I love this picture of Mom and daughter, celebrating a life-long dream to find love, be a blushing bride, plan a unique wedding, and embark on a life with a soul mate. Marilyn shared a story, "I was so happy when Karlee moved to Aspen, because I was quite sure she'd find love among the rich and famous. She told me she was just not attracted to those rich people." At her bridal shower we learned a bit more about the people who Karlee definitely is attracted to, some by family default, but other chosen friends from early childhood.
Connie, Karlee, Theresa, and Marilyn
Dena, Karlee, and Jill, a cousin. Jill and Raya, Justin's significant other sweetheart.
Karlee gave Marilyn a tear-filled glance when she opened the gift of a head-table cover, embellished with lace from Marilyn's wedding dress. Marilyn seems undaunted by big projects like this and I'm happy that I had a small part in her big surprise. Marilyn and I shopped together for the skirt fabric and I agonized over the measurements, but it appears our efforts pleased this bride-to-be.
I snapped a few shots of some special gifts. Karlee and John both expressed a desire for wedding gifts that might enable them to get new windows and a garage for their home in Colorado. So Joan presented her with a special gift from Germany, a unique bank in the shape of a house. She included the artist who created the design and the area in Germany where she found this special gift. Dena and Jill presented Karlee with a cute jar with the label, "House fund." I understand part of their gift to this couple is Don's expertise in home remodeling.
I gave her an antique jar filled with a dried rose from one of the hundreds of bouquets from our Mom's funeral. I added dried flowers from Marilyn's bridal bouquet and encouraged Karlee to add some petals from her bouquet and eventually present the flower-filled gift to her own daughter.
Jenny and Lauren have been Karlee's friends for years, through the thick and thin of life. Lauren moved to Spokane from California in the late 1980's and said, "I was scared and felt so alone, but Karlee talked to me when everyone else ignored me. We've been friends ever since that moment in first grade." Jenny and Karlee became friends during high school years at Lewis & Clark High School. Marilyn told me Jenny was Karlee's biggest cheerleader when she played volleyball - she'd come to the games with signs and her big, gravely cheerleader voice.
The BBF's and their moms, Glenda, Marilyn, and Karen. I loved hearing the stories that connected these young women over the years.....craft parties at the Kuhlmann's, volleyball games at L&C, and preschool at the Presbyterian Church.
Karlee and aunts and cousins. Her aunt, Rhonda, and cousins Korin and Nikki, joined us when Karlee wanted a group photo. We all had opportunities to share stories about our relationship and memories of Karlee. Connie talked about Karlee coming out to the farm in the summer months, filling her days mentoring her young impressionable cousin, Julia. Connie said, "that's when I knew Karlee would be a great teacher." The Kuhlmann cousins remember a picture of the four cousin babies, taken in 1985, when the three baby girls seemed to the push the only boy cousin, away from them. The stories spanned 34 years in time as relatives and close friends shared joy, memories, concerns, and giggles that only a lifetime of friendship can bring.
We all loved Lauren's lovely mid-century modern home and her delightful spring decor.
We couldn't be happier for this daughter, niece, cousin, BBF. Karlee, enjoying the love and support of forever friends and their Moms, her aunts and cousins, eagerly awaits a beautiful summer wedding in the glorious Rocky Mountains. She and John want it to be spectacular - how could it not be with all their planning and special touches of lace, lanterns, thrift store treasures, fleece blankets, and Idaho wood-rounds? Karlee, we love you to those Mountains and back!
When I first heard about "Hannibal" the TV series, I cringed. Happy death day Each installment in the film franchise had been exponentially worse than the one before. After Ridley Scott, Brett Ratner, Peter Webber--and even Thomas Harris himself--had tortured Hannibal near to death with their increasingly idiotic sequels to "Silence of the Lambs," a TV series seemed like the sad, humiliating final nail in the doctor's coffin. the devil's candy Would this be "Dexter" redux, or another numbingly unoriginal CSI ripoff? Or worse, a tedious 5-season story arc following the personal trials of a young, idealistic, ruggedly handsome, perfectly stubbled Lecter as he spends 65 television hours' worth of time that I will never get back transitioning from noble psychiatrist to vengeful but justified killer? (Note to self: cock hammer, place barrel against temple, pull trigger.) Thankfully, "Hannibal" is everything I expected it not to be. Happy death day 2017
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