we took a road trip//part 2

If you haven't yet read part one, go over here to do that:)

And a quick warning...this is a picture heavy post...do enjoy!

All three of us barely slept on Saturday night.  Nicholas kept waking every 15 minutes or so and I think Rucus and I eventually got some shut eye when I just pulled Nicholas into the bed with me, which was around 2:30am.  We had actually gotten up at midnight and packed for an hour or so in the hopes that being up for a bit would tire Nicholas.

 The next morning we finished packing, said goodbye to everyone, and headed to Irene Farm where we met Rucus' dad and stepmother...

I wish we could go back to this beautiful farm!

So many lovely spots for pictures...

We had a lovely, relaxed breakfast with them and we all walked around and let Nicholas look at the cows, play on the old tractors, and took some sweet family pictures.  

These two have my heart.

This cheeky boy...  He had such a fun morning!

Nicholas loved walking around and seeing all the calves...

I must just add here that I feel so blessed by the love Rucus' family have shown to me.  Even though we haven't known each other very long and seldom get to visit, they make me feel so welcome and a part of their family.

I love all the family pictures we got...and it was truly special to see how much Nicholas and his Oupa (Afrikaans for "Grandpa" - Rucus' family are Afrikaans) enjoyed one another.

Nicholas with his "Oupa".

I am so proud to call this man my husband.  We have been married almost 2.5 years and I am so thankful for each moment.

He keeps life interesting!

We left the farm around 1pm and started the journey home.  We got to Bloemfontein late that evening and checked into a lovely guest house which was so welcome after a long, exhausting few days.  We all slept so well and felt ready to start the last leg of the journey the following morning.

The last couple hours in the car were rough.  Rucus and I switched places and he sat in the back and played with Nicholas for a bit to just give me a break from the constant entertaining I was doing to keep Nicholas from screaming and trying to break free from his car seat.  We were all so over driving and wanted to get HOME!

Ahh, it was soo good to come home and sleep in our own beds again.  It took us over a week to recover, unpack and get back to normal.  And poor Rucus came down with a nasty cold to make things worse.

I am so thankful we got to go with Rucus to the show this year.  It was such a special experience, despite it being extremely challenging with a toddler in the mix.  I love looking at all the pictures and remembering each moment...only the good things remain.

I hope you enjoyed coming along for the ride.  I love sharing about trips we do - it is so much fun to look back and remember how special it was.

Love, Kelly

How I weaned my 17 month old//tips for weaning your toddler

Hi friends...I actually wrote this post almost two months ago and never shared it here.  If you are thinking of weaning your little one and could use some pointers, I hope this post helps!  

It’s bittersweet. We are all done breastfeeding, and I couldn’t be prouder for having nursed my son for 17 months.

I had no time line in mind with regards to how long I wanted to breastfeed for prior to giving birth to Nicholas, but I did know that I didn’t want to nurse beyond the age of two.

Around the time Nicholas turned a year old, I started to think that I would like to begin weaning, and possibly be done nursing by 15 months. Well, that didn’t happen.

I just wasn’t committed enough to see weaning through. I did, however, stop all night feeds, and for awhile, it seemed to improve night time sleep. Sadly, that didn’t last when we got hit by a nasty cold and I was back to nursing Nicholas at night to help him breathe and bring comfort to my poor sick baby.

About a month later, I was feeling so thinly spread from all the night wake ups and nursing Nicholas what felt like a million times a day. He wanted to snack all the time, and I felt so completely exasperated with having my child constantly wanting milk, sticking his hands down my shirt or lifting it up, and then only having two sips before pulling off again.

Breastfeeding was far from enjoyable anymore, and I was fed up. It was around this time that I contacted an older friend for encouragement and prayer, and she was kind enough to send me some advice from other seasoned mamas she knew. That was just what I needed to make the decision to wean. My husband was fully supportive, and after doing a bit of research on how to actually go about the weaning process, I started with cutting all those bitty feeds throughout the day so that we were just doing 3 feeds a day.

The nap time feed was the next to go, and that was easy because I gave him a bottle of warm whole milk and he barely noticed not having “milkies” anymore. I had read that you should wean slowly so as not to cause any hormonal issues, so I waited a few days before cutting the bedtime feed. This one was probably the toughest one to cut, even though I did offer him some warm whole milk in his bottle instead. During this time I also had to pump a little here and there, because even at 17 months post partum, I still had a crazy milk supply, and just cutting a few feeds over the course of a few days, meant I needed to pump in order to ease the tenderness I was experiencing. I was also terrified of getting mastitis!

