Turning point
When the kids and I arrived at the farm the day of the wedding, I got out of the car and the farmer said, “You’re wearing black?”
My son went to the hen house to collect eggs. The farm cats love eating raw eggs, but on a farm, you only feed the cats scraps. My son saw a chance for an exception. He said to the farmer, “Since it’s your wedding day, can we give the cats an egg to celebrate?”
We dressed the boys.
My son said, “People don’t dress up on farms.”
I said, “They do for weddings.”
And then I tucked his shirt in for the twenty-sixth time.
The four of us were more than half of the guests at the wedding. My youngest son said: “Where is everyone?”
I said, “The important thing is that I have the three people here who I love the most.”
And he said, “Who?”
When the boys noticed the free-form nature of the ceremony, they spontaneously added their own touch: A lively rendition of the Sh’ma and a tear-jerker rendition of “You are My Sunshine.” Then the boys gave us the rings.
The after-party was kisses, a rope swing, and mattresses left over from moving out the farmer’s stuff to make room for all of us.
It took only twenty minutes for the farmer to lose his wedding ring. But it seemed okay: I love this picture because one thing I love about him is that he’s always looking for something.
And I think I am that way, too.
Nice pictures! Congratulations!
If more people engaged in this type of simplicity, the world would be a much better place.
Congrats – and thanks for sharing.
How could anyone NOT love this post? This is the sweetest, most sincere and personal story I’ve seen in a long time.
Congratulations, Penelope! I hope you have a wonderful and fulfilling marriage. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
That is insanely sweet. Congratulations, may you have blissful years of helping each other find stuff you lose.
Congrats on your new beginnings…
I was surprised to put the farmer’s face with the idea of him too. However, I do know how I had previously pictured him. Are you ready? In my mind’s eye, he looked like this actor: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2034079232/nm0648153
Pretty cute in reality, too, fortunately. =D
Congratulations, best wishes, all that jazz! Was so happy to see a picture of the farmer. I have to say, he didn’t look like what I pictured. That said, now that I’ve seen him, I have no idea what I was picturing. But so glad he’s giving your online world a try :).
Congratulations Penelope!!
You look beautiful in your wedding photos, as does the rest of your family. I can’t believe how perfect your ceremony was! Swings for the kids, wedding on a farm in Spring, fresh raw eggs for the cats and those beautiful smiley faces…that’s what makes a great wedding. :D
Congratulations! I love how happy you all look in the picture of the four of you :)
Thank you for allowing me to be a “guest” at your wedding. I’m just one of so many people who feel joyful to see you so happy and at peace. You have a beautiful family. I love that the Farmer tied your son’s shoe. I love that he allowed an egg to be given to the cats on this special occasion. You look beautiful, your sons are gorgeous and three cheers for the Farmer for taking big steps. If all these wishes were presents, they’d be piled against your door and he’d need a front loader to transport them.
The part I love about that last pic is that, as he is looking for the lost ring, he is holding a book with the word “Hope” on it.
Congratulations! You look so radiant and I wish you all the happiness in the world!
Thank you for showing us photos of this special day, and your family. It’s nice to see you all!
that is one good looking family right there.
and you? you are radiant. xo
Congratulations. So sweet and loving. Good luck to you and your family.
congratulations, penelope! i LOVED reading this post and viewing your photos. you all look incredibly happy and lovely and blessed. may it be that way always :)
you should do some online registry. i’d buy something and send it. man, i’m so happy for you. i really am. -jenxjen in oklahoma – where there are many farms.
congratulations! i’m really happy for you, and you have such a beautiful family.
Was hoping for a picture with the boots.
Wow, congratulations!
This post – and reading through many of your old posts about the farmer – makes me purely happy. I grew up on a farm in Minnesota, one that sounds very much like your new home. Now I’m a city girl, and I confess I haven’t completely come to terms with my farm roots. But your writing, the way you describe the farm and the farmer is so heartwarming. Like how you don’t waste food on the farm. And wearing boots. Or teaching the boys to duck under the electric fence.
PS – I got married in black too, with just 3 witnesses.
Looks perfect. I want to hear your boys’ rendition of the sh’ma!
The farmer is handsome.
