Post Wedding

 I woke up around 8:30 in the morning and had slept very little. I got to bed late, couldn't sleep with everything on my mind, was still pretty sick with my head cold, and spent the night alone. Mark stayed at the hotel and Jayden is now a newlywed and stayed with her new husband. I felt pretty crummy and emotional. Carina was already tearing down decorations and picking up under the tent. I felt that I should get out there and help even though I wanted to lay in bed all morning. I didn't expect to hear from the newlyweds until late in the morning, but  Jayden called to ask if she should come out to see everyone. She called just before a group was taking off for the airport and wouldn’t make it in time to say goodbyes. Mark was taking Ali and Maggie. Aunt Lori was taking Jaynie, Ry, and Troy. I helped clear under the tent for most of the morning. Mark was already making plans to go to Dallas early. This was not the plan at all. He was supposed to stay until Monday and fly out. When he got back from the Abilene airport, he was ready to take Jake and go to Dallas. Jayden and I had to convince him to stick around even for a little while. He didn’t like the idea of “sitting around doing nothing.” The rest of us had spent all that time cleaning up and tearing down and were finally taking a break. Jayden was able to get him to stay long enough to show him and cousin Susan where she keeps her horses and to her home/hog ranch. Jayden was so embarrassed she didn't have time to clean. Mark took a short walk and talked with Jayden. This was the first and only talk he had with Jayden since before the wedding ceremony. If he didn’t stick around they wouldn’t even had gotten that. He told Noah goodbye and to take good care of Jayden, that was it. Mark made plans to go to The Dallas Fort Worth Stockyards. Originally there was talk and a plan to have a brunch by the lake. That got cancelled and with the unsettled pre-wedding stuff, most people left. Karen, Orrie, Laverne, and Verna Mae headed north. Luke was staying extra days and flying back with me. My parents stayed it out and enjoyed the extra time. I had to spend more hours on the phone trying to check Mark, Susan, and Jake in for their flights. I missed going to supper with anyone because I was put on hold so much. I told Jayden to bring me back some food and I went for a walk. I had a knot in my stomach all day and needed some quiet time with God. Sage, her dog went with me and we walked down a path to where I sat. There were so many emotions, thoughts, and questions in my head. I sat there for a very long time before I could start my prayer. When Jayden came back with food, I could tell she was concerned for me. She is so loving and thoughtful. Here it is 24 hours after her wedding and she is thinking of me. She asked if I wanted to go for a ride with her and Noah on the Ranger. That was the most awesome moment of the whole weekend. It was like God knew I needed that time. They took me out and around as the sun was slowly going down and the animals were out. All the animals were out! Everywhere we drove the animals came running by. It was beautiful and amazing. I saw the zebra run in front us. There were wildebeest, oryx, Axis, Eland, Auodad, deer, and blackbuck deer. We saw babies too. Even Noah was surprised at how many animals were out. It was such a neat experience. It was a huge stress reliever and it gave me a sense of peace. God is in control, even of the animals who he put on display just for me to see on this very night. Noah would point them out as we drove and Jayden told me she had never seen so many animals out and it was like they all came out for me. She keeps telling me she is so happy, but I could see the hurt with her Dad.

Monday I woke up and decided to clear out the remaining tables, decorations, flowers, and stuff  under the tent. Noah's family had not returned to the lodge area since the wedding and Sunday we took down all the decorations, but there was so much still under the tent. I knew the tent crew would come sometime to take it down and haul it away. My parents, Luke, Jayden, and I moved all the tables and stuff out. As soon as Jayden, Luke, and I headed into town, the tent crew showed up. We also  took Jayden's kitty named Kat to the vet. She had an ear infection, respiratory junk and they ran some tests, gave her a rabies shot and medicine. This was her 3rd bill for the cat and was super high. This little kitty is getting expensive and I joke with Jayden her free cat has quickly become her $1000 cat.  We also went to the TJ Max's grand opening , had lunch, and returned the Tuxedos. Back at the lodge, we went to the lake where Grandpa, Luke, Noah, and Bale went fishing. It was pretty cool in the low 60's. The plan was to have a big meal and party at the lake patio house. Ester was cooking and celebrating one of the helpers birthday's. The sky was dark with lots of rumbling and Jayden and I kept getting colder. We suggested keeping the food inside rather than bring it all down to the lake, so the party stayed inside the main house. It was a good thing, by the time we started eating, it was pouring down rain. Ester cooks amazing and cooks for big groups. She fixed steak, chicken, sausage, potatoes, Mexican corn on the cob, salads and wedding cookie bites. There was so much food and all so good. I was sad Mark wasn't there too. He went with Jake and Suzy to Fort Worth. Later that night when we pulled back to the Lodge, Kat was outside in the rain cold and running. She must have gotten out when we were leaving. She could have gotten run over, eaten, and too wet and cold. There went another life, she is down to 6. That little cat keeps losing lives.

Tuesday my parents left around 8AM, Luke and I finished packing and laundry. Noah and Jayden came to the Lodge along with Bale. We talked to him a little before we left. Jayden took us to the airport stopping first in the small cowboy town of Coleman. The little town was very cowboy and western. We walked the main street shops and went for lunch at the Cattel Drive Cafe. I had a dish called loaded cowpie, a giant loaded baked potato topped with steak tips. It was excellent. Luke and I flew out of Abilene at 4:15, we had a 4 hour layover in Dallas and arrived in Des Moines at 11PM. Jake picked us up, drove us all the way home at 1AM, then turned around and went back to Ankeny for the night to get up for his 8AM class. During the day, I heard Luke say multiple times, "I'm going to move to Texas someday." The boys had a lot of mixed feelings about the weekend too. They saw how different people and different families responded to things from the wedding. Some showed more grace than others. It was a big weekend that should have been all about ceremony and celebration. I am praying for wisdom in the days ahead for everyone.