The Royal Wedding, Part 4

6:56 AM

1156: Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton and Mr and Mrs Middleton follow the couple into the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor for the signings.

1158: Sarah Bell BBC News, in central London With impeccable timing, the sun has come out in central London. :)

The choir is singing. I'm going to make breakfast and say good morning to my husband. :)

7:01 Whew! Just in time! The parents return to their seats...

1159: The future queen's dress has been praised as "elegant and chic" by German couturier Karl Lagerfeld. He told French TV: "It's very pretty, and relatively classic, but that goes with the decor, with a little touch of the 1950s."

The clergy exit...

Fanfare!

1204: A further fanfare sounds, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk down the aisle.

A curtsy to the Queen...

1205: The London Chamber Orchestra is playing Crown Imperial as the couple, holding hands, bow to the Queen.

The Queen, Catherine's mom, and Camilla look marvelous and can't stop smiling. :)

1212: As the newlyweds get into their carriage, the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, outside the abbey, notes that despite predictions, the rain has held off in London.

Waiting as guests leave. Breakfast time!

The Royal Wedding, Part 3

6:24 AM: Catherine's brother James gives the Scripture reading from Romans 1. Excellent reading and wonderful Scripture choice.

6:26: I'm going to miss some while I go get Aedan...

6:28: Ok, choir is singing again. I just love the song choice...Have I mentioned that?

1128: The choir now sing an anthem by John Rutter has been especially composed for this service.

Oh and have I also mentioned Aedan slept from 7:30-10, then 11:30 PM till 6:20 AM?! Yay Aedan!!!

1134: Professional lipreader Tina Lannin tells the Press Association that Prince William cracked a joke to his future father-in-law at the altar, telling him: "We were supposed to have just a small family affair."

6:32: The message

1134: Richard Chartres, Lord Bishop of London, is now giving an address. He says many people are feaful of the prospects for the world. But this is a joyful day, it is good that people in every continent are able to share. This day is a day of hope, he says.

With the exceptions of my wedding and my sister's, this is one of my favorite wedding messages. There are some fabulous lines.

6:40 Singing again.

6:44: The Lord's Prayer and other prayers from different denominations.

The prayers seem a lot shorter than Charles and Diana's wedding...Though maybe they're just doing it differently.

1147: The Dean of Westminster reads a blessing for them, followed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
1148: Jerusalem, by William Blake, is now sung.

6:51 Trumpet fanfare

"God Save the Queen"

6:53 The family goes up to leave for the signing of the register.

1154: The couple and witnesses move to a side chapel for the signing of the wedding registers. Three registers must be signed - two for the abbey and one royal register.

Some beautiful shots of the cathedral as the choir sings.

Time for breakfast!

To be continued in Part 4...

The Royal Wedding, Part 2

5:46 AM: The Queen and Prince Philip leave Buckingham Palace!

The Queen looks radiant in a lovely yellow dress and hat. Philip is dashing as always in a red uniform.

Trumpet fanfare for the Queen.

5:51 Everyone stands for the processional of Charles, Camilla, followed by the Queen and Prince Philip.


5:52 AM:
1052: We can now see Kate inside the car. Her hair is down, she's wearing a veil, and we can see her dress has long lace sleeves.

YES!!!!!!!

1053: Miss Middleton is now waving at the crowds - just caught a glimpse of a tiara under her veil.

1050: Marie Claire UK tweets: Kate Middleton has left the Goring and her hair is DOWN. Repeat, the Middleton mane is flowing free #royalwedding

Attendants arrive....ADORABLE! Love the dresses!

Pippa looks amazing!

Clinton Kelly says Kate's neckline is "stunning"...SO EXCITED!!!!!

Here she comes!!!!

The crowds are going crazy.

AH, LOVE the dress! Shorter veil, but long train! :)

103: She is now walking into the abbey on her father's arm. The dress has a long full skirt, the top is a fitted bodice with long French Chantilly lace sleeves. The tiara has been loaned to Kate by the Queen. The train is 2.17m long.
1101: Miss Middleton gets out of the car and we get a full view of the dress - which we now know was designed by Sarah Burton.
6:02 AM Show time!

