WEDDING WEEKEND It has been a wonderful wedding weekend. Ashley Rodenberger is now Ashley Pagenkopf. They are honeymooning in the Lake Tahoe area. But their marraige should be doubly blessed. At the Rehearsal dinner there were many blessings expressed by those attending. Mark closed the evening with a 25 minute presentation of a DVD he had created that had every known photo of Ross and Ashley from babies in their mother's arms to their being together. It was great to reminise our lives with Ashley, her dogs and all of her costumes and friends growing up. Even photos of Mark with his long hair when Ashley was a baby. Their wedding was largely composed of their church friends. Ross' father gave a prayer during the service and Mark blessed the food for the reception, so the marraige should be one made in heaven. For those of you who don't know Ross is a nurse working in Fort Worth and Ashley is working for Cook Children Hospital while she is taking courses for her Master's degree from TWU in Child Development. They will be living in a house a few block south of I-30 off Hulen street.

We got to see a lot of our family. Kathy Wilcox and her daughter Valerie did a lot of work on the wedding and reception. All of her family were present except her daughter Vanessa who is on a mission trip and emailed her wishes from Mumbai, India. We saw friends of Mark we haven't seen for years as well as our goddaughter Melissa Kite LeBahn with her husband Larry and daughter Nicole who is interning as a pharmacist at Harris Methodist Hospital and will become a pharmacist next year. Her sister Kimmy couldn't make the wedding because she had exams Monday at A&M where she is in summer school. Our friend and professor emeritus at A&M Sylvia Grider made the wedding and we got to visit with her. Others included Guy and Valerie Sheppard whose son Clayton was employed as the DJ for the reception dancing. We left a little early and didn't get to blow bubbles in place of throwing rice at the departing couple. This morning in the breakfast area Brent was doubly enjoying blowing bubbles. Brent is Jim's youngest and we were told would have another sibling in 7 months. So we are looking forward to seeing our third great grandchild.

Ike and Sue and Sue's son David with most of his family were there. David Bayliss, who Mark grew up with was there and we didn't recognize him. All of Mary Kathryn's family came and today they all got together to celebrate a bunch of birthdays that fall about this time of the year. Her mother is celebrating her 80th in September.

We left about 10 and got to Eastland about 11:30 and found the China Cafe in Eastland that had an excellent buffet luncheon. Tomorrow I plan to start mowing the yard again. Just mow grass burrs and all.