Wedding Day

Last summer much of our family's energy, emotions, and imagination were involved in The Wedding--the wedding of our precious Oldest Daughter and (hmm, I guess he needs a blog-name, at least for now) Music Man.

It was our family's first wedding: the first of our children to marry and the first grandchild on both sides of the family to walk down the aisle. And, the first wedding in Music Man's family. I think all our hearts were expectant and full of anticipation of the joy a marriage would bring to our families.

The wedding was to be held Idaho, though the bride-to-be lived in Chicago, the groom-to-be, in Denver and then Chicago, and the rest of us (sans the college sons) lived in Jordan.  We arrived in Idaho five weeks before the wedding, and Oldest Daughter joined us two plus weeks before. Thanks to the internet, family, and friends, all was ready for the much anticipated wedding day.

The bride with her youngest sister-in-law and her youngest cousin

Tayta was an awesome maid-of-honor, anticipating every need and doing what she could to meet it.

I love this photo and all of God's goodness to me that it represents. It is framed and on my desk so that I can look at it as I pray for these dear ones daily.

We are family

We were beginning to wilt in the 95 degree heat, but we tried to keep smiling.

A posed picture, yes, but I think this was a case of the photographer helping us to get in touch with our true feelings.

My wonderful family. I love them. I can't remember the last time we were photographed together. When I was in high school?? My sister designed Oldest Daughter's bridal bouquet.

My dear father-in-law officiated the wedding

Dear Husband's family--we were so happy to have them all with us! They came from Arizona, Montana, Colorado, and Illinois.

Active son as the marvelous Master of Ceremonies

First Dance

(iPhone picture by Maida)

Oh, and how we danced! The happy dance and many more. Turns out Music Man was the president of a break-dancing club in high school and all his friends were fantastic dancers. We also did some Arab-style dances--mostly just the arm moves. 

This was an impromptu picture taken by our photographer/friend's daughter just after the bride and groom departed. I love the people in this photo--no family, all friends, though friends-like-family-friends. Represented here are high-school locker partners, college roommates, weddings (officiating and participating in), raising children together (though often across the continents), living together, three families who have lived most of their adult lives overseas, bible-study, lots of prayer, lots of joy, and a few tears.

Just this week a thoughtful friend whom I hadn't seen in months asked me to share my favorite memory of Oldest's Daughter's wedding day. I could answer without hesitation: Being surrounded by the love and rejoicing of our dear family and friends as we celebrated together the marriage of our daughter and new son-in-law. Included in that family now is Music Man's family. Our tribes have united in love and a hope for our daughter and her husband's future together. I thought of the Grinch that day--yes the Grinch!--as I felt my heart grow three sizes.

Photographs by Valerie MacMahon of Pictoria

Wadi Dana~Spring Scrapbook

We make our reservations to camp in the Wadi Dana Nature Reserve in the fall. We invite our friends in the winter. Anticipation for our annual trip rises with the first signs of spring, and by mid-March we are excitedly planning our menu and wondering (me) what the flora will be like.

Jordan had a very dry rainy season this year, with hardly any precipitation from December to the beginning of March. But, the country was inundated with snow for one week in December, and the south of Jordan unusually received snow and rain during the first week of March. I hardly dared to hope we'd see many wildflowers in Dana this year, given the unusually dry winter, but the snow made all the difference.

As we rounded the bend of the road leading to the reserve, I was pleasantly surprised to see the hillside dotted with fresh mounds of spurge. Perhaps a portent of wildflowers in the valley? 

Spurge

Euphorbia

As I carried our gear from the shuttle to our campsite, I noticed that the borage was in full bloom--everywhere--like I'd never seen it before. Not only were there many more borage plants growing and blooming, but they were covered with butterflies, and the hummingbird-like Palestinian Sunbirds were flitting amongst the the bushes, enjoying the nectar of their favorite flowers.

Borage

Anchusa

After arranging our camping gear and greeting our friends, I was off on a walk to survey the flora and to take a big, thirsty drink of Wadi Dana beauty. I never, never tire of it. The flora of the reserve was in rare form, a veritable botanical garden!

Thorny Broom

Calycotome

A delicately beautiful member of the pea family

I haven't identified this one yet.

Maybe a short-toed eagle?

Mounds of glowing pink sun rose were blooming all over the reserve:

Sun Rose

Helianthemum vesicarium

Tassel Hyacinth

Leopoldia genus

Sage

Fagonia

(My first time to spot this wildflower in Dana)

The grandeur of creation!

Yellow Asphodel

Aspheodeline lutea

Stork's Bill  (Geranium)

Erodium hirtum

Sage

I love  the architecture of these sturdy umbels. 

This inflorescence (made up of many individual flowers) had a diameter of about 32 cm

Goat's Beard

Tragopogon collinus

Roth Garlic

Allim rothii

One of the Dana guides gave me a short ethnobotany lesson; below are few plants which grow around the campsite and are said to remedy various ailments. Artemesia, or Wormwood (far left),  a common shrub whose leaves are brewed in the local Dana Tea, aids in digestion, among other things.

This spring we had the pleasure of camping with friends who have young children. Watching the children play and explore brought back wonderful memories of our own family camping adventures in Dana through the years. Tatya tells me that these trips are her favorite family tradition.  I took this picture of a friend's young son as he so reminded me of my own Artist Son at this age, patiently and intently observing the smallest bits of life. Sweet memories!

Big sisters studying the nature guide while little sisters wait.

Dear Husband enjoying the cuddles of one sweet baby boy. This little one is so generous with his affection!

In years past, our friend Pat has led the children in a Resurrection Sunday play. Pat didn't camp with us this year, so Dear Husband took on his directing and producing mantel, leading the children and few fathers in a Lenten season passion play.

And then, more hiking and more beauty...

Giant Fennel

Ferula communis

Milk Vetch

Astragalus cretaceus

Jerusalem Sage

The fruits (seed pods), or "silique"  of plants in the Mustard family are beautifully varied and the unique shapes are to be admired as much as the flowers themselves:

Biscutella

Sandwort

Minuartia formosa

A profusion of dandelions

Greetings from Wadi Dana! Enjoy the beauty!