William looks so happy. I love the processional, a coronation theme called "I Was Glad".

1112: Kate has lifted her veil. The Guardian newspaper reported that Prince William said "you look beautiful" when she arrived at his side.

6:10 AM "Come, O Thou Great Jehovah". I love this song, it's so elegant and the words are so powerful.

I love the formality. :)

No mistakes in the vows. ;)

1117: Catherine, taking Prince William by his right hand, says after the Archbishop: I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.

Still don't quite understand why William doesn't want to wear a wedding ring. :(

1118: The Archbishop blesses the ring: Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their lives' end. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

6:21 AM: Singing again. Sun is rising here and Aedan is just beginning to make noises again. I don't think I'll miss much if I have to go get him now. Thank you my darling son for sleeping through the most important parts!!! :)

All my copy/pastes have been from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13132410

The Royal Wedding, Part 1

4:30 AM Woke up, made a pot of tea in my pretty china, and turned on my computer.

The Queen announced she has bestowed William the Dukedom of Cambridge. (Yes!) William and Catherine, will now be known as HRH William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Pleased as punch as this was my favorite of the available titles! :)

The British Monarchy
The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus. Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge

4:45 PM Wedding preparations and watching guests arrive at Westminster Abbey.

Oh there's Elton John! Wearing a light yellow waistcoat and purple tie with his morning suit.

Seeing some beautiful hats and fascinators.

Whoa! I don't know who that lady is, but that is an intense purple and lime ensemble!

Loooove that pink one! Pretty!

Beckham looks smashing, but Victoria looks like she's wearing a gray sack. :(

4:54 AM: "0953: Just to keep you up to speed on the timetable. We're expecting William and Harry at the abbey by 1015 BST. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are due at 1042 and the Queen and Prince Philip at 1045"

4:58 AM: Seeing a lot of gray, aqua, and pink on the ladies.

5:01 AM: It's like the Oscars watching these ladies walk up the carpet. Everything from Oh cute, Very nice, or Oh my gosh she DIDN'T!

Oh honey, that is SO not a good color on you!

There are live trees inside the knave. Gives it a elegantly fun look.

5:03: British PM and his wife, David and Samantha Cameron, arrive. She's wearing a short-sleeved fitted jade green dress, with jeweled hair clip instead of a hat, and he's wearing a blue tie. Very nice.

5:07 Aedan hasn't made a peep since 11:30. This is very peculiar.

Oh, Greensleeves is playing!

There is some white, black, and red outfits too. Interesting.

The prelude music is lovely. The strings are beautiful.

5:15 AM: William & Harry leave Clarence House dressed in their military uniforms. (Yay!)

5:18: Amidst tons of cheers, bells, and flag waving, William and Harry arrive. Harry is in a black military uniform and William is wearing red with a blue sash-thing. His uniform reminds me of the one Prince Albert wore when he married Victoria. <3

Harry looks tired. Will looks rested and happy. :)

"Prince William has chosen to wear the uniform of Colonel of the Irish Guards on his Wedding Day. Prince William, who is commissioned in all three Armed Services, and who has served actively with the Army (The Household Cavalry Regiment) and with the Royal Air Force (Search and Rescue Force), chose to wear the uniform of his senior honorary appointment in the Army.
Prince Harry will wear the uniform of a Captain of the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals)."

5:28 Carole Middleton and her son James have just left the Goring.

5:30 AM: 30 minutes till show time! (approximately 20 minutes till the first dress glimpse!)

5:31 AM: Carole and James Middleton arrive looking very nice, Carole in a light blue --almost gray-looking--dress and matching hat.

5:35 AM Military processionals.

5:38 Andrew, Duke of York, and his daughters, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, leave the Palace.

Choir assembles and walks up the aisle.

Bells are constantly ringing now.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent, etc. arrive

Ok, girls. Odd hats. Very odd.

