Lookout! Karen's finally blogging!

Well, would you believe it? Keith finally sent me an invitation to blog! He let Tanner blog before he sent an invitation for ME to blog.....maybe once you read this issue you'll understand why. :o)

We've been traveling in PA this past weekend. This is the season of weddings in the Shrom family. My nieces and nephews are quickly finding their life mates. They all came into the world pretty close together, I suppose it's only right they should all get married at once too. Matt and Lina beat everyone to the alter (including me and Keith!!!) in 2001.Last Fall Chris and Shree tied the knot (they were so busy helping behind the scenes this weekend that I didn't even catch a picture of them!). This past spring Ryan and Audra walked the wedding aisle, in July Nathan and Lena were married and next May Brandon and Laura are planning their wedding day (sorry but I didn't get a good shot of Brandon and Laura at the wedding either!). It's a fun time of getting to know our new family members and seeing our nieces and nephews grow up and start homes of their own.

At the church on Sunday afternoon we participated in Luke and Abbey's ceremony officiated by Pastor King. We're so happy to welcome Luke into the family. After the ceremony we headed into the historical church library for hors d'oeuvers which Shree had prepared. They were delicious! But, there was more to come as we headed to my brother and sister-in-law's for the reception. (Luke and Abbey are both chefs in Philadelphia so you can just imagine how good the food was for the reception!)

We walked through the garden arbor to share a place under the big white tent which glowed with soft lights as dinner settled into full stomachs and setting sun. From the tent you could see the bonfire flames reaching to the star lit sky. At a distance the younger crowd played volleyball under the flood lights. In the tent we listened to music from the 50s on up and chatted among the many folks we knew. As Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" filled the tent Keith could wait no longer and he asked me to dance!

If you don't realize the significance of that let me tell you that neither Keith nor I do much dancing. In fact, this was the first time we have ever danced as husband and wife (Keith is standing here insisting that it's NOT the first time we've ever danced but he can't tell me WHEN we did IF we did and I KNOW we didn't!). It was delightful to dance under the twinkling lights gazing into the eyes of my loving husband. How blessed I am!

What I have experienced for 6 years now in my marriage with Keith, I can only pray for for each of my nieces and nephews as they enter a life of marriage. Marriage is so good when you both look to God and lay selfishness aside. If there is one thing I could share with each of my nieces and nephews as they get married it would be that the only reason Keith and I can gaze lovingly and with joy into each other's eyes is because we both gaze into the eyes of our Heavenly Father first.

If you want to see more pictures from the wedding click here then click on or search for "Karen Dodson".