Happy Unniversary 2.0

October 26, 2016, was our 25th wedding anniversary.

David and I are notorious for undercelebrating milestones.

Last year was no exception.

I think we went out for dinner.

But honestly, I'm not even sure if we did that!

So this year we decided to put a little more effort 

into our anniversary celebration.

I planned a trip to Gatlinburg.

I had a cabin rented for the week.

And David had scheduled a day to go off-roading

in his (very clean) Jeep.

A whole week

of hiking, napping, reading, off-roading.

Fun, right?

Well.

There's a reason I buy travel insurance for every trip.

Our life never goes as planned.

Never.

At the last minute

something very snuggly and sweet smelling

totally trashed our anniversary plans.

Sigh.

Once Baby A was safely placed with his adoptive parents

I set about saving what I could of our now cancelled trip.

With a few calls 

I found a room near Red River Gorge.

A short drive from home, 

it is a beautiful area full of natural arches,

caves and trails.

The Nada Tunnel

And because sometimes 

God gives us more than we ask for

or can even imagine...

we spent a wonderfully peaceful

(though rather muddy and bouncy)

day wandering through 

Daniel Boone National Forest

on off-road trails that we did not know existed

until we saw the signs.

The trails were so much fun!

We drove only a small portion of them.

I'm guessing I know 

where we will spend our anniversary in 2018!

It's never the big things in life that leave me amazed by God. 

It's the smallest details...

like having an unexpected day of fun off-roading after cancelling similar plans

in order to hold a baby boy that needed someone to love him for a few days.

It might not seem like much, but it was to me.

Ephesians 3.17-20

...you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power,... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory...

Fall Fun - Boating

Of course the boat did not make it into the water before the month of August.

 But we managed a few trips.

John and Emily got to boat with us before leaving for college.

But this is not John and Emily....

John's girlfriend, Rhiane, spent the day with us on the boat.

 Even after being stuck on a boat for many hours with our family,

Rhiane is still talking to us.  

 I think that's a pretty good sign!

What happens when we misbehave on the boat....

We did provide him with snacks and drinks...

Remember our little friend Silas?

Since we were watching him one warm afternoon,

he enjoyed an impromptu trip to the lake with us too.

Fun driving the boat...

Grant is becoming a great deck hand...

helping with ropes and skis and driving.

Which leaves David more time for this...

Lookin' pretty...

Having fun...

Although we spent many trips up and down the lake honing our skiing skills,

Grant and Grace seemed to enjoy our new tube the most.

 They laughed and played and bounced around in the wake.

I prayed for no broken bones or missing teeth.

Goodnight!

Old Pictures - No Logic

 It looked as if Grant was wearing a striped shirt....

But it was only Grace hiding between the two guys...

Speaking of Grace...

she's back in the slime making business again.

 Let her know if you need a fresh bag of slime.

 Family night at the ballpark.

Funnel cakes too.

Grant helping his dad with the smoker.

It's Friday once again.

And what a crazy week it has been.

Again.

A week full of twists and turns and last minute plans.

I'll catch up more tomorrow on the details.

Happy Friday!!

And Baby Makes Three!

Not a family of three...but three different babies we've loved on recently...

Our trip to St. Louis involved much loving on the new cousins/niece/nephew.

We never dreamed

that we would soon be loving on a baby of our own.

After two years without a foster child, 

it seemed crazy to get the call last week

 that a baby needed temporary placement.

 Special thanks to MR. BONES for his 

portrayal of our two year drought 

with no foster babies.

Quickly we dusted off the baby gear

and geared ourselves up for the roller coaster ride

known as foster parenting.

Baby A was a sweet little guy.

Even the college kids came home to give him some love.

He kept us amused with his sweet funny faces.

 And his very uncoordinated fascination

with his thumb and fingers.

But after one short week and much sooner than we would have wanted,

we said goodbye to our newest family member

as he left to begin his new life with his forever family.

Being adopted is so exhausting!!

So now we sit

 

and wait patiently for another chance

to love one of these little guys.

Let's hope it's not another two years

before that happens!

 

We love you, Baby A!

And, yes, Mr. Bones found his way into my house last week.

He's been one very busy skeleton already this year!