HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPHEN

And What did you do the week before your THIRTIETH BIRTHDAY ? Well our son Stephen, GOT MARRIED, yep, of course you readers of the blog, probably already knew that Stephen got married, but did you also know that on the 18th of July, yesterday, Stephen Clinton Crissman turned the big 30. and in typical fashion celebrated a week early with one of the bigger birthday parties I have been to. -- well actually -- it was more than a birthday party it was one wonderful wedding



the most beautiful Jennifer



Those of us who know Stephen know he can

take a nap


have a birthday


play sports intensely


go on an adventure


be around a party - or start one.


Happy Birthday Stephen and welcome Jennifer, and we sure do like your new home seen here in Panama. You all sure do things is a big wonderful way. We love you two! !

Honey, we have left Kansas ! and we did for a good while! ! !

We have been back now for a couple of days, still recovering. Just about over the jet-set lag- and we did enjoy our time jet setting around. Panama and Stephen and Jen's wedding was as blogged GREAT ! and now we are back in our Kansas. Good ole North Carolina and this weekend we are visiting Patt's Mom at the farm, so I have selected some of my favorite farm pictures. Someday I will scan some of the older photos and I will enjoy sharing


Work was primed and waiting for both of us. Patt had a personnel issue - she is loving "drama" issues among her staff - just get Patt started - Patt is new to this. In the past she has only been peripherally aware this stuff went on as she was working, now as a manager, (I have been one for a long time) she is finding out the joys of that opportunity of management. We enjoy talking it over in the evening -- we are not the most patient of managers. Surprised I'll bet.



I walked back to expected court room issues and immediately passed some stuff up-hill. Been around long enough to know danger when I see it. Other than that the budget for North Carolina is going to be painful and that is going to be a challenge for us.



you may notice an absence of photos of people in this blog. Guess who has had plenty of people. Now I love people and I spent time with wonderful people, but now I am ready to not spend time with people. I am also enjoying a John Sandford "Prey " series novel, after finishing one of the mindless Lee Child novels of Jack ( whoop somebody's butt) Reacher.



the cows do look nice don't they. They are Charolais - a prime beef type of cattle - my father-in-law raised them after he stopped dairying. Now a brother-in-law is. At one time the Hodges farm had one of the best herds of Charolias anywhere. I have set many of the fence posts that keep the cattle inside the pastures. I am good at it- and for some reason my brothers-in-law would "let" me. My father-in-law worked me pretty hard doing that too.






Patt, Laura, Stephen and I worked very hard on these barns too, cleaning them, repairing them and getting them ready for the years we did hayrides and raised pumpkins, That is another set of pictures I need to get scanned and I will enjoy sharing those too..

There was a reception, I understand that on those who have facebook, and there are a bunch of those young kid types the reception and wedding are being referred to as the one-of-the-century. At any rate the wedding as I mentioned was beautiful, moving, spiritual, emotional, joyful and very much Stephen and Jen. Well the reception was Stephen and Jen and one wide open fancy party in a special place with special effects. Stephen and Jen spent time in the North Carolina jerseys that Stephen had specially made. Photo made from verenda overlooking jungle lade and outside the ball room



table decorations and tables were beautiful



note the ceiling of the ballroom and - the place looked fabulous and the food was great, plentiful, and liquids also available.




Stephen and Jen did the traditional dances with each other then Jen with her Dad and Stephen with Patt.== they danced well too I may add.
















Jen dancing with her Dad


Jen and childhood friend Joanna - who was maid of honor.




Stephen, Linda and Patt outside the dance hall


Emelio and Carolyn Pitcaviage- a friend of Laura's and Stephen's from Enloe. Emelio is Stephen's assistant in Panama. The crowd really was from all over and included people from all parts of the kids lives.-- I will try to put more pictures up later- only have about a thousand or so when I add in those given to me and promised. For example the photos of the wedding were Charles's . and I have already been emailed another large packet. So the event was well documented.

the Wedding !! !!

and you are seeing it correctly, Stephen indeed did wear a North Carolina jersey under a white coat with white slacks for his wedding. That is us waiting for the start of the ceremony at the landing for our entrance. Graham and Susan helped greatly in helping get things moving when and how they needed to be done.






