reception and he enjoyed hanging out with all of the young adults and we weren't late and everything was good!!

It was a lovely wedding and I know something very important. God was there even though HIS name was never mentioned. Isn't that amazing? He and His creation - such a gorgeous place - are truly amazing!!