The wedding!

Thanks for checking in. Life has been in overdrive around here.
The big news this month is/was our son's wedding! What a blast! The bride and groom planned the whole thing themselves. A unique, imaginative, and intimate celebration reflecting their personalities down to the ground.
On Friday approximately 35 close friends and family members attended the wedding in Escondido CA, followed by a reception at Stone World Bistro and Gardens. This is a beautiful venue with great food and of course, fabulous beer. The brewery and bistro are surrounded by an extensive garden with waterfalls and koi ponds. Huge boulders are scattered amongst tall trees, native grasses and herbs.
A special evening indeed, but not the end of the fun. A larger party for almost everybody else the bride and groom know and love took place the following evening in Los Angeles.
Our son is making a career in the Craft Beer industry and has just taken the exam to become a Cicerone. That's a relatively new term for "Beer Expert", much like a Sommelier in the wine biz. The bride is a beautiful and talented teacher. Her favorite flower is the sunflower, so sunflowers and hops became the theme of the day. I painted some of each for their invitations and announcements. Here's a peek.

The day marked one of those major passages in life for all of us. My husband and I were on a bit of an emotional roller coaster for days before the trip, and we were surprised by that. We love our new daughter. We have known this was coming and looked forward to it for almost 3 years.
When all was said and done my favorite memory of the day was the look on both of their faces as each of them recited those time honored words. They radiated happiness and calm. Suddenly everything about this new normal felt right.