4 years

Happy anniversary, Andrew and Sarah! No one will ever forget how hot it was in Georgia on Oct. 6 four years ago just as they will never forget the mother-son dance by the little Mennonite girl who cannot dance, but anticipating for months the surprised looks on the faces of the Good Doctor and your siblings was totally worth the embarrassment. So glad to have you living in DC now and so much closer to home. Through job transitions and moves and struggles your faith and marriage remain strong. We love you. Oh, and don't you forget about me!

He's a day younger

What do I say for the son who is making me feel older each year as he creeps closer to 30?

I always hate when I read something like, "To the child who made me a mom..." so I won't do that. But I'm feeling it today. Maybe it's indigestion. (10 points if you get the musical reference)

The quintessential first-born. Rule-following. Perfectionistic. Too much like your mother (I'm sorry - but just think, you could have had a stay-at-home father and been more like him.) You got my allergies and my poor eyesight. You got his teeth. But I like to think there are some good qualities that we passed on as well. Creativity. Love of a good story. A great sense of humor. Those come from me. Love of politics and current events. Loving your family well. That comes from my other half. 

As the two of you continue to find your way in DC, I pray that you will draw closer to Christ and to each other, that you will feel more at home in your church, and find a community that will encourage and support you in your Christian walk and marriage. 

Have a great day celebrating with your wife, who after enjoying her day of being one year older, is now the same age once again.

Already not yet

 If Advent is preparation for Christmas, what do you call preparation for Advent? This season of remembering that we live in the limbo of "already, but not yet" has never been more real than in the past few days.

Being allowed to participate in DJ's first birthday party,

enjoying the continuing excitement of the anticipation of another little one,

watching both Mariana and Isaac live out their life's story,

waiting for Andrew and Sarah's move to DC (and a whole lot closer to "home"),

and the heartbreak of witnessing Grandmom's stroke, difficulty in communication, yet clearly articulated desire to see her Heavenly Father. "I want to go home," she says again and again. "Can we sing about it?" I asked. "Yes, please do," was her reply. As we did, each song brought her peace from her agitation and she sang along. When we stopped, the requests began again, "I wanna go home...Father take me home...Just let me come over..." This is the reality of the "already, but not yet" that we live here on earth. Joy and sorrow. Pleasure and pain. All at once. Wanting to go home. Wanting to stay. Wanting loved ones to stay just a little bit longer. Come, Lord Jesus. He has come, but we wait with expectation for His second coming when all sorrow and sickness will be gone. Already, but not yet.

The Messiah has come. He fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Every December we decorate our homes, we sing carols, and we hear the stories repeated in church. We know He lives in our hearts and He changes our lives. But we also know that He has not yet come the second time as He promised. We eagerly await this second coming. As a member of the "Already Not Yet" Club, am I living in such a way as to represent the One who has come but who has not yet come again? Does my life represent His saving power as the fulfillment of His first coming? Do I live with the urgency of His second coming? May I be a light this coming Advent season, and at all times, to point others to membership in Jesus' Kingdom, the Kingdom of Already, Not Yet.

Happy anniversary

As years go, I guess this was pretty typical. Some highs, some lows. But I am full of gratitude for you that you were both able to fulfill a dream of going to Japan together this year. 

Happy anniversary and best wishes for a year filled with joy and love. May you seek Him always and trust His path. May you always keep Him at the center of all you do.

Reunited again

We enjoyed our weekend with Andrew and Sarah. Other than a wedding in September, we had not seen them since Christmas of 2019. It was great to get this trip in before they head out to work at the Olympics in a few weeks. 

It ended up being the vacation of bridges. We met in Cincinnati and walked from there to Covington, KY and back.

Smale Park where Victor was too concerned about

the cicadas to really enjoy himself. After 30 minutes

to work himself up to go into the water (where every drop

on his head was assumed to be a cicada), he lasted about 15 minutes 

before he screamed bloody murder that there was a cicada 

on his shoulder. 

There wasn't.

Peacefully swinging and waiting for our Kentucky kids to arrive

The oldest and youngest reunited for the

first time in 9 months

We found what appears to be the oldest known

statue of a man taking a selfie.

