And Then There Were Four

There is no way to prepare for this day.
It just happens.
And then, 
right before your eyes, 
he grabs a box, pats his cat and drives away.
To his own place.
Just like that.
I've said a lot of goodbyes, but this one hurt the most.
Our little man.
Gone to his own home.
Just. Like. That.

Vaughan and Scott- from forts and Legos to fire and video games, poker and road trips, graduation and moving. 

BIG NEWS

I am going to be a grandmother again!! Congratulations to Vaughan and Sarah and big sister Illana!

Date Night Genius

So Vaughan and Sarah went out on a date night last week.

While lots of people say there is not much to do around here, I say it's all in how you look at things.

While poking around at Target Vaughan picks up this ball.

Yes, this pink ball.
Yep, he picked it up and walked around with it.

Then it just happened to show up in every picture they took. Can you find it?How about here?
Watch it Sarah! Did you spot the ball?
My personal favorite.
That darn pink ball!
Look close.
See my kids really are superheroes. Spot the ball yet?
Of course the baby aisle. Where's it at?
Genius. Pure genius.

So I think that's a great idea- we should all do it.

They said it was fun to work together: coming up with ideas, hiding the ball and even laughing as people walked by looking at them a bit confused.

So if you decide to join in this fun, let me know- we'd love to see where this idea takes you on a date night.

Baby Shower

Sarah's baby shower was yesterday!
We had it at my friend Rhonda's house and when we arrive she had it nicely set up and a wonderful fall centerpiece on her table; we added a few personal touches and here it is:
Rhonda had also brought out her rocking chair and afghan from when her oldest son, now in his 20's, was a baby. What a perfect spot for Sarah to open gifts!

Friends came from near and far and Sarah's friend Dani was there to help with the fun of food placement and decorating!

This is the only posed shot from the day and it's not even that great!

I think Sarah's sister did a great job with the games, we started with Baby Bible trivia then had a short scripture reading and encouragement from our friend Lisa who also prayed over Sarah and baby Illana Belle.

When it came to gift opening we were all busy making and playing a baby collage game while the kids sat close to see the goodies!

Oh wait there was another posed picture, this is my mom, my grandmother and my grandmother's cousin.

Recently Sarah has gotten to know one of the girls I serve with and know through youth group. Dani is a work of art, a work in progress and a great friend to Sarah. Here she was working hard on her baby collage and being the "pea in a pod" with Sarah-- she won this game!!

Ok so I lied, I took another posed picture with Neta, my friends mother-in-law. I love taking self portraits with cell phone with people over the age of 70, in her case at the age of 89!

Since life as we live it involves not only our friends but their kids I had to add this picture. It's not that good but it is my friend's son climbing down from a tree fort. The transition from fort to ladder is not very easy and he had to talk himself down. I'm sure his mom could come up with a much prettier sounding life lesson from this, she's a genius like that, but it really hit me in the spot I am on this journey. Sometimes we just need to talk ourselves through it, out loud, each inch, each step reminding ourselves we'll survive, it'll be OK, we just need to step on that one lite step in front of us.

And lastly how could I resist a little sleepy boy?

Sarah and Illana got super blessed yesterday and I realize each day brings me one day closer to being a Yiayia and seeing the beautiful face of this lovely child of God.

We Are Family

Boy how my thoughts and ideas have changed over my lifetime.
Changed over these past years, months, weeks.
Family.
Recently a friend of mine, who happens to be a pastor's wife, shared with me her thoughts on our family. After visiting us in the hospital with Justin she began to share with me how many families she has visited with in the hospital as well as around the dinner table.
"Your family knows how to love" she said "Even though you are all messed up and have hurt each other, you guys really not only love each other but really know how to make others feel loved."
Yes we are messed up, and of course my close friends happen to know all the details, so for her to say that meant a ton to our whole family.

I use to think that part of my children's success would be them moving out, getting a job and buying a house.

My thoughts on that have changed.
Having Vaughan and Sarah live with us has begun to change my thinking on communal living.
OK so I've always been a fan of communal living- a hippie compound has always sounded appealing to me- but over these past months I'm leaning more and more toward what I believe the Acts 2 church did, lived together.


If you want to learn to really love someone, to develop patience for another- live with them.
If you want to really know someone- share a kitchen with them.
Want to know how to pray for others- sit across a table with them daily.

Want to pray with someone on a regular basis- share a living room sofa with them.
When we are forced to do life with others it can truly become an amazing experience.

It has been really cool having Vaughan and Sarah live with us, not only have I gained a daughter but I know can borrow clothes and purses from someone, I can count on dinner being made when I'm not home and one day soon I will be able to count on waking each day to see my granddaughter. We can share prayer requests, frustrations, questions.

No- I'm not a fan of emeshed families but I'm not so sure any part of the "America Dream" is healthy or really lines up with God's Word.
Am I saying I want my kids to live with me forever, no; but in a way yes. If we can pool our resources to live and pool our time and efforts into living to further the Kingdom of Heaven then why not live across the hall from the people I love; and why does this current communial living have to stay the same, perhaps in the future the people who live across the hall will have different names but the togetherness of God's people will remain the same.

I see this "living" all around me actually. I have three friends, with children, who live with their parents- and no they are not jobless couch potatoes. I know students living with caring adults who are not their parents. I know friends who opened their basement to families in transition and then they themselves did some basement living as their life transitioned. I use to think negative things about these kind of living arrangements, but now I see the value in it.
The call to do it.

Family.

Family for us extends far beyond the blood that runs through our veins.

Family.

... is what we are. Made by a God who desires us to not only commune with Him but with each other.

To love one another faults and all, to care for each other even when we don't want to.

To do life together.

So I ask you, who are you doing life with?

and I challenge myself: does my home look and react, behave and love like Jesus would? Like I've been called to? Are we living to further the Kingdom or living to further ourselves?

Let's live! and live for Christ!

Pre-Wedding Pics, sorry no bride and groom

I actually took no pictures at the wedding, well that's not true I took a few with my mom's camera so we'll see if I ever get those!!
I just wanted to enjoy the day and not fuss over pics.
I did take a bunch leading up to the big event and when we get the video and professional pics I'll be sure to post some of the bride and groom.
Until then you'll have to be happy with these:

Here's a taste of what the centerpieces looked like:

The difference was that the floating candles were in the smaller jar and the medium jar held their wedding favors. The favors were bookmarks that Sarah and her friends made!
This was the head table, of course it looked much different but this was the prep station for the centerpieces.Rehearsal dinner parking at our place:

Rehearsal pictures:

Since I was the wedding coordinator I went Saturday morning with Steve, Vaughan and my dad to get the place set up. This is the view from where Pastor Ron stood. This plant stand made by my grandfather, who passed away a few years ago at the age of 94, served at the podium holding the Bible. The tree house in the tree was where Vaughan and his friend Scott spent many, many an afternoon playing. Vaughan was in that fort when he was swooped by a mama hawk, she actually swooped him twice leaving claw marks on his head!!!

Here's the opposite view from where the wedding party began their walk.

The archway they came through from the orange grove behind.

Close up of the backdrop behind the bride and groom as they exchanged their vows.

A view from behind the back drop looking at the ceremony.

I decided to leave with my boys, the last photo taken of our family for the last 17 years.

My dad was visiting and we had to take an picture from this angle!

The ceremony and reception went great! 10 days of planning and it was beautiful, I like wedding planning- hmmm, maybe a job for me??

They didn't have a traditional cake but cheesecake and chocolate cream pie instead. The toasts were heartfelt and the fellowship a blessing!

Finally they loaded their car and headed out!

Back at home I pulled my camera out.