Around this time I started experiencing some extreme fatigue, headaches and even a little nausea, as well as heart palpitations. Even though I was weaning slowly, it still managed to cause issues with my hormones. I did find out that those symptoms aren’t abnormal, but I never expected to feel so sick! I then learnt I should drink sage tea a couple times a day to help dry up my milk supply. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. I also kept up with pumping once a day, and feeding Nicholas early each morning.

And then, just like that, he stopped asking me for milk in the early morning. He would wake around 4am, and I would go lie with him as I usually do, and he wanted a snuggle instead of being nursed. I anticipated the morning feed being the most challenging to cut, and it turned out to be the easiest.

After that I kept up with pumping once a day, and then slowly going from once a day, to every second day, and then I went to every third day. I continued drinking sage tea for another week or so.

Last week I fed Nicholas one last time. It was morning and my husband was still asleep. I read a few stories to Nicholas and we cuddled. He then asked for milk, and I gave in. I thought it would be special to have this moment to look back on. And I am so happy I did.

And that was that. He still asks me to nurse him every now and again, but I am quick to distract him with a game, story or a snack.

Here are a few tips if you are wanting to wean your toddler in the near future which really helped us during this process:

1. Use yummy (but fairly healthy) treats as a distraction. For us it was usually pure apple juice which I watered down a ton or warm whole milk which usually did the trick. Sometimes it was a homemade cookie or muffin. There are times when one just has to make use of a crutch for the overall greater good.
2. Speaking of a crutch, a bit of screentime was another thing I used to distract Nicholas while weaning. Currently he is obsessed with trains, so a few minutes of the old episodes of Thomas and Friends came to the rescue.
3. Remind your child of how much you love them. I told Nicholas how much I loved him, and how special he is to us, multiple times throughout the day. Obviously, this is something I do anyway, but I was more conscious of it, and whenever he did ask to be nursed, before distracting him, I would tell him that “milkies” was all finished but that I still loved him so, so much.
4. Don’t give them the opportunity to ask to be nursed. I made sure to not sit down for too long and have Nicholas climb up on my lap so as to avoid him even asking to be nursed. I was definitely more tired from not really getting a chance to sit down during the day, but it did help to not cause unnecessary drama.
5. Be fully committed and consistent. And make sure you have the support of your husband, mom or close friend, or all of the above. Encouragement to keep going really helps when you feel like caving and just giving your child what they want.
6. Lastly, be prepared. Go slowly. Purchase some sage leaves and brew yourself a cup of sage tea a couple times a day during weaning, and give yourself grace if you experience any unpleasant symptoms.

I can’t actually explain how good it feels to be done breastfeeding.

And I feel like my hormones are slowly stabilizing too and I am getting back to feeling more like me.

I feel so blessed to have had the privilege of breastfeeding my son for almost a year and a half. I am so thankful to have had no issues with supply, latch or anything like that as I know that isn’t always the case. I am also grateful for the support I received from my midwife, mom and husband.

I am curious to know how long you breastfeed your little one(s) for?

How did you approach weaning?

Share your experience in the comments!

With love, Kelly

we took a road trip//time with family & attending the knifemaker's guild show

 Hi dear readers.  By now you have probably noticed a blog title change.  Welcome to Her Handmade Life.  I am over on Instagram under the same handle @herhandmadelife if you would like to follow me there for daily natterings and such.  

I figured that it was high time for a change.  Time is marching on and I am approaching 27, and I just don't feel so much like the little country girl I was when I started this blog back in 2016.   My baby is a year and a half already and I've been married to my handsome man for almost two and a half years, and life looks a lot different than it did when I was just 19.  My, but I have changed so much and see things so differently, and I want to embrace this new version of me.

So if chats about homemaking, motherhood and simple, creative living sound like your jam, do stick around and let's be friends.  I would love to have you along for the ride.  And if you have been around since the early days...thank you!  

Anyway...

For those of you who know, please tell me...what happened to Blogger's advanced theme editing?  I would love to change fonts and backgrounds and all that sort of thing, but their current options seem somewhat limited compared to what used to be available.  And if you know of someone who does simple, pretty blog designs...please do share their details in the comments below or email me.  I am thinking that my blog needs a bit of a refresh.  

And now that we have chatted about all things bloggy, let's move on to the exciting bit...

