Hello sweet blog friends.

I've really missed you.

Whew ... where, oh where do I start?

As much as I have wanted to share all that's been going on with you here in Bloglandia,
I also didn't want to share.
I wanted to hold in it,
keep it to myself,
cherish it for a while.

Ever felt that way?

My emotions have been so all-over-the-place that putting them into words seemed like an impossibility.

Quite frankly, it seemed wrong to even try.
I knew I wasn't able to find the right words, the precise expressions to fully convey
the magnitude of what my heart was experiencing.

I guess to sum it up, my mind has been stretched to it's limit, my heart full to overflowing.
And so, as not to do it a grand injustice, I kept it all to myself ...
replaying all the sweet memories over & over in my mind.

I've also been processing ... letting my mind settle a bit after a wild whirlwind of a summer & fall.

Annnd... a task that could be avoided no longer,
I've been bringing some much needed order to this house that's been neglected for a while!
I'll tell you all about that later.
Weddings are much more fun to talk about ;)

So, just in case you missed it, our twins sons got married within 3 weeks of each other!
I got my first daughter-n-law on September 20 ... and the second one on October 12.
They are both some kind of wonderful <3
Each wedding was perfect.
I can't wait to show you how gorgeous they were as soon as the pictures are back.
Here are a few snapshots for a preview.

Handsome Gunnar & Gorgeous Abigail~

Handsome Garrett & Beautiful Carissa~

The four newlyweds!

So yes, quite a whirlwind.
Seriously?
Having one child to marry is a big enough deal ... but two so close together?
Yes, it was a very big deal!

In addition to that, both boys bought their first homes within a few weeks of each other!
We are SO proud of that accomplishment!
All the saving ... and saving ... and saving paid off!!

It was pretty neat for Garrett to be the realtor for both his & Gunnar's home.

From August 22 until the second week of October, we found ourselves helping both boys,
all of us working tirelessly remodeling two houses.
Both purchased very nice homes, but they wanted to do some updating to prepare them for their brides.
{Again, so many, many details I could've shared along the way,
but I guess they just weren't meant for the blogosphere.
It's hard to be working from sun up to sun down & blog all at the same time!}

Garrett & Gunnar at work on Garrett's house ... doing what the Penningtons do well:  flooring.
Garrett put in a gorgeous terrazzo floor.

Gunnar chose & installed a ceramic tile that looks like hardwoods ... super cool.

He also gutted the bathroom & installed lapboard.
{Matt was such a huge help & we could never thank him enough!}
I gave it a whitewashed paint treatment & it turned into the cutest cottage-y bathroom ever.

There were countless friends & family that pitched in to help ... & at the end of all the work,
both houses looked & felt like brand new!
We are so grateful for the blessings God has bestowed & we take none of them for granted.
Maybe I can share more of the before & after pics someday.
Course, the special touches from my sweet daughters-n-law have made the houses into 'homes'
& we are so proud of them.

God has been & continues to be SO good.
His faithfulness is sure ... and applies to every aspect of our life.
He continually demonstrates that.

I was sure that my heart would never recover from missing our boys so much.

I was certain that the transition from what has been for almost 20 years
to what is now would be nearly impossible for this momma's heart.

I was so afraid of the new & filled with questions .

And the only reason I have not been overtaken through all this is that I was PRAYERFUL!
James and I were saturating ourselves & each other with prayer.
That was the key.

And why is it that we are still sometimes surprised when God answers?

That is precisely what God has done ... He has heard & answered our prayers.
We are transitioning just fine.
We don't feel a gaping hole of hurt, sadness, & emptiness.
Yes, we miss them terribly.
Yes, there have been tears ... plenty.
There are days that I ache to just hear their voice or see them walk through the door.
I miss them at the table each evening, eating together & sharing about our day.
But I remember that James & I did our part, our job as parents.
With the help of the Lord, we trained them to manhood & prepared them to establish their own dominion.
I also reflect back on how I felt when we got married ... how excited we were to begin our new life together.
When I take control of my thoughts, it snaps me out of that selfish, only-thinking-about-me mode
that can so easily take me over.

James & I are also enjoying this one-on-one time with our last boy at home, Mr. Riley.
He turned 17 in the midst of all this activity!
He's been shopping for his first vehicle for a few months now, determined to find just what he wants.
He worked full-time for JL all summer & is now working part-time while he finishes his senior year.
{He's misses his brothers around the house too, btw.}
Isn't he so handsome?!

So... to sum it all up, I wish I could've documented every detail here on the blog,
but I think it's probably just how it needed to be.
I have a heart full of moments & memories that I'll treasure for a lifetime.

I've experienced lots of new things, shed many tears, & learned valuable lessons about myself & others.
I've looked on with a proud heart at the man God gave me & the 3 sons we created together.
We've shared in two of the most important days of their lives.
Our family has grown as we've welcomed two of the loveliest young ladies on the planet.
And we anticipate God's provision, blessing, & faithfulness in the years to come.
Isn't He so amazing?

Thanks a bunch for listening to my heart.

I'll now resume the regularly scheduled postings about decorating & yummy food ;)

Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.
Monday          C.R.A.F.T      The Dedicated House  I Should Be Mopping the Floor
                  Between Naps on the Porch  The Modest Mom
Tuesday     A Delightsome Life   A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                    The Thrifty Home   A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch   Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Best of the Nest
               French Country Cottage  The Girl Creative
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things    Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways