What a beautiful weekend it has been!!! On Friday afternoon, Mike & I went home to spend the weekend visiting my family. We had a campfire, ate s'mores, drank beer, went fishing, and star-gazed the night away. It was a really great night. Alex is such a talker - he has better communication skills than many people I know. He is so articulate and he always makes me laugh at the things he says. Alex had to correct Mike, letting him know that "it's MARley, not MAHley!!" and "it's HERbie, not HAHRbie!" It's funny that he caught on to Mike's accent and could imitate it so well, we all had a good laugh.

On Saturday, Mike and I played the music for a wedding. This is the first time Mike has played for a wedding, and he did really great. I suggested that he play "In My Life" (Beatles), as he has a really gorgeous finger-pick version that he plays. Since the bride liked it, Mike had a chance to finally show off his arrangement, and it was so beautiful I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. The whole wedding mass went so well, and it was really nice to be able to play with my fiance and share in someone else's love story.

We also got to watch our nephew, Luke, for the night. He is full of smiles, and is seriously the easiest baby to take care of. I just love him to pieces, his big brown eyes and big gummy-smile just melts my heart.

Luke & Mike:

Mike also got to meet a few more future-family members, my aunt & uncle that live in Michigan stopped by the homeplace and visited with the family. Nothing makes me happier than to see Mike genuinely happy around my family and home. Even though he is Liverpool through-and-through, he has a deep appreciation for the farming lifestyle, and he has even begun to embrace the culture. This weekend he spent hours fishing, changing oil, starting fires, shooting birds...if only we could get him interested in stacking & unloading bales and milking cows, then he would fit right in perfectly with the family! :)

Since Mike & I met 3 years ago tonight, we're heading out to watch the fireworks display that people across the US put on for us - how nice that they celebrate our love in such an overt way...! Tomorrow, the celebration is for our nation's independence from Great Britain, but tonight it must be for Mike & me. ;)