Penelope – thanks for sharing these photos and congratulations to you and your family. Nice to see the farmer – I think this is the first photo? (At least the first one I’ve seen on the blog…)
Congratulations! The photos are beautiful and you all look so happy!
Aw, these are so sweet. I was so surprised to open my bloglines and see photos of you all! Congrats!
Mazel tov! Wishing you many happy years together. And a special thank you to the farmer for his generosity in allowing us to share in your experience.
Penny,
My sincere best wishes. It’s all worth it, but now the work begins…
The Farmer looks like an accountant, or a lawyer. I’m glad he wasn’t wearing coveralls to his wedding. I lived on a farm, and some of those country boys will NOT dress up.
“Aw hell, I’m wearing my newest shirt! It’s only got one hole in it. Got my best Dale Jr. hat on too.” hehe
Congratulations, not just on your wedding, but your writing also. It is beautiful and makes me want to reach out to appreciate the uniqueness of life.
Congratulations! Best wishes to you all for long and happy lives together.
Congratulations! I am staring down the barrel of a remarriage myself, and I’m hoping that our day shines with the unbridled joy I see in your photos.
Fantastic news – all the best xx
This is awesome. A thousand congratulations to you all.
What a beautiful day! And what a turning point to actually see the farmer! And your lovly kids. Congratulations! I wish you a very happy life together.
WOW!
THE. FARMER. !
HEY, BROTHER: WELCOME ! So happy to “meet” you !
p.s. If i ever get married, I hope my wedding is just like this one. Except not in Wisco. Though, I would totally take a farmer …
Warm wishes to all~!
=^..^=
I like your lovely family pics on the site, CONGRATS! They kind of brightened my day and made me realize that life is pretty good and people are able to make their own place in the world.- Good for you 4! the pics remind me of my husbands and my wedding, although I didn’t wear black.
What a beautiful family! Congratulations!!! Thank you for brightening up my day with your beautiful story. Best.
Love the photos, especially how happy you all look :) Fantastic news!
Congratulations and best wishes to all of you.
John
P.S. You look great in black.
Congratulations. I feel gently warmed by your happiness.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
While maybe most of us weren’t there in person, we went on a little wedding journey with you. It was great. The highs the lows the highs, the build up… I was smiling to myself on Saturday knowing what was happening across the pond.
Your kids are gorgeous by the way. And you all look so happy, as it should be, but so wonderful to see. You know I think you and The Farmer look similar or have similar features. They say that couples that look alike, argue less. Apparently you don’t like arguing with yourself…
Wishing you all much happiness xx
i usually don’t post things, but i have to confess i’m one of those people going “OMG SHE POSTED PHOTOS OF THE FARMER.”
also, congratulations!
So glad we could all make it to your wedding! Thanks to you, your boys, and your farmer for inviting us along! (BTW, I think the farmer deserves a new ring ASAP, even if it’s just a temporary placeholder ring.)
Hi Penelope,
Congratulations to you and the farmer. :)
It sounds like it was a blissfully simple ceremony.
Thanks (to you both!) for sharing some of the wedding photos – I didn’t think we’d get to see them.
But… no photo of your in your boots? ;)
Sarah
Everyone has already said it – but best, heartfelt wishes to you all. Congratulations.
Penelope,
Digg the non-traditional wedding!!!
I don’t see those pink rubber boots from your previous post!
Mike
Penelope, I love this! Such a beautiful family. Wonderful pictures!
I’m SO HAPPY FOR YOU! You really are an inspiration to so many of us out here, and to see you had a wedding that wasn’t just “consumption of a consumer item” but was really about LOVE, well, CONGRATS FROM ALL THE AUSSIES WHO READ!
P.S. You and The Farmer are SO cute together!
Thank you for sharing that Penelope. It was very sweet. Your children are beautiful.
Hi Penelope,
At last! We got to see the farmer! haha Congratulations!!!!!! Must have been one of the best days of your life. The star of it. Well not really. But congratulations anyway!
Jonha
Awesome!!! Congrats to all 4 of you!
Ted
We’re glad to finally see the pictures of your sons and farmer. Congratulations!! And I learned cats eat raw eggs.