Granddaughter Wedding

 When one's only granddaughter poses the question, "Grandma, we are thinking of getting married in Cancun, would you come to our wedding?, Grandma answered with "honey, I would come to your wedding no matter where it is!"  They got engaged in Cancun in March, 2021 and we celebrated these sweethearts in April under the Dogwood Trees.  

Oregon Coast, 2020

They met each other at St. Joe's in 2018 and have already built quite a life together.....surviving Bradleigh's graduation from WWCC in 2020,  and Austen's master's degree from Heritage University in 2019.

They began searching for their first home in February, 2021, and waited patiently for the owners to buy some land and figure out how they would live in a 2-bedroom trailer house, with their five children,  until their dream house could be built on the farm.  The extended family helped Bradleigh and Austen move-in on Thanksgiving Day, 2021!

These kids had a vision for the 5 bedroom ranch-style house and immediately knocked out a bedroom wall, tore up the laminate floor, and tackled a huge closet organizer.  Everything they attempted to do came with news like "it can't be installed until June, it won't ship until March, it's currently unavailable, or our rug binding machine is broken."  Seems like they had one delay after another!  Meanwhile Bradleigh immersed herself into wedding planning....choosing the resort, reviewing photographers, and worrying a bit about the beginning of the rainy season in Cancun.

Karen Stubbs and I arrived a day early and enjoy our first margaritas in the special insulated cups Bradleigh made for all the guests!

Karen and I paid for a tour to Chicken Itza, now one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.  

The main Mayan Ruin is the Chichen Itza Pyramid or El Castillo, but there are other equally important as El Caracol or Observatory, The Temple of The Warriors and the Mayan Ball Game.  We had a private tour guide, herself of Mayan ancestry, who told us incredible stories of her people and the way of life in this country.  I quickly learned that even foreign mosquitos love my blood.  

We also took the afternoon to go snorkeling!

Austen's Dad and Kim

Friends Rene and Joe

With Austen's Mom, Cindy at the "Rehearsal" Dinner

I loved being invited to the hair and make-up session

And celebrating with Champagne!

The whole maddening crowd, including the Kaltenbaughs, the Packwoods, Austen's brother Owen, his friend, Chris and Bradleigh's friends, Rene, Jamie and their spouses!  

Everyone loved the DJ who chose the best music!  Did you know there was a song called "Shots, Shots, Shots?"  The bartender swirled with the rest of us and passed out lots of shots!

The day couldn't have been more perfect, a light breeze kept us cool throughout the entire reception.  A cloud opened up at 9:55 telling us it was time to go home, a real downpour that did not put a damper on the celebration at all!

Congratulations Bradleigh and Austen 

June 16, 2022