Dr Becky Towne

I got to walk with the groom in the processional around the pond.

Elijah and Shawnna sealed their vows with a kiss and then became Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Pandolph.

Thanks to Kim Sommers for rescuing me with the sending of a nice photo of the Pandolph wedding in the pit by the pond. It was a fun evening with a great couple!

More to come . . .

I officiated at my second wedding the Friday night beginning the Memorial Day weekend. I stood in a sand pit to do it, lost my place, did the dingy chick thing, and made everyone laugh so that we could get back on track. But, I had written the ceremony--a revised Quaker wedding--and, from all of the comments, everything must have turned out okay.

Saturday afternoon, I got to pick up my husband from the airport. Sweet reunion. I was glad to give someone else the wheel of the car. I had done enough Houston driving by myself the previous 17 days. Sunday we attended church in Friendswood, looked at a house we decided not to buy, and had an inside picnic with friends due to the heat and humidity outside.

I found myself pretty teary again Sunday, the night before Jim left to go back home. Then I woke up Monday morning with an amazing sense of joy that I had made it through half of our time apart already and that he wasn't dying (for goodness sake). That was a good breakthrough for me. I was able to relax Tuesday morning and enjoy some quiet and prayer before leaving for work.

I'm reading Bread for the Journey by Henri Nouwen--daily readings. This week the focus is on the Beatitudes. I remembered that it's more than okay to mourn and to grieve loss but that it's also important to look for the comfort that's promised. I think I was able to look for and receive the promised comfort this morning. I am just sure that these next days, weeks, and months will be times of extreme learning if I pay attention to how God is at work in me and among us as the Towne family and First Friends Church family continues through this long transition.

Blessings abound,
Becky

The long move to Texas has begun and things are heating up here. Temps hit the 90s today. Things are heating up at Houston Graduate School of Theology as well. I am just beginning to learn the extent of this new job and there may be new responsibilities on the way. Of course, I miss Jim a lot. We talk every day--sometimes several times a day. He gets to be in Houston for Memorial Weekend and we are counting the days (soon it will be hours).

I had a vivid dream about the girls during a nap on Saturday and couldn't believe they weren't here when I woke up. Leaving Colorado Springs on May 7 was much harder than I had thought it would be and I imagine I'll be confused about where I am and what's going on for a while.

I should have some photos of the new office and co-workers soon but, for now, the photos are from the days prior to the first leg of this long transition:
(1) Good friends--the Townes and the Rudds;
(2) Jim and his Uncle Fred after the regular listening prayer service;
(3) Becky and Halee at the Sunday School brunch;
(4) Halee giving the in-front-of-the-camera look for her momma;
(5) We had dinner with Jim and Linda Towne (Jim's dad) before I left;
(6) Jim loved his peach tree in bloom--so sad there was a late freeze;
(7) Nephew and niece Byrne and Judi--family and friends forever;
(8) Niece Bonnie and great-nephew Ewan (Baby Ewey);
(9) We also visited with Jim's mom, Gladys Byerly, before I headed to Texas;
(10) My Sunday school class finished a study of 2 Chronicles before I handed the reins to Kirk Harrison. We started the study in Genesis and it only took eight or nine years for us to make it through 2 Chronicles. What a great journey!