Sunday Ramblings...

First, I never made it to Wal-Mart yesterday, so there still aren't any photos, but I absolutely, must, have to without a doubt get there today, so I promise, photos to come...I have to pick up prescriptions for my mom, rain ponchos and EmergenC and take Nicole shopping to spend her birthday gift card. I don't think she will let me not get there today. So barring a major episode of forgetfulness (which is still common, as I am still in a major "hog" you know, the cross between a haze and a fog) I should remember the card reader...

Yesterday's wedding was lovely...and a real mix of Mennonites. The whole gamut. I went up to the bride's sister-in-law and told her I was delighted to see someone else in blingie sparkles. But there were also those who arrived in horse and buggy and also by bike. It was a beautiful example of being one in the body and unity. Beautiful.

And it was wonderful to see Myron and Mary Ellen. Their story is used in the What's the Bible All About for Moms that I just completed, for the book of Job. They have lost three babies, all to a terrible genetic disease called Epidermylisis Bullosa, or EB for short. They had a one in 64 chance of giving birth to three children afflicted with EB, always fatal in the form that they are carriers of. But they are remarkable, loving, caring and fun people who have continued to trust God through their loss.

We became friends through Howie, who took care of their first son, and our friendship has continued to grow and blossom. They are selfless in their love for others; having served in a Ministry in CO that provides foster care for incarcerated women's babies and children while they serve their time.They take the kids to visit the moms weekly to foster their relationship. It is a remarkable program. Nicole and I are hoping to use our free bump tickets to visit them later this summer, the week that Tianna is at camp.

The bride is one of 19 (!) children who was serving as a nanny when I visited with the girls in 2006. I went to Denver to the International Christian Retail Show for the release of my first book, and the girls stayed with them receiving much love, great food and four wheeling adventures...I was honored to be included in the special day of love, life and celebration.

Peace.

The Wedding...

Pictures from the wedding...The bride and groom, Minna and Jap. I hadn't ever met Jap before, and I had only met Minna once, yet I was invited and included in their special day. I was really touched and I have to admit, a bit surprised. Minna was serving as a nanny at New Horizons Ministry when we met two summers ago.

New Horizons is a ministry that provides one on one foster care for incarcerated women's children (new born on up) while the mom is serving her sentence. The children are cared for and nurtured and taken to visit their moms while they are in jail every week. It is an amazing program. The other young women in this photo are some of the other nannies that also served in the ministry, and the adults in the back row to the right are Myron and Mary Ellen King, who were there as house parents and were the couple I knew. I met Minna two years ago when I went to ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) in Denver and took the girls with me. The ministry is in Canon City, outside of Colorado Springs, and the girls stayed at the house with Myron and Mary Ellen, the four nannies and the four babies while I was in Denver. The little girl Minna is holding is Chyara, who has been in the K Street House (Myron and Mary Ellen's house) since her birth. The nanny in the black shirt actually lives in Lewisburg, a town close to where I live in PA.



Meet Myron and Mary Ellen King. They are truly heroic and remarkable people. I met them through Howie who took care of their first son who was born seven years ago. He only lived a short while, born with a terrible, terrible skin disease called Epidermilysis Bullosa. It is a recessive genetic disease that causes blistering both externally and to the internal organs as well. Mary Ellen conceived two more times and both times again gave birth to baby boys with EB, who died just a few weeks after being born. Despite their tragedies, they have maintained a steadfast faith in Christ and are sustained by his love and spirit. Their story will be in my Bible Moms book for the book of Job. It was wonderful to see them and spend time with them again. Their boys would be seven, five and four. They have shared the love they have selflessly with the foster kids that have lived in their home.

The wedding party sat front and center and the table I was seated at was also towards the front of the room off to the left. Minna has six brothers, five of whom are older. Each member of the party had their own personal server and then the guests were served buffet style. The meal was delicious. Tender, juicy grilled chicken, corn swimming in butter (home grown on one of the many area farms) fresh mashed potatoes, salad, rolls and fresh fruit. Each place had a cup of peanuts, mints and chocolates which Minna had made. The chocolates were in the shape of a cowboy hat and boot to complement the western theme. Minna and Jap met in Colorado, and will be returning there to live after their honeymoon. I can't imagine making about 1000 chocolates by hand...

The fellowship hall was full. I have never been to a wedding this large or attended by so many children. It was also very different from other weddings I have attended. No alcohol was served and the only music was a short selection by a very talented group of vocalists who sang acapella. There was an "open mic" at which time friends and family got up to share. I really wanted to share how touched I was to have been included (I felt like I stuck out noticeably) and welcomed, but I just couldn't do it. I was chicken and couldn't pull myself together to make it happen. Yes, you heard it hear first, I was at a loss for words and unable to get up in front of a group and speak. Go figure.

Most of the men wore plain white shirts and dark pants. Some had jackets, but simple jackets, not double breasted. And no ties. The women wore very traditional Mennonite dress, mostly in dark or subdued colors. The bridesmaids wore burgundy and the servers wore either pink or silver. There were probably only about five or six of us women who had on "English" clothes and maybe one or two less even than that without head coverings. When I got dressed for the wedding I put my dress on (a very colorful floral dress, really pretty, but very bright...) and then added my earrings and necklace which were really pretty, but I just couldn't wear the necklace. It was just too much. So I took it off and felt somewhat better, but was wishing I had chosen something more neutral...Makeup? Not a chance. There were one or two nannies who had some makeup on and a couple with toe nail polish, but that was it as far as accessorizing went.

The other difference is that there is no exchange of rings; they don't wear any jewelry at all.

Yet despite the differences in outer appearance, I suspect the inner feelings, emotions and struggles are similar to any other twenty something woman. We all share in the human condition. Yet, in this community there was a sense of being a step removed from the world. Not to the extend that the Amish community is, but definitely much more so than other Mennonite families I have spent time with. One woman commented to me that she had entered (the Mennonite faith community) from "the outside"; she had not grown up a part of the Mennonite community, and when she married in, she let go of many practices and beliefs that were "of the world" and adopted the dress and customs of her new faith family. It felt like a different world to me, similar perhaps to the middle of the last century. But then there were anomalies to that, like cell phones and the swiftness with which some of the younger crowd could text. That struck me as odd...And no dishwashers. The meal was served with all disposable paper products and cutlery and the dishes that were used all needed to be washed by hand. Ugh. And the "catering" and clean up was all handled by the church matriarchs.

Aside from no dancing or music, there were not any other big differences. We enjoyed cake and when the bride and groom left a group of friends surrounded their car and wouldn't let them get in until they had a long, public kiss.

I really was honored to be included. Like Mary Ellen said when I called her and told her I got an invitation, "Boy, Kathy, you must have really made an impression!"