Last month our little family of three took a long road trip all the way up to Pretoria, which is about ten to twelve hours away from where we live in the Eastern Cape.  My husband is a member of the knifemaker's guild of South Africa, and around halfway through the year they have a show in Johannesburg, which he exhibits at.  

This year it was my dearest wish that Nicholas and I go with him so I could attend for the first time and support my husband, and also so that we could spend some time with Rucus' side of the family who all live in Pretoria and Mpumalanga.

We were blessed to be able to buy a new (to us) car two-ish months prior to the trip, which allowed us all to go because of it being way more comfortable and spacious and suited to longer trips.

I spent weeks planning activities for Nicholas to do in the car.  I also borrowed a couple new (to us) books from my mom to read to him in between, and we also had some Thomas & Friends episodes on hand for if when the wheels really started to come off.  

On the way up, Nicholas managed the trip so well.  We did seven hours the first day, stopping every few hours to stretch our legs, grab a cup coffee and snack on something I had already prepared at home to save money, and because homemade is always healthier, before continuing our journey.  We stopped over for the night in Bloemfontein and were sadly pretty disappointed with the accommodation we had booked.  One really needs basic comforts on a long, tiring trip!

^We stopped for a lunch break in Graaf-Reinet.  Nicholas enjoyed getting to run around a bit before getting back in the car and taking a good nap.

^Here we are in Colesburg.  

^We needed a bathroom break and a quick snack.

^He's getting so big!

The next day it was a much shorter distance to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Centurion, Pretoria.  We purposely got as much of the driving done on day one when we were all fresh.   I plan to share tips and advice for anyone travelling with a busy 18 month old sometime soon.  The key is to be as prepared as possible with snacks and activities, and to stop for a refresh every two-ish hours.

The Friday (the day after we arrived), Rucus left early for the show, and Nicholas and I hung out and watched Netflix and ate rusks and drank coffee (don't worry, he had good old raw milk which I had brought from home).  

^Breakfast time for Nicholas...

Later in the morning, my sister-in-law took us out for breakfast before we all went to the show.  Natasha was so gracious - by this time, our little country bumpkin toddler had seriously started acting up and was a real handful at brunch and screamed pretty much the entire 30 minutes it took to get to the show.

^So proud of this man of mine!  He worked so hard in the months leading up to the show!  And of course, how cute is my blue eyed, blonde haired boy on my back?!

I put him in my Ergobaby carrier before going in to the event and he was a perfect angel the whole time.  It was so special to be able to be there with Rucus for an hour or so, and I was able to witness him winning the best sword category with the rapier he had made and entered.

That evening my precious mother-in-law arrived and Nicholas spent some time with her and my brother and sister-in-law.  Rucus' sister and her husband and baby girl (we got to meet our sweet little niece and Nicholas's cousin for the first time!) arrived the following afternoon, so it was a very festive evening we had together, catching up and enjoying his mom's good cooking.

^It took awhile for Nicholas to warm up to Ouma (Afrikaans for Granny) again, but once he did, they played so nicely together.

The next morning, the Saturday, Nicholas and I again went to the show, this time with my mother and brother-in-law.  Rucus didn't know I'd be able to come again, especially with Nicholas acting up as he did, so I surprised him by showing up when he was just expecting me to call and check in with him.  Nicholas hung out on my back again and actually eventually drifted off to sleep while I stayed with Rucus, met a few other guild members and enjoyed looking at the beautiful pieces on show.

You can see more pictures from the show and pieces Rucus had on display over on his Instagram over here.

PART 2 coming soon!  I think this post is getting a bit long...

Blessings on your day, sweet friends!

the approach of spring//chatting treasured pastimes and hopes for springtime

There is something about the approach of Spring that makes me feel inspired to take up favourite pastimes once again. Blogging is one of them. Reading is another hobby I have been enjoying lately, and I am fairly itching to get into the garden and feel the dirt between my fingers and the warm sunshine on my back.

Of course, I am not able to do everything I used to be able to do now that I am a busy mama and homemaker. But I am trying to keep my expectations very low and find small pockets of time here and there to devote to these treasured pastimes...

One way I do this is to be very intentional about my day. I like to block out time for each task and then work towards having time during Nicholas' nap to work on the things I enjoy.

I am also being diligent about putting my phone away in the evening and reading a few chapters of my book instead before switching off the light. My hope with this is to not only to get more reading in, but also improve the quality of my sleep, which, after a year and a half of chronic sleep deprivation, is pretty messed up.