5:42: William's uncles Edward and Andrew have arrived with their families. Princess Anne is also here.

5:43 AM: Prince Charles and Camilla arrive.

Waiting on the Queen now, then Kate's dress!!!

I do's and don'ts for wedding guests

A great article from www.post-gazette.com. I believe it was posted in March 2007, but nothing has changed. ;)

Monday, March 12, 2007
By Lesley Kennedy, Scripps Howard News Service

Take this pledge on the road to better guest-dom

I, (your name here), take responsibility to respond to wedding invitations promptly and to refrain from bringing uninvited guests.

I promise to abstain from wearing white or something too sexy or something too casual, like (gasp!) shorts, and will dress appropriately for the occasion.

I pledge to give a thoughtful toast that is not degrading or embarrassing, but respectful and heartfelt.

I will give you a gift you can use and will appreciate in a timely manner.

Above all, I vow to be a gracious wedding guest, through sickness and in health, from this day forward, as long as I stay on wedding invitation lists.

To stave off unseemly embarrassments, fashion faux pas or other etiquette mishaps, we offer these vows to help renew your position as the perfect wedding guest:

Invitation etiquette:
Those invitations are sent out for a reason: The paying party needs to know how many people will be attending. Some general tips from the wedding experts at www.theknot.com:

RSVP is short for, "Repondez, s'il vous plait," which means, simply, "Please respond." That means you should respond either way, whether you're able to make it or not. If the couple has included a response card or postcard with the invitation, it's easy: Just send the card back, saying you will or will not attend. "Regrets" or "Regrets Only" means that only guests who can't make it need to respond.

Respond as soon as you get the invitation. The couple needs a final head count no later than two weeks before the wedding. And let the hosts know if you must cancel at the last minute; don't just not show up.

Don't assume you can invite a date (unless it says "and Guest") and/or bring along your children or other family members whose names are not explicitly included on the invitation.

Toast tips:
What's a wedding without a touching toast or two? Some do's and don'ts from Peggy Post's Wedding Etiquette:

The best man gives the first toast. It's perfectly fine for his to be the only one offered. Often, both fathers offer welcome toasts to each other's families and guests. The maid or matron of honor and other members of the bridal party may propose toasts, and the groom may toast his bride and new parents-in-law. We say the bride should toast her husband and new parents-in-law as well.

Everyone should rise for the toasts to the newlyweds except the bride and groom, who remain seated. If a toast is directed to the bride only, the groom rises; if it is directed to their parents, both the bride and groom rise. They do not drink a toast to themselves.

Wedding toasts are best prepared ahead of time, as you may be more nervous or emotional than you might expect. Keep what you say short and to the point -- the spotlight should be on the bride and groom. Comments should be in keeping with the occasion. This is not the time for long stories and humorous anecdotes. Those are more appropriate at the rehearsal dinner.

What to wear:
Dressing for a summer wedding can be tricky, especially if it's held outdoors. You don't want to melt, but you don't want to look too casual, either.

Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, in their book "What Not to Wear for Every Occasion," suggest the following for women:

For day: a floaty summer dress that flatters the body shape, along with a hat that picks out the palest color in the dress (not the darkest) and a key accessory, such as a large cuff bracelet or signature clutch. Shoes can be sexy, but should give enough support to walk on grass. You don't want to get stuck in the mud.

For evening: A sexy dress to dance in, along with a slinky cardigan and fab evening bag. If you opt for a shorter dress, look for detailing, such as sequin details, to make it still seem formal.

And on the oft-asked question of whether wearing white is OK at a wedding? Just don't go there. There are plenty of other options, and there's no need to compete with the bride.

As for the guys, when in doubt, wear a suit. If the invitation says black tie, dress in a tuxedo. But if it doesn't specify the type of attire, says www.askmen.com, base your decision on the time of day.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07071/758448-355.stm#ixzz1KgaAW03b

Right to Life, continued...

My dear friend Lindsay shared a story on my Facebook account about a "for the health/safety of the mother" situation, which led me to consider my position in more detail.

