Well Folks,

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Another week come and gone. Another story to tell. Another week of failures and triumphs.

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As usual, I shall let the pictures tell the tale.

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As always,

Love in Christ Jesus,

Michael & Rebekah Thomas

(and baby too)

Celebration for marriage

Last Sunday, our family went to Marriage Celebration at the Aldrich Mansion 

Meeting friends

Some activities before the celebration kicks off

Amazing grounds!

There is just something about the New England sea side that is so peaceful

Seaside beauty (ok, maybe a little cliche, but it works)

Soujorn Music (Great up beat music with the solid Isaac Watts lyrics of yester year)

The Thomsens gather their victuals

After a brief moment ...

We gather ours. Farm fresh yogurt with fresh hand picked blueberries. Aye! It's a "marriage" of two great flavors. ;-)

Paul is interviewed by the Providence Journal (Read the full article here)

Protesters outside the gate

Those who stand inside the gate

Watching her mom & daddy's stand

"So, why are we here again?"

Well we certainly aren't here just to take pictures!

 “I came because I love God. I love my family. And I love my wife,” said Thomsen, a Warren native who now lives in Mansfield, Mass., with his wife of 21 years, Lori. "    ~ Providence Journal

Ditto!

Off to see the wedding the wedding, the wedding!

Work clean up

And we are off, and stopped already to eat food

"Will we EVER get there?"

Getting the blood flowing

Hurricane Bill

Lulled into a peaceful slumber

Wedding preparation

And who might have prepared such a repast?

One of our lovely hostesses

Enjoying the dinner

Wedding preparation? Well ... why not? The young men must get their wiggles out.

At last ... no more wiggles

With sarcastic shouts of "Fight in the kitchen" we were booted out of the living room and decided to settle our differences in a more civilized manner

Skills 1

Skills 2

Wedding prep begins in earnest

"Why do they do that?"

It always gets worse before it gets better

Preparing quite the treat

See. Told ya!

Somehow, I can't help but think that that's cheating!

Lining up my shot

"No I'm not a pool shark, but I play one on my blog"

Mr. Tumnus's forgotten adopted son, stands by the once famous lamp in the woods. But of course, they don't teach such history in today's schools.

Coming too, I recover from my day dreams. After all, Mr. Tumnus's forgotten son did look a bit like Micaiah

Art

Grounds preparation

The wedding at last

Melanie's Art

A brief moment of prelude 

Hark, the bride walks before us.

... and there stands the groom waiting to receive her.

"The friends have made themselves ready"

I do ...

A feast is spread before us ...

While the guests are fed, the formals are put together

Formal

Have you smiled enough! Nope! Just when you thought we've said cheese enough. 

The photographer says "line up again"

Proud relatives join stead

The wedding party comes forward

The cameras shoot away as ...

For the first time in history, the new couple arrives before us Mr. & Mrs. Kemmerer

To a true scientist the world is a laboratory

A restful pause

A peaceful pause broken

Art ~ Share the love

Celebration

Art ~ The toast

Melanie watches ...

The couple's first dance

Art

Another newlywed couple

"Hey look! There's a-nother!"

The nother

Brother & sister

My dancing dandy daddy

Where did he learn those moves?

"Oh no! I can't hold it in!!!"

My feet just won't stop!

Look out Eleventy Seven!

The cake is cut!

Ooh! That didn't work out too well.

So they kiss and make up.

Resting for a moment

Siblings final stand

Art

As the sun begins to set low, the assemblage gathers to wish the couple farewell

Micaiah perfects his aim

And here they are!

"Good bye! Good bye!" "Think they'll make it?" "It'll take a miracle."

Hard to think this would of been them 30 years ago.

The Art of Fire

Art

Forget the art, just go for friendship

Bekah's Art

"Willows whiten, aspens quiver, 
Little breezes dusk and shiver 
Through the wave that runs for ever 
By the island in the river 
Flowing down to Camelot. 
Four grey walls, and four grey towers, 
Overlook a space of flowers, 
And the silent isle imbowers 
The Lady of Shalott." Tennyson

Into the night the two of them dance

to give their feet a break there is not a chance

Of course, once we get back to the house late at night, there's only ONE thing to do, download pictures and relive the moment all over again!

Well folks, that's all for now!

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Y'all come back again, ya hear?

Video for the week.

Hello Folks,

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It's been a full week.  I am still learning so much about ... EVERYTHING! 

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Over the last week we got to participate in the Pilgrim March. Some of you might remember that from a couple of years ago, should you be with me that long. Anyway, it was a great time to walk in the same pathways and roadways our forefathers walked. It was a time to pray the prayers they prayed and sing the psalms they sang.  It was a time to think on where we have come since then. 

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I've gotta run. 

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As always, 

Love in Christ Jesus,

Michael & Rebekah Thomas

After a short intro, is some footage of our time as pilgrim.

Some clips of the service at the top

A day to walk in the shoes of all four of our fathers

Centuries come together

Yeah! Not sure that's QUITE your size pa.  

Captain Standish ever the quick shot

"That era had THE most ridiculous hats!" ~ My Mom

Well, I guess that's better

"Two are better than one, 
       because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, 

       his friend can help him up. 
       But pity the man who falls 
       and has no one to help him up!"Ecclesiastes

All garbed up and ready to go

Captain standish and the jolly Murray giant history failed to record

How time has changed since then

A time to remember the past 

A time to ponder today

A time to plan for the future

Art

Art (cheers to the one young lad who perhaps rivals even the Locksley tike in cuteness ;-)

Art

Because sepia makes us look more epic

The women

Art

Me and family #1

Me & family #2

The dangers of one-size-fits-all before velcro and adjustable head straps

Art

Pilgrims KISSED?!?!?! 

You betta balieve it! 

Art

"Then there was the time when I was up all night watching for wild Indians while my husband was away getting supplies"

Leader of their hearts and comforter of their souls

Us

Wow, that's quite the responsiblity!

The one eyed lass and 'er beloved friend

After the time of scripture, song and preaching, we rest and eat at the beach

Art

One more ... and you can ignore Josh's "acted" endorsement at the end ;-) It was just that .... an acted celebrity endorsement

My home makin' darling

Hey darling!

"Well I got me a fine wife I got me a fiddle
When the suns comin up I got cakes on the griddle" - Country Boy

A 50th & 25th in one

In which we arrive at the Todd & Ann's house to celebrate Ann's ALMOST 50th Birthday & their  ALMOST 25th anniversary

Examining pictures from the time when Todd & Ann looked rather different and yet, somehow, quite the same

Then ...

... and now. Congratulations to you both!

My parents. (Of course, if I showed a picture of THEIR wedding, you wouldn't have recognized them either)

Sharing life, school experiences and the big questions of "where to from here?"

My parents!

What's a party without ...

... Yes, a little dancing

The floors are cleared

The volunteers return

Our generous hosts kick the evening off with a lesson of contra dancing (for these pics, thanks to my siblings for their coverage, since I was FAR to busy dancing to actually shoot)

Family!

A new family

Laughter rang across the porch and lawn

people danced and smiles put on

Art

Art

Just think, a great lion once roamed these grassy knolls

A great game in which questions were asked of the couple (like "Who was more stressed out on your wedding day?). The synchresy (to coin a phrase) of their guesses was absolutely great!

The big tour of Barbour's Heights Cottage

"You'll notice those floorboards"

Back in the days before "the fire", Barbour's Heights Cottage once hosted a very special guest.

Boy, I bet Doug would love to visit this place!

"Death had to take him sleeping , for if Roosevelt had been awake, there would have been a fight." Thomas R. Marshall

The great mosquito hunt 

The family library

Relics of the past

Art

Ok ....

Josh ... there's only one of you!

Well folks, that's all for now. 

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Enjoy!

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"Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones." Teddy Roosevelt

Hello Folks,

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Sorry I missed last week. Life is busy ... ja know? 

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I'm learning a lot about life, love and other mysteries.

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Ponderment for my week ...."For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6 

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As always, 

Love in Christ Jesus,

Michael & Rebekah Thomas [and BABY TO BE!]

In which I hit the streets (a bit of a advice, when you hit the streets, do it with your feet. Asphalt is a bit unyielding against a striking palm)

Last Sunday

Don't that just look tasty!

Brian .... instructor extraordinare

Relatives galore

Flynns, Flynns, Flynns & (yeah!) more Flynns

Steve is ready ....

... and pitch ...

"But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third." Casey at the bat

Face off

The fans go wild!

Super Nanna!

Such coolness, such calmness ... must be ... gasp ... ANOTHER Flynn!

Hey Babe!
Art
In his mind, he is ... a super Flynn

Wait! Mom is chasing Micaiah, who has the ball! Definitely something wrong here ...

Sista!!!!

Me and my bride!

The excitement of the game subsides .... and we rest by the fire

Matthew gets a special book that teaches job skills, like, "When you go for an interview, always bring a snack so they know you aren't there for a free lunch." Ok .... hope it helps bro!

Saturday Going-ons

To energize myself for the days tasks, I start out with a bowl of blueberries that I think would even make the Pittelkow family happy!

Hitting the streets again ... "please sir, If you'll let me cut your lawn, I'll stop talking"

"Please!"

"... sitting on the field of victory, enjoying a few well earned comforts" Pippin

Blithewold ... AGAIN!

Art

Calling all horticulturalists out there. WHAT IS THIS? 

A Sabbath pause

I'd be going out on a limb here, but I'd say, I was a bit pleased with myself here. Yes ... this was a 10 second timed self portrait ;-) 

Blithewold in all it's perennial glory

Dahlia's Art

Lately, I've though a lot how I love round things, round houses, round doors, a round world ...

... and HEY! A round belly with our baby inside!

Art

There upon the bench my wife takes a rest

to take an artsy pictures, I'm up for the test

For art is here and art is there

If we look closely, it just might be everywhere

"I'll admit I split banannas,

Take Easter eggs and make them dye.

But I never harmed and onion,

So why should they make me cry" Muppets

"I've got supper in the oven,

good women's loving

And one more day to be my little kid's dad [well soon anyway]

Lord knows I'm a lucky man" Montomery Gentry

Wow! What I wouldn't give for a three hour q & a with their chief horticulturalist!

"Like a lily among thorns

       is my darling among the maidens" Song of Solomon

Art

More perennial splendor

Bekah safety testing Blithewold's latest garden creativity ... the "grass bench". I've so got to make one of these! Don't you think that 35 year old mini orange tree thing is neat? As a matter of fact, I think everyone should have one. It should be a right! Just like health care. In fact, why don't we add that to the health care bill. Amendment 1,275,431, "Everyone shall have a right to a free Calamondin orange tree" 

Well folks, that's all for now. Work hard, pray hard & play hard.

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Semper Reformanda!