so yeah....I'm still here.

Gramps Greenhill was so handsome!

Tom's birthday...

Tom, my cousin Scott and I adorn my dad...so dapper.

Tom, Jenna and I admire our Grandpa G.

Tom and I.

Most of my Greenhill cousins (-Jon, who wasn't born yet)

with both sides of my family

one of our summer trips to Walpole Island.

Family memories....ahhhhh.

Back in the days when life was easier, slower, seemingly more trustworthy....

I really don't even know where to begin in blogging any updates so I'll just do the obvious...blog about updates....

David, Mel, Levi, Molly and I headed to Gulf Shores two weeks ago yesterday. We had a restful time and it was seriously so so sooooo good to get the heck outta Dodge. for real....though some serious work issues followed us down there, David did a great job trying to stay engaged in the vacation time. As a business owner, it is truly difficult to "get away" and not have to touch work stuff. It just doesn't happen. YFF is facing some pretty challenging days but we are leaving these iffy things in God's hands. We have good people in our workforce that have gone to bat for us. Also, some people on our work force who have not gone to bat for us...but that's a blog post for another day or another lifetime. blah. Please continue to lift David up before the Lord, as he faces some pretty cruddy situations. (I must also add, that we are facing some pretty great work situations also!! we will take the good with the bad any day. We will praise the Lord through all of it.)

Our time down south was really nice and went by way too fast. I could live on the beach....that is all.

The Tuesday we left town, we found out that our Aunt Sherry had a medical emergency...from what Uncle John related to us, she was brought back to life. She is on the up and up, will require a month or so of rehabilitation. Thank you for continuing to pray for her. We love her so.

I honestly just don't even know what else to blog about...all is well here. December, in true December form, has swooped in and overwhelmed me. I am always glad to "survive" Christmas, swore I wouldn't struggle with it this year and here I am...struggling....

choosing JOY but struggling. Overwhelmed by how hurtful and damaging some people can truly be...people you think you know. Heck, You'd think I'd be used to it by now...people will let you down...there is only ONE that sticks closer than a brother.

His name is Jesus Christ.

He is the One we celebrate. Not just this month but every day of every month. He is Immanuel....GOD WITH US.

I am clinging to the promise today that HE IS WITH ME.

He is more than just a fun thought for Sunday. He is worthy of our praise, today and every day.

Love you...hope that this finds you well.

Immanuel.

seriously thankful

Bear with me...this post could go all over the place.
Not sure what we were doing in the pic above but I know it was taken at my 40th birthday party.

I met David Young at the summer's end in 1992. I had no intention of getting married to anyone though it was always my first thought. I walked into our church's Bible college orientation...there he was. All that wavy brown hair, big bushy beard and those gigantic eyeglasses. "What's with the lumberjack??", I asked my friend....

Charming and different...those were the first thoughts I had of David. Goofy, tall, well-made, good hands (always the hands)...there was just something about him. We spent a lot of time together, as a group, with my family...and I slowly realized that he might be the guy I'd spend the rest of my life with. Not at all what I had envisioned but God always surprises me.

He told me early on that we would get married.

I laughed and told him I wasn't getting married till I was 25.
(I gave birth to his third child, first daughter at 25. again, God + surprises = :O)

He told me he was going to buy me a car.
I got a little convertible match box car, which I still have today.

In March of 1993, I went on a trip with my aunt and cousin to TN. I missed that crazy boy something fierce. When we got home, I got a ring and a bottle of nonalcoholic sparkly.

We set the date to April of 1994, which we changed to November of 1993. On Thanksgiving of this year (2014) we will celebrate 21 years.

Now, I'm not gonna lie...it hasn't been easy. Not even CLOSE. It's true what "they" say, it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to make this thing go. It does. Especially when you have two head strong kids from interesting homes and various issues....

I remember thinking, on my wedding afternoon, as we left the church for wedding night...."This is it?? Where are all the doves, the hearts and sparkles??"

And many times that first year or seven, I thought, gosh, this is too challenging to me....but this guy...he is just so amazing and I know he'd take a bullet for me or jump in front of a fast moving train.

We have learned SO much over the past 21 years. I could fill up books and I kinda have. We have been through some of the hardest moments of life but also some of the most amazing. I get to share all of that with him. That goofy lumberjack.

David comes across either very laid back or very intense...depending on what situation you meet him in. Yeah, he's pretty intense, but considering the men he's come from? he's one of the mild ones. True story. He's facing some pretty weird and rather painful experiences right now and to watch him deal with such grace and mercy is honestly one of this earthly life's greatest blessings. He mirrors EVERY DAY what he reads in God's Word and HE LIVES IT OUT.

He has high standards, is a perfectionist and communication is his specialty..Customer Service is #1, which translates to us...He is our family's biggest and most giving servant. He is thorough to a fault.

Yeah, it can be aggravating, especially because I'm not even close to his level of any of those things...especially thoroughness. I won't lie, we've had more disagreements on this than my kids or I would care to admit....He tells me he loves me and my messy ways...

He holds me accountable and is my biggest cheerleader. He has encouraged me to take care of myself and to be a better mom.

I'm blogging all of this because I'm watching David go through some very difficult, work-related situations right now....I love him. It's hard to watch hurtful things take place but we know the Lord is in control. He's got this and I've been watching things like this happen for over 20 years. When one is as close to the Lord as David is, trials come and victories are won. I like to think of my  David as the David in the Bible....the Beloved. Seeking the things of the Lord. Righteous.

Please pray for my dear heart. Also, as we come up on our 21st anniversary, pray for strength. It never gets "easier", it just gets different. We are learning so much and I'm so grateful for that fact.

Thank You, Lord, for my husband. He is Yours and he is amazing.

More thoughts on David later. Hope this post finds you staying warm and enjoying many blessings.

virtual journal

Feeling super thankful for this online journal today....thankful for the peeps that read along with me! Sending out lotsa love to you today....your love, prayers and blog visits keep me going.

This past Thursday, October 30, 2014, was Jack's 40th month away from us.

Found it kinda funny that it was a Thursday. I didn't make