To be clear, I believe life is precious and the life of the unborn needs advocacy from those of us with a voice. Simply making all abortion criminal, while it may save lives, does not solve the problem that abortion has become in the world. There are situations where, for reasons unknown and often unsolvable, the life of the baby jeopardizes the life of the mother. It is for this reason that I am thankful for C-sections. Both because it enabled my mother to safely bring me into the world, and also because it enabled me to bring my own son into the world.

Choosing one life over another is never an easy decision, nor should it be. My issue with abortion in America is that it has become too emotionally detached. I am not saying that women who have abortions do not struggle with the decision--They do and should.

Abortion is always the ending of life. When that is recognized and the life lost is mourned, the world will be a better place for it. Ending one life to save another should only be an option when both lives cannot be saved. In my other post I said I would give up my life to save the life of my child. Obviously, I would have to make a more difficult choice should the life I want to save not be saveable. In early pregnancy when the baby cannot live outside the womb, ending the life of the baby--though a horrible tragedy--is better than losing the lives of both mother and baby. However, this type of abortion is not the type done in most abortion and Planned Parenthood clinics. THAT type of abortion--done more often than not for the convenience of the mother, not for sound medical reasons--should have more severe consequences.

As I said above, making abortion illegal does not completely solve the problem. Many argue we can't make it illegal because it would drive it underground where it is more dangerous for the mother. Which is essentially, "they're going to get an abortion anyway, so let's make it safer and easier for them". This reminds me of the "safe sex" argument. "Our teens are going to have sex anyway, so let's make it safer and easier for them by providing condoms and trying to rid premarital sex of the consequences". The difference is with abortion you're dealing with the lives of THREE (or more), not just one or two.

So if making abortion illegal isn't the final answer and keeping it legal is wrong, what should we do? Tell the truth to our young people. Abortion is the ending of a life, not wiping the slate clean. Ending the life of a baby should be done only for life-threatening medical reasons, not for convenience. Adoption should be the answer for unwed mothers who cannot raise a child, not abortion. The government should not fund abortions. Pro-lifers should spend more time helping women in need at pregnancy crisis centers instead of yelling outside of abortion clinics and worse. Teens in high school health class should be shown an ultrasound of a baby 8-12 weeks old. Doctors in hospitals who perform NECESSARY abortions should not sugar-coat it with scientific wording--A "fetus" is still a BABY no matter how small.

Ending a life is a serious decision with emotional and physical consequences. My heart goes out to families who have had to make the difficult choice of choosing one life over another. But I also thank them. I thank them for RECOGNIZING the LIFE. The life of our unborn. Please, be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

The Right to Life

Aedan Lee Barb, 12 weeks. A precious life.

I don't usually get political on places like Facebook and such, mainly because I have friends on both sides of every issue and I'd like to keep them and not argue. However, I saw a book today at B&N that, combined with that awesome video floating around Facebook (check out my profile if you want to see it), really got me going on the topic that is closest to my heart. And I am very passionate about it, so I will not apologize if I offend you. If you're offended, stop reading because it will probably only get "worse" as I keep going. The book was called "Un-Planned".

Here's the Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Unplanned-Dramatic-Planned-Parenthood-Eye-Opening/dp/1414339399/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296172494&sr=1-1

I read the cover and flipped through a couple pages and, without having to read much, got that painful feeling in the chest I get everytime I know I'm going to bawl my eyes out. This is a book I would NEVER read, even though I'm sure it's superb, simply because I would cry the whole way through it and, as most of you know, I don't read books that make me cry, with the exception of Little Women.

So this post is about why I am pro-life. Why I think abortion is murder. And why I believe those who are pro-choice need to open their eyes and see the LIFE that is right in front of them. And as I said above, no apologies. This is my blog and since, thankfully, I live in the USA I can say whatever I want. If you don't agree, you don't have to read it. But I hope you do, because I believe what I am writing to be Truth. So here it goes.

