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.
Congratulations! Thank you for letting us share in your joy. May you have many, many happy years together.
Tears… I am sentimental. You have come along way. I wish your family continued success. You are an example of “real life”. People need to see that life has ups and downs. We often strive for perfection without realizing it is ok to stumble. I am happy you have the boys and the farmer by your side.
Congratulations! Looks like it was a wonderful, simple ceremony. Nice.
Congratulations!!! The farmer looks very un-farmer-esque, I can totally picture him walking around as a banker in the financial district of NYC in that shirt and those glasses.
Haha. The farmer will laugh when he reads this. He always says this about us. That I am able to look like I’ve lived on the farm forever and he is able to look like he doesn’t live on a farm. I think this might be an essential for us being able to get married.
Penelope
SWEETEST.
POST.
EVER.
truly. :)
What a beautiful day! Thank you for sharing, and congratulations to you all.
Congratulations! I think the pictures are fabulous and capture so much!
In reading your blog, I’ve always felt like we were old friends (albeit a very one sided relationship, and in sharing something so intimate we are now that much closer. Thank you for sharing.
Also the farmer is much better looking and more polished than I had pictured in my head.
Best of luck to you and your family.
Congratulations!! You look SO happy in that picture of you, the farmer and the boys. I wish you the best!
I am so happy for you. One thing I have always admired about you is your ability to know yourself and to design your life and your moves around what will be best for your family. Congratulations! The pictures you posted are priceless.
just another fan wanting to say: YAHOO!!!!!
Your whole family looks so happy. Congratulations!
Just like the 200-something others before me: Congratulations and I am so happy you included all those pictures!
You do make a beautiful, beaming bride, and your family is gorgeous, indeed. How nice for the sun to come out, too.
Congratulations!
Your wedding pics are great. I have started following your blog only very recently.
Mazel tov! You all look so very happy!
Ahh, Penelope, your wedding is the best wedding I have ever shared. Thank you.
Low key, sure, but exactly how I would dream to do it.
Blessings from Scotland.
Congratulations, looks like you all had a great day. Life on the farm looks amazing, enjoy!
Your kids are really gorgeous, P.
Also… for as often as you write complex, hard-hitting, sometimes gut-wrenching, shocking, gritty posts…. you look entirely happy.
You deserve it.
Penelope – so fun to read about your wedding day. Love the photos you shared in the post, so genuine, pretty much the opposite of the “bridal party getting ready” shots that are de rigueur.
All happiness to you and your family!
Loved this the first time. Having a blue moment and decided to reread as a pick me up. Thanks so much to you and all the boys for sharing.
Penelope – What a beautiful family and a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing your photos and this story. And, so wonderful to read through all the kind, supportive comments. Much happiness to all of you.
Congratulations! How wonderful! You all make such a beautiful family. Many happy years to you all. It’s so wonderful to be able to share in your joy, in this small way.
it feels like Bridget Jones in real-time :-P Congratulations. the pictures are a real surprise and really endearing
Hello Ms P … you have just made my day :) am so thrilled the optimist in you won the day – best of everything for you, mr farmer and the wee lads le xxoxoxo
Congratulations Penelope! Wow i’m impressed that the Farmer let you post photos of him but what a milestone too! Thanks for sharing!! I love your blog and I hope you will all (boys and all) be very happy together.
Beautiful wedding! Adorable kids. Lovely bride. And you should change the farmer’s name to Hot Farmer.
Congratulations! It’s great to see pics, too.
My sister got married this past weekend, too. Before I left for the wedding trip, I told a few people, “My favorite blogger is also getting married this weekend.” I was that excited for you. Funny thing, this internet. Did you wear the galoshes?
Mazal Tov!
The farmer is much cuter (and skinnier!) than I’d been picturing, for some reason. :)
Penelope,
Congratulations and thank you for the pictures– you all look incredibly happy. Wishing the four of you the best in the times to come!
Doug H
Congratulations, Penelope! I know your journey together will be challenging, but in the end, I believe you guys will make it!
Cheers! And thanks for sharing with all of us.
Congratulations on your wedding! :)
Aw, thanks for sharing the wonderful pictures! You all look ecstatic. Many congratulations.
Congrats!!!!
Also: The Farmer is a total hottie. Nice catch!
A-freaking-dorable. Congrats!
So much love and happiness – what a beautiful story! Your wedding is 1000xs more “real” than many I have seen. You have the most important aspect, the focus on your relationship and your life together and your love. I’m so happy that all is right in your world! Heartfelt congratulations – May your honeymoon last a lifetime!
Congratulations! Wish you and your family all the very best!
Congrats! Looks like it was a wonderful day.
Penelope,
Congratulations! I am so happy for you, the farmer, and the boys. I wish you all much happiness in your new life together. I'm thrilled that you shared pictures of your special day (and they included the farmer!).
It's all good!
Jennifer from Boston
Congratulations Penelope. You look so beautiful and happy! What a wonderful celebration – and doing it your way, natch.
And the farmer is so handsome… what a catch! :)
Did everyone miss the part that this was a fake wedding (according to her earlier post)and that there is no marriage? What are all the congragulations for, a fake wedding and a sham marriage? I’m confused. Is it to make the kids think they are married instead of being authentic about the fact that they want to live together without the benefit of marriage. Which by the way I have no problem with. Wait until the kids can read, the kids will wonder what else the mom was dishonest about.
It depends on what you consider a marriage: A commitment before God and from the heart? Or a signature on a piece of paper. I’ll go with the first.
For some reason, this post brought tears to my eyes. I am so happy for you, your boys, and the farmer. I can’t believe he let you take and share those photos, but I am so happy he did so that we got to peek into that beautiful day. Congratulations, Penelope!
Congratulations! So nice to see pictures – what a beautiful day for an outside wedding (especially in Wisconsin).
Darling, you look marvelous in black! Your children are positively cherubs, and I’m so happy that the Farmer agreed to a group picture. Because you all look so beautiful and like you belong together, I’m all verklempt!!! Congratulations and I wish you many years of woodwork compatibility :-) — painted or not painted (my husband and I have the same difference of opinion — guess who wins? lol, not me ;-))
Many congrats and happiness to you all four of you!
A beautiful family. Thanks for sharing the wedding pics – love it!
Bless you all
I have nothing more to add than what the previous 253 folk said. Congratulations. I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Beautiful! I love how everyone is enamored of the rural-chic of the farm. It makes me miss home :)
I love how happy the boys look, too. Simple, rolling around happy. There’s nothing better than that!
Best wishes to you, Penelope.
Penelope,
Your life and the farmer’s life have taken such a touching turn. The smiles and exuberance of your kids in these pics says everything. All the struggles to get to this point were/are/will be worth it.
Congrats!
Alison
Hi Penelope
I just wanted to add my congratulations to this ever growing list. You got it all just right! This is how weddings should be done. Really cool to see you all looking so happy and contented. Tell the farmer not to worry about the ring – he has you (+ your handsome young boys) and that is all that matters! Wishing you all continued happiness.
Ian
Hi Pen,
Congrats and thanks for letting us see the farmer.
Is he OK with it?
He can RENT a metal detector if he doesn’t find the ring.
BTW
Email is still new to some folks who barely know social networks or a computer for that matter.
But everyone has a cell phone.