47 reasons why I'm a bride with bug bites on my legs & dirt under my nails

An ode to my late Mother-In-Law

1. because my mother-in-law (of four days), Meg, would’ve had them right along with me, too. and probably a cold sore, as I’ve learned the history of her life symptoms is much like her baby’s

2. because she is The Invincible Summer

3. because she kept him safe and unbroken (except for that one bee sting - but it was just for fun, to show him that he’s not allergic like she was)

4. because I carry a piece of her wherever I go, and it feels much of me, too

5. because I know she lays witness to the moon, especially there

6. because she orders the best Lake sunsets

7. because she picked our wedding venue

8. because I think she was playing Scrabble the morning of August 2nd

9. because she did Let It Rain once we left Mary’s Place for our wedding night stay at 3:30 AM

10. because she lives in the Light and the reflections

11. and in the flowers, clouds, bees, and creeping things, too

12. because she followed the signs from the Sign Shop

13. because she wrapped us in sparkles (which she knows are my favorite things)

14. because the art near our honeymoon suite reminded me of both her and I, as most things are beginning to now

15. because she showed her approval and admiration the second we hung the baskets that she would’ve put together herself

16. because she illustrated many reminders of such a natural love

17. because her favorite place is somehow now mine

18. because she sent me a meadow katydid nymph the night before, and “In nature and symbolic meanings, finding a young insect like this points to themes of new growth, patience, and fresh beginnings during the spring and summer transition”

19. because she even decorated for my bridal shower with sun, rain and years and years of Perennial-planting

20. because her son doesn’t stop

21. and he is a major doer

22. because she made him an instrument of her peace

23. because I know she hand-placed those lily pads right off the dock to match my art

24. because she made sure our flowers bloomed a week early

25. because there were & are reminders of her everywhere

26. because she’d be so proud of her kinkeeper son that I now get to call my husband

27. because she already loves my baby girl’s name

28. because she built a village and continues to be the gathering string

29. because she would’ve thrived all wedding-season-long

30. because she inspires me

31. because I just know our wedding pot collection would’ve made her just as excited

32. because she spoke during our wedding toasts in the form of a piercingly majestic eagle cry. (The Brown crest is two eagles, the bird I’ve felt a connection to for all the years of my life and only at that moment got to make sense of)

33. because she was the guiding force of J & A and I’ve felt that from the 2016 start

34. because she taught me how to garner a lasting type of love and warmth that transcends time and generations

35. because my Something Borrowed graciously escaped from her jewelry box

36. because we scattered rehearsal dinner wildflower seeds in her backyard soil

37. because forget-me-nots popped up as we planned and talked with her in mind

38. because even Daryl the flower-nurser had a tear in his eye as he passed off his flower babies in remembrance of her

39. because these were her son’s knees for the 6 weeks leading up to our wedding

40. and because these were his hands 10 years ago, right before or maybe after she taught her earthly caring lessons

41. because her son inherited her love of scraping, attention to detail, and the tendency and passion to do something right

42. because now we have the same last name

43. because I will aim to love, sow love and live like Meg Cullen-Brown until the day I meet her

44. because she was there from start to finish

45. because nothing keeps her boy from his visions (that I believe she may have a hand drawing up in our minds)

46. because magic is real

47. and because stern as death is love.

.｡❅*⋆⍋*∞｡

with love and admiration,

her newest daughter-in-law, Abigail Rothwell Brown