they tied the knot

We made a weekend road trip to Oklahoma City to be a part of Andy & Laura's wedding last month.

We stayed with good friends Ryan, Adriane, and Graham Smith.

Ryan and Daniel were buddies when Daniel lived in Turkey and Daniel met Andy through Ryan when he moved down the DFW area. Andy and Daniel were roommates when Daniel first moved here. Anyhow, Josiah became good buddies with Graham for the weekend. And, Graham was so sweet to share all of his toys with Josiah. They started a band...

And, Graham even taught Josiah how to work puzzles!

Daniel was a groomsman, and may I add, he was the most handsome of all of the groomsman. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful - just so tender and intimate. The LORD's presence was definitely thick in that room! I thought I'd take Josiah home right after the ceremony, but we decided to get some grub at the reception, and Josiah had his latest night ever! He stayed up until 10 at the wedding and pooped out at our friends' house at 10:30 after his bottle. He was quite the trooper. It helped that at the reception there was loud music, lots of people, and dancing. But the biggest help of all was the strobe light. He liked following the lights on the floor!

We always have such a fun time when we're in Oklahoma City. When the LORD closed the door on our moving to Turkey in the summer of 2007, we had considered moving to Oklahoma City to build community with Andy, Ryan, and Adriane. But, the LORD led us to stay in Fort Worth and at Grace. We sure do love our visits to OKC and although there is often a pretty long span of time between visits, once we're there, it's like we've seen them all year long. Isn't God good the way He blesses friendships and causes His children to encourage one another, challenge one another, laugh with one another and cry with one another? We love it that Andy & Laura and Ryan & Adriane are those kind of friends!

a tribute to my Granny...

My Granny went to be with Jesus 2 weeks ago tomorrow, in the wee hours of the morning. She was 90 years old. Some words to describe my Granny would be: faithful, fiesty, innovative, hard-working, perservering, creative, diligent, loving - lover of family, birds, books, and last but not least, Coca-Cola.

Granny lived through the depression, married, had 3 children, had a house catch on fire and another burn to the ground, outlived her husband by 45 years and never remarried, outlived her son by 29 years and one of her daughters by 6 years, all of which had tragic deaths. But you know what? I never once heard my Granny say one negative thing about all of the hardships she endured. And, through it all, she trusted Jesus. Talk about faith? What a sweet testimony she left behind of being faithful to Jesus through thick and thin. Yep, that was my Granny.

She wrote in a couple of notepads throughout the day. When we were in Ruston a couple of weeks ago, I found one that had been beside her bed and another that was at her breakfast table. Here's an excerpt from a couple of her journal entries:

"Friday, July 24, 2009, 12:25 p.m. - So here I am in bed - I can see beautiful trees - and pink flowers high on limbs in the sky. Trees planted long ago - to edge my vegetable garden space. There's the 'hole' in the tree limbs through wchi I send many prayers - and the Good Lord said yes to most of them and helped me through the others and I've often said 'thank you' for a wonderful family - now and for all my life. This south west room has had a lot of 'living' here. As I lie here I'll read some books - Bud my sister sends so many of them - nine the latest yesterday - there are many cross word puzzles from the Ruston Daily Leader and others - a few finished. My Bible is near by to read, with many notes from Annie. I smile many times when I see a 2 1/2" picture of Orphan Annie, and a comic picture from children's books from long ago when I read to the children from their books. - a little nap."

"Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 11:30 - Kim caled - we will have a new little boy at Christmas"

Granny's last playtime with Josiah

I had called Granny just 4 days before she passed away. I called her on the Wednesday we found out we were having another boy. So sweet to see that phone call recorded in her notebook. That was the last time I talked to Granny. However, the last time I had seen her before she died was in early June. It, too, was a sweet 'last' with Granny. Two of my best friends from high school and their kids joined us, along with Jenny and her kids, to play in my Granny's backyard. The yard where we played as children - there's a treehouse, trampoline, swings, and beautiful flowers in Granny's yard. Granny sat on her back patio in her wheelchair in the heat to watch all of us. I know she very much enjoyed seeing the kids laugh and play and I'm sure she thought about us, her grandchildren, all grown up with families of our own now. We had breakfast with Granny the following morning and returned to Arlington that afternoon. I sure didn't know then that I would never see my Granny again here on earth.

Granny and me the afternoon my friends came out to her house.

I am so grateful for these last memories with my Granny.

It is so comforting to know that Granny is now with Jesus. After 6 different hip replacements and a recent broken femur, I'm sure she's definitely enjoying her new body! Though her old body is no longer here on this earth, I am so grateful that I can be assured to see her one day - me, in my new body and she, in hers!