One thing I know I need to be better about, is training Nicholas to keep himself busy when I am working on things such as gardening or sewing.

Both these activities delight my heart and fill my soul, but they also bless my family, so I know I shouldn't feel guilty about giving him the opportunity to learn to entertain himself while Mama is busy. I plan to spend some time preparing a couple toddler activities to do with him for half an hour or so each morning before I head into the garden to fill up his little tank first.

I know I can be over ambitious when it comes to gardening, especially in this season of life, but I am hopeful that I'll be able to grow a lot of the food my little family need. And perhaps Nicholas will discover that he enjoys helping mama, too...although I think at this stage he might be a bit too excited about helping to pull up weeds and pull up all my little seedlings in the process!

We recently shifted our house around, so all my sewing paraphernalia is lying dotted about each room.  I need to spend an afternoon gathering and organizing everything so I can tackle a few small sewing projects when I feel so inclined.

I am longing to make pretty things for my home, as well as some of the more practical things, like curtains for my big kitchen, and turn a double duvet cover into a 3/4 size cover for Nicholas' bed. I thrifted a cream and beige check duvet cover over a year ago, and have yet to get around to making it usable!

And of course, Springtime calls for a touch of Spring cleaning, and this big old house could most certainly use some scrubbing and polishing! Windows need to be washed, and shelves organized. I have been doing a bit of purging too and selling a few items we no longer use, too.  And Spring is also a wonderful time for adding a few fresh decorative touches here and there and making my home look and smell lovely with little posies and vases of blossoms.

And that, my friends, concludes this rambly post. Nicholas is now awake and there is absolutely no way I can write with a busy toddler around!

Oh, and my fellow mama readers...if you will, do leave any tips you have for doing the things you love without neglecting your home or little one in the process....

Most of the time I feel inspired to find creative ways to still do the things that bring me joy in amongst motherhood and keeping my home, but sometimes I get so down and discouraged because the energy is simply lacking and all I want to do is take a nap myself or watch YouTube...and then I feel even worse because I didn't make use of naptime and work on my hobbies! I would truly appreciate any advice or encouragement you have to share!

With love, Kelly

Five things I wish I had told myself during my baby's first year (as a mom to a colic or high needs baby)

If you've been around here for awhile, you'll know that Nicholas' first year (particularly his first six months), was without out a doubt the most challenging year of my life, as well as being the most wonderful.

Even though I grew up as the eldest of seven children and (I thought) had loads of experience under my belt, nothing could have prepared me for the wild ride the first year of motherhood would be. 

I always wanted to be a mom, and I am beyond grateful that I get to live my dream every day.  

My little boy makes me so incredibly happy, and being his mama is the best job in the world. 

Today I thought I would share five things I wish I had been mindful of in Nicholas' first year... 

I wish I had given myself so much more grace in those early days!

For context, Nicholas was definitely "high needs" (similar to colic) baby, so his baby stage was extremely demanding and yes, I cried buckets of tears.

And now on to the five things I wish I had told myself as a new mom...

It's ok to feel like you have no idea what you are doing...

It's part of the journey.  Each baby is so different with their own unique likes, dislikes and needs, and it isn't always so simple trying to figure out what those things are!

It's ok to change your mind and do what works for YOU and YOUR baby...

I went into motherhood thinking I wasn't going to hold my baby all the time so he wouldn't get used to it and only want to be held...

But guess what? Nicholas was (and still is) just one of those babies that really needed lot of physical touch. 

He was only happy when held or worn in the baby carrier, and only mama would do.  

He also wanted to be nursed almost constantly.  

Eventually I had to let go of all my ideas and accept how things were, and then figure out ways to cope!

It meant I had to simplify my life even more to be able to be the one to give him the comfort he needed. 

It's ok to feel overwhelmed...

Don't cut yourself up if you are struggling to adjust to this new normal and having a tiny human to care for ALL THE TIME. 

It IS overwhelming and it can take awhile to figure out just who in the world this little person is, and to adapt to parenthood. 

Personally, it took me almost a year to not feel like I have no idea what I am doing! 

Nicholas is finally in some sort of routine, and life doesn't feel quite so out of control all the time. 

That said, I wish I had researched baby sleep and wake windows before Nicholas' arrival.  Bonus tip - it's worth doing your homework!

It's ok to *just* be a mom and to lower your standard (for a time)...

This was a tough one for me as I am a goal setter and over achiever...I can't sit still for long and thrive on being busy.