Who knew they had cell phones when

this guy designed the bridge?

The siblings spent the night together watching Star Wars, of course. Not everyone made it til the end.

The next day we walked the bridge from Louisville, KY to Jeffersonville, IN and back.

A rare smile in the midst of thousands of

"There's nothing to doooooooooooo."

Another water park. For some reason, this time

he was not as aware of the cicadas and

certainly not as terrified.

The highlight for all (other than the company) was a visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum where they need to be commended not only for a top-notch museum and tour, but also for their accommodations for the visually impaired. We enjoyed our family's own private, hands-on tour.

One last dinner together, then breakfast in the morning, and we were off for home. A quick trip but a much-needed trip to see Andrew and Sarah. Have a great time in Japan!

March 13

 We figured out that not only are Andrew and Sarah's birthdays a day apart, but they were born pretty close to exactly 24 hours apart.

The little trip down memory lane brought up memories of the day that made me a mom. 

Memories of an OB/GYN who finally took my pain and symptoms seriously and after being recommended by the only other doctor who had taken me seriously, said, "I think you might have endometriosis. Let's get a surgery scheduled to confirm."

Memories of that same doctor who with care and compassion did indeed confirm that diagnosis and who shared with us that we may never have biological children but that if it was going to happen, it was going to have to happen soon.

And that same doctor who continued to walk with us through that infertility journey, who agreed to put me on a fertility drug, but only for 6 months since it was going to exacerbate my endometriosis. The same doctor who confirmed a pregnancy after the last dose of that medication.

The same doctor who said that he wanted to be there for my delivery, whether or not he was on call, but who warned that a Monday could be difficult because it was his day off.

Memories of a labor that lasted beyond Sunday into - you guessed it - Monday, the doctor's day off. But since my chart said to call him when I was in labor, they called him and he came in his jeans and sunglasses. 

The same doctor who said that if I didn't deliver by 3:00, he'd need to leave as he needed to pick his son up from school. The same son that I had had as a student a year prior. They same son who didn't get picked up on time that day because - you guessed it - Andrew John King was born soon after 3:00. The nurse took the call for him soon after delivery, "Ummm, the school is calling. Your son is waiting for you..."

And memories of a baby who came out eyes wide open, quietly checking out his surroundings. A baby who would change lives through storytelling. A baby who would see the world through the lens of a camera. A baby who would change our lives for the better and make me what I had always dreamed of being - a  mom.

Happy birthday, Andrew!

Happy anniversary

Just like everyone else, 2020 wasn't anything like you expected which means that this last year of marriage was not like you had expected.

Jobs gained and jobs lost and jobs gained again. Politics a little too up-close-and-personal. 

And it looks like you weren't really into taking photos of yourselves this year because this was all I could find.

But my prayer continues to be that you will grow closer to the Lord and closer to each other, no matter what comes. That you will continue to make your marriage a priority. I'm glad you spent a few days away to celebrate this anniversary. Getting away is good and the timing was perfect.

For 2021 I pray that "the Lord of peace himself [will] give you peace at all times and in every way."        (2 Thess. 3:16)

And let's pray that you get to the Olympics this year!

A day later

Who knew that your wife was being born somewhere in Atlanta, approximately twenty-four hours before you? Who knew that if you had not taken so long to arrive, you could have been the elder? Oh well, I survived being ten days overdue, and in labor for over twenty-four hours. You had your chance.

Anyway, it was when you were home for my birthday last fall that I was most impressed with your maturity, and your spiritual maturity in particular. Of course there have been many times in the past that I have been overjoyed with yet another step of independence but something really stuck out to me that weekend.

We were going around the room talking about changes as many of you were dealing with significant life changes at that time. You had recently come through the election and the governor had not been re-elected. You did not yet have a new job but you said something like, "I'm honestly more at peace than I thought I would be." Wow! That one statement said a lot to me about who you are and how far you've come. And soon after, you did find yourself in a new role, one which was basically handed to you because of a job-well-done in your previous position.

Life is a journey of (hopefully) growing more and more like Christ. I love to watch each of my children as they live lives reliant on Him. May this year be another year of living and growing in Him.