In the United States, we have "been endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights"..."life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". The right to life. Here in the US we have the right to breath oxygen, live out our sum of days, and die when God calls us home. That is why murder is a crime. Now let me define murder. I think we can all agree on this one. Murder is one human being killing another human being. Pretty straight forward. So my question is this. WHY is abortion NOT murder?

The answer for some is that a fetus is either not a human being or part of the mother so that if the MOM decides to end it's life it's not actually murder. In many states, if not the entire US, I'm not sure, if someone ELSE kills a pregnant woman it counts as the murder of TWO human beings. Yet, for some reason, if the mother chooses to end the life of the fetus, it is her "right".

So the question becomes, when does life begin? Some Christians argue conception. I'm one of them. It makes scientific sense. However, let's leave that one out for a second and go for a really easy one. How about life begins when there is a heartbeat? That makes sense. The argument against that is that a baby cannot live apart from the mother. But how does that make any more sense--a baby is not "alive" or "a human being" until 28-34ish weeks when it can technically live, albiet with support, outside of the mother? What about the fact that, even though the baby is dependant on the mother to life, it has all 5 fingers, all five toes, a heartbeat, a working brain, REM sleep (possibly dreams--I think baby's dream of Heaven personally--working organs, even fingernails and hair?

The reason why pro-choice people do not want the fetus to be recognized as a living being when the heart starts beating is clear. Most little hearts start beating when the baby is THREE WEEKS OLD. Around 22 days gestation. I think I might have just found out I was pregnant at 22 days, and that's because I was paying close attention. I would feel it was a safe bet to say most abortions happen AFTER 22 days.

In the book Unplanned, the author writes about how she helped perform an ultrasound-aided abortion and that is what led her to quit working for Planned Parenthood. She realized the truth of what she was doing. I don't know how far along the woman was who had the abortion, but I remember clearly my 12 week ultrasound with Aedan. It was CLEAR to both of us that this tiny being inside me was ALIVE! He was squirming and kicking and flipping all over the place, even though I couldn't feel him moving for a couple more weeks. This precious bundle inside me was a HUMAN BEING with eyes and ears, a heartbeat, and all his "pieces" sewn together by The Master Craftsman.

The argument behind being pro-choice is that it should be the right of the mother to decide what to do with her body. Sure, I agree with that. I have the right to tatoo, pierce, dress, and do whatever I darn want to my body. But that small being inside you is NOT YOUR BODY sweetheart. It's SOMEONE ELSE who just happens to be growing inside you because she needs a safe place to develop into the beautiful being she is and will grow up to be. SHE IS NOT YOU. HE IS NOT YOU. They are their OWN INDIVIDUAL. They have separate DNA. Their own heart and organs. No person has the RIGHT to murder another human, whether they live inside you at the moment or not.

Then there is the issue of rape and/or incest. This is the most emotionally charged argument I think. But even that horrible event does not give a woman the right to end the life of another. If a woman does not think she can love the baby inside because of the way in which he/she was conceived, the answer is adoption. Yes, she will have to life through 9 months of carrying a baby. But when I think of all the women out there who cannot have children and want them so badly, the very idea of other women purposefully killing their children is even more heartbreaking.

Finally, there is the one I never could really understand. Abortion if the baby shows signs of a disability or "to save the life of the mother". I have been blessed with a perfectly healthy baby. I don't know how I would react if my next one or ones to come have issues like Downs or something else. What I do know is that all life is precious and I am not God. My doctor is also not God. I know several beautiful children who have disabilities, heart defects, etc. Who are we to decide who has the right to live?

As for the saving the life of the mother, I don't hear much about this one. I don't know any mothers who had to go through this, or at least they don't talk about it. But for me, my life is in God's hands. I would gladly give up my life for my baby, should it one day be required of me. Because I would rather stand in front of the throne of the Father and know I gave up my life for another than know I took the life of an innocent in an attempt to save my own. My children are my future. I live on through them. They are my legacy.

"What we do in life echoes in eternity."

I want my echo to be one of LIFE. Precious, precious life.