I wish I had taken it easier and embraced the season of slowness (is that a word?) more.

The first year of a baby's life is SO intense.  

I wish I had realised this before Nicholas was born so that I didn't try and take on anything new or put pressure on myself to get things together before the year was out.

I think when you're in the midst of something difficult (like right now...we are going through separation anxiety and I am extra low on sleep and completely touched out) one feels as if this season is going to last forever and you're always going to feel tired and overwhelmed, but it DOES pass.  

And it's bittersweet...

I actually just packed away what is pretty much the last of Nicholas' baby things...  I am glad that I am finally getting my life together again (was it ever??) and establishing a sense of order, but I look back on those early days of motherhood with fondness. 

 

It was crazy time but oh! Nothing compares to the love you feel for your little baby and the joy you experience as you watch them grow and change by the day and become little people with a mind of their own.

It's ok to cry.  

You'll feel better afterwards, I promise.  My hormones were all over the place after Nicholas was born, and the sleep deprivation didn't help either.  It took months for me to feel like a normal person again, and that in itself made me cry.

Cry when you're happy, too.  I still cry when I think of no longer nursing Nicholas (although I can't tell you just how eager I am to wean him!), or moving him to a big boy bed.  

Again, when you're right in the middle of a difficult season, you feel like the end can't come soon enough.  

And it's also ok to not always enjoy being a mom. (And yes, I realise that there are six, not five things on this list...consider it a bonus one!)

This was so tough for me to admit.  

I grew up dreaming of being a mom, but motherhood has been mostly difficult for me personally.  And that's ok.

Being a mom is not for the fainthearted and it definitely isn't always fun! 

But it is so fulfilling and beautiful and worth all the challenges, the sleep deprivation and the tears.  I promise.

If you have a new baby or are expecting a little one soon, then I hope that reading what I wish I had told myself in my first year as a new mom will help you in some small way.  Be encouraged, and I pray the Lord will give you extra grace and strength for this beautiful, but challenging season.

And if you are a seasoned mama or you are just out of the baby stage, please share what you wish you had known and (reminded yourself of) in your early days of motherhood...

Happy mommying (I have no idea if that is a word, but I love it), sweet friends.

With love, Kelly

Do you follow me on Instagram?  I hop on there fairly often to share a peek into our daily lives...  You can find me @the.handmademama

Penne with chicken and courgettes

Courgettes are always something we have in abundance during the summer months, and I love coming up with new ways to use them...

This pasta with chicken and courgettes was something I cooked a lot of this summer as it was a hit with all three of us (Nicholas is crazy about courgettes - it is the one thing he eats and enjoys consistently).

I thought I would share the recipe as it is so simple to make - something I am all about these days with a toddler who needs my undivided attention...

All the quantities are more or less.  I seldom cook according to a recipe and I like to change things up each time too...

Penne with chicken and courgettes

Olive or coconut oil, for frying

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 thyme sprigs, leaves pulled and finely chopped

3 small courgettes, shaved

heaped tablespoon butter

tablespoon plain flour

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

2 cups shredded chicken

salt and pepper

Fresh basil, torn

strong cheese, finely grated

pitted olives, halved

250g cooked Penne pasta

Heat a glug of olive or coconut oil in a thick bottomed saucepan.

Add the onions and fry for a couple minutes till translucent.  Add the garlic and thyme and fry for another minute.  Remove and set aside.  Add another glug of oil and lightly fry the courgette shavings. Add salt and pepper.  Remove a third of the courgette and set aside.  This will be used to decorate the top of each serving of pasta.  Return the onions and garlic to the saucepan and fry everything together for a minute while stirring.

Now make the white sauce...

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat till golden brown.  Add the flour and stir constantly till the flour and butter have cooked together and changed consistency.  Now stir in the milk, a little at a time, and simmer gently while whisking constantly.  Season and add to the courgette and onion.

Stir in the shredded chicken, chicken stock and wine, if using.  Otherwise you may need a splash more milk.  Stir gently and check seasoning.

Gently stir in the Penne and heat very slowly before serving.  

I like to put a handful of the fried courgette shavings on top of each serving of pasta, followed by a handful of pitted olives, fresh basil and strong grated cheese.

If you make this recipe, do drop me a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it...

I hope your week has been a lovely one, sweet friends...

Blessings and love,

Kelly-Anne

 Do you follow me on Instagram?  I hop on there fairly often to share a peek into our daily lives...  You can find me @the.handmademama

a look back at our wedding (I can't believe I never shared these)

 I confess.  I am a hopeless romantic.

There is just something about weddings, and the beauty of watching a couple joyfully join together as husband and wife.

I can't believe I never shared our wedding pictures...

Admittedly, I was really sick with Nicholas during our first couple months of marriage, and didn't have much interest in anything other than surviving the first trimester.  

After that, life just ran away with me, and here we are approaching our second wedding anniversary already...

I thought that, seeing as February is after all the month of love, it would be the perfect time to share our love story, which I posted earlier this week, and our wedding pictures.  

You can find the full album over here if you would like to see more photographs from our special day.

Photography credit goes to Ryan van Roon-Gifford.

Our wedding story in pictures...

And now for all the details, if you are curious...

Our wedding was a simple.  Humble, but beautiful.

A budget and DIY wedding...

We only had three months to prepare...

I baked our wedding cake (a cheesecake) the night before our wedding, after spending the whole afternoon and evening setting up at our venue, along with the help of my precious mother and sister in law to be, Rucus, my sisters and my sweet bridesmaid.  

My sister, Nancy, played Canon in D on her violin as the wedding march, and our friend accompanied her on the piano.

We had well over 100 guests - friends and family from the little town we were living in, and further afield.  Even my grandparents from Cape Town were able to come.

Most of the ladies brought a plate of sweet and savoury eats which we added to the bread, cheese and cold roast chicken we provided for the lunch buffet.  It was a bring and share wedding and it was so special.

My mom, sisters and I made all the decor, and the flower arrangements my mom and Nancy did (including my bouquet), and Nancy also sewed my wedding dress and the flower girl's dresses.

My sweet bridesmaid, Meg, did my make up on the morning of the wedding, and my sister, Beth, did my hair.  I wanted a more natural, simple look.

Another dear friend did nails for me, my mom and all my sisters and bridesmaid, Meg.

Rucus wore his dad's black waistcoat over a sage green shirt.  Rucus, his best man, my dad and Caleb all wore a white bow tie Nancy made for them.

We were married by our dear friend whom I have known for years and has played a part in both Rucus and my life, and he gave such a beautiful sermon.  One I will never forget.

The theme of our wedding was white, sage green and brown.  We used lots of Eucalyptus which another kind friend allowed us to pick from her Penny Gum tree.  We did buy some white roses which were the perfect touch to all the green.

My sister, Beth, painted all the name tags for the place settings.

I sewed lace bunting which we hung up inside and outside, and with the help of my sister, Gabrielle, sewed 100 white napkins.

The beautiful wooden log cake stand was made especially for us by another precious friend who also arranged the flowers and bunting cake topper on our cake.

Our wedding venue was a friend's big house on their farm in the little town where we were living.  The ceremony took place outside, and the reception in their home.  It was a tight squeeze, but it was such a joy to have so many of our friends and our family be a part of our special day.

Our wedding day was the most wonderful day of my life.  I was so incredibly happy to be marrying Rucus; I couldn't stop smiling.

Rucus made my Damascus steel ring and had it sent away to have the lining and stone set in.  His ring was made by his mentors.

I met my dear in-laws over the course of the few days leading up to the wedding; some I only met some on the day!  I love them all and I am so happy to be a part of their family too.

We had a morning wedding...  I had hoped it would be cool and overcast, but a beautiful, sunshiny day it turned out to be.  I just about melted in my wedding dress and our poor guests got a bit sunburnt...

But it was a wonderful, wonderful day.  A day of rejoicing and celebration.

How precious it was to exchange rings and vows with my Beloved and have all our dear guests witness our first kiss.

~

Ah...  How lovely it is to remember our wedding and how happy we were to become man and wife.  

I know I have said this before, but married life is glorious and it just keeps getting better.

I praise the Lord for sending me such a wonderful man who loves and serves Him.

He is so kind and gentle and patient with me.

Rucus was and is my first and only love.  I never dated anyone before him.

How worth it and beautiful it is to wait on the Lord for the one He has set apart for you.

~

I hope you enjoyed seeing our wedding for the first time, dear readers...

If you are married, how long have you and your husband been married for?

What kind of wedding did you have?

Share in the comments below, it is always so lovely hearing your stories and thoughts!

With love, Kelly

Do you follow me on Instagram?  I hop on there fairly often to share a peek into our daily lives...  You can find me @the.handmademama