Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Images from my weekend. Deception pass to the Lake house on Whidbey Island.

A favorite shot of mine.

I know this is right. I have always known.

We are getting married next week!!!  I just wanted to share with everyone who has been following since the beginning. This is it. July 30th 2011.
I wrote Justin a note that i plan to give to him on the day of our wedding. It says simply,

I know this is right. I have always known. We are going on this adventure together and all I can think is that I can't wait to be writing you 50 years from now saying the same thing.

I know this is right. I have always known.

Love always,
Laurel

This is us. See you on the other side.

Reception area

We will have the reception that evening in the Coachlight Inn in Ouray, CO. I love all the wood in this place. It also has a deck and a huge back yard surrounded by mountains. The best part? Our hotel in right next door! That's right - we rented out the whole block.

Two people in love do not live in isolation. Those of you who have been invited here to witness Laurel and Justin’s wedding ceremony and to celebrate with them here today will play your part in their marriage too .By our steadfast care, respect, and love, we can support their marriage and the new family they are creating today. In a commitment to the couple, please join me in the Lords prayer.

Our Father,

 
who art in heaven

 hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done

 on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

 who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

 For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

No ceremony can create your marriage; only you can do that – through love and patience; through dedication and perseverance; through talking and listening, helping and supporting and believing in each other; through tenderness and laughter; through learning to forgive, learning to appreciate your differences, and by learning to make the important things matter, and to let go of the rest.

Wedding planning recap:

We will be getting married in Ridgway, CO

 Save the dates: "I can make 30 of anything" FAMOUS LAST WORDS . :)

 Flower girl dresses. From J crew (white) and Target(blue).

 Unfortunately our good friend Hugh can not marry us, so his son in law is going to be our pastor. Hugh is such a part of our family and I really wish we could celebrate with him, but the elevation is just too high.We are creating our own ceremony, so I feel like we have that creative input.( The title of this post is part of our ceremony.) However, I was very concerned that this guy I barely knew was going to sign our wedding certificate.

So we decided to have our grand parents sign it. My Papa will then go down as our officiant and Justin's grandmother will be our witness. : ) I love THAT!!!

My mom made each family a hand thrown flower vase. they will serve as the center pieces and will be filled with hydrangea's!

next up... invites and dresses!

I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges. ~William Albert Allard, "The Photographic Essay"



photo by Laurel Denison



“The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.” David Weinbaum



Photo by Laurel Denison



The wind shows us how close to the edge we are. ~Joan Didion

photo  by Laurel Denison

 

photos by Laurel Denison

This quote just rocks my soul. It is something that just makes me sit up and listen.

Yes, we are that close....


This is how humans are: we question all our beliefs, except for the ones we really believe, and those we never think to question. ~Orson Scott Card

photo by Laurel Denison

What do you never question?
Mine is ... my family. Always there. Always will be.

To change one's life: Start immediately. No exceptions.

photo by Laurel Denison

I dropped a tear in the ocean. The day you find it is the day I will stop missing you. ~Author Unknown

photo by Laurel Denison. From my San Diego trip.

I missed this blog. So I am back.


(updates soon)

“I don’t want to, but I could die now. That was a lifetime day.” - CMH Kootenay

A glimps into one of the best powder days I have ever rode in my life. This is a day we will remember. PS this is probably my favorite picture I have ever taken of Justin. He was just in a zone.

The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man. ~Author Unknown

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do. ~Zachary Scott

Making diving cool ....One stupid face after another.

We just had a great day signing up for our Scuba diving classes and buying new gear.

 I am so Freaking excited!!

Seriously ... I can't wait!!!

Freedom lies in being bold. ~Robert Frost

Christmas 2010... being bold. (Justin and his friend Marsh)

X-country skiing day!!

Happy New Year!

We are in Ouray, Colorado

Planning our July 2011 wedding,

dipping in the hot springs *clothing optional*,

and

exploring Ouray in the winter!

I just want to thank everyone who follows this blog. It has been one of my favorite creativity releases. It will continue to be good quotes, good pictures and good honest reflection. Have a great new year!

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment. ~Henry David Thoreau

An early morning trip to the ER Monday morning was emotionally and physically draining. We arrived home and found out that our basement had flooded.

Yeah I know...... I really could not take one more thing.

Justin looked at me (and this is why I love him)

 he said, " Do you want to play hookie?" 

Sometimes you just have to say Fuck it and go play.

So this was our morning....this was our compensation...

looking to buy a house? :)

Crazy right? It was one of those moments where you just repeat to yourself.

"Never, never, never forget this."

half the time I had to remind myself to breathe.

The experience was just too beautiful and surreal.

It was just the two of us.

In bad times and good.

Our compensation. We were ready...



The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other. ~Johnny Carson

To me, nothing says Christmas like a ticked off puppy in a santa hat. lol - jk - I hope you all are having a great holiday so far. I am done with fall quarter and I feel like I have all the time in the world on my hands!

 Justin was making fun of Lilly in this picture and she just was not having it. This is how we spend most of our afternoon.... the lights will go up another day. :)

I was laughing so hard because as soon as you put the hat on she would refuse to move and she would just give you the look of death.  ( HUGE box in the back is full of Christmas decorations... we finally got around to putting them up!)

 She loves that hat... she just has an odd was of showing it.( haha no ... she hates it.)

All our love,

Laurel and the 'I've had it with Christmas' puppy.