And a wonderful wedding it was. They are well hitched. Well cemented as Kelly and Beth lead a great service that had all the elements of a Stephen and Jen wedding that one could imagine, beauty, tears, laughter, joy, confusion, late start, but oh so very very beautiful.. People just went on and on about how wonderful it was. and the tears did flow during the vows portion.



the room was a conference type room typical of a hotel, except it had some rather fancy flowers and such a grand view through the open curtains. Seats for over 140 people and well over 100 in attendance.



The groomsmen wore suits or dress shirts and ties or vests and ties -- or not in-- some cases, -- formality was not necessarily the order of the day. The brides maids instructions were only for color.-- Dress of style of choice. Men only had color direction also, and Jen bought my tie - you probably guessed that already though.
















not a dry eye in the house-- as I understand it at one time the place was full of sniffles -- I was busy handing my handkerchief to Stephen.






The kids did look radiant



being photographged - by the photographer, gives you a bit of an idea of how beautiful the backdrop is going to be on the official photos.





The reception was off the charts and I will post about it later this one is full

Rehearsal on Friday evening

We have enjoyed our selves here very much. The wedding rehearsal on Friday night was no less fun. Kelly and Beth were awesome in their direction and charge they gave the group. They are professionals and know what they are doing in an incredibly wonderful and loving way.-- Imagine leading Stephen and Jen and their friends, in the midst of a celebration, but they set a great tone and gave great direction to the practice and evening.




if you need advice regarding your stay, our friendly if un-knowing staff was there to help. We waited for the start of rehearsal, which was of course a little slow in getting of the go mark. I am writing this on Saturday afternoon at almost 2 PM the wedding in in two hours, -- We will see. Should be close to on time



brides maids in a row - and a fun group which should not surprise anyone.




guys== just a few alpha males in case you needed to find one. None of these guys seem to be quiet either.



Stephen and Jen practicing walking out.



the whole group -- assembled and listening ! !



and Friday was a slow day -- see previous post !! I think the AM nap was part of it. Lunch was at 3 PM -- how is that for a slow start.

We just thought Wednesday was full, Thursday was REALLY FULL

The front lobby of the Hotel Panama is spacious and airy and beautiful. Thursday started slow and easy as Patt and I had a noon check out and ride to Gamboa, the AM was spent over breakfast, visiting with Jen's parents and trying unsuccessfully to get some final electronic details worked out for the evenings program.



We did enjoy our stay the the Panama and will probably make it our choice on return trips unless price gets out of hand, the included breakfast and other amenities, including location are great.




The welcome to Panama dinner was wonderful! ! ! The location at the Locks at Mira Flores was a spectacular choice. The place of course has its built in entertainment with ships going through the canal, and view and such. the staff decorated the room and the food was great. As were the recollections of "first time meeting" Stephen and Jen or Stephen or Jen. It of course made for some cute and funny stories, You may not know it but the two of them are an interesting and apparently entertaining couple to be around - and have had some strange first impressions on people. Go figure.

Above is Jen with her parents.















Above is Patt with Doug, Jen's younger brother and below is Jen's Mom's family from Brazil, and some now in India where they currently live and work. Traveling and adventure is really going to be part of Stephen's and Jen's children's heritage. From all sides they get it. Jen's father's family, Jen's mother's family and well sorta look at us- The Crissmans - Omans. So it is not odd that we would be here for the wedding I reckon. It is not a "destination wedding" --except for some of the guests.








Jen and her Dad



After the dinner we headed back to the hotel, which was closed down, a fairly large, but rapidly dwindling crowd stayed up on the outer deck -- among the last to call it an evening were these three. yes, Stephen was long gone by now. and there are witnesses ! well perhaps not long gone, but he had left for the evening before these guys did !