10 Years Ago

10 years ago we were married, on a roasting hot day here in Sonoma. We tried to keep it a simple affair a mid-day gathering at a local restaurant. We didn’t want our friends and family and ourselves to be caught in a sea of terrible expense or stress. It was a lovely day. My mom made my dress. While we were scheming on the design, my grandma found a box from her mom, it had a handwritten note inside that said, ‘For Kendra’s wedding dress.’ I was the first great-granddaughter for 10 years, you see, and I’m sure when she, a masterful seamstress, wrote that there was no question that of course a wedding dress was to be handmade! It was a section of beading from her wedding dress from 1918. That then became the central theme of the dress, matching beaded material was found. My mom’s wedding dress buttons were reused on the back. It was gorgeous!

10 years ago we just had heads full of dreams. We wanted a house and some children and a thriving garden and certainly chickens. We wanted to travel, cook good meals and entertain friends. On our honeymoon we broke ground on our first garden together. We’ve had many successes and failures, droughts and floods, births and deaths both in the garden and in life these 10 years. It’s an epic journey, life and marriage. And I can’t wait to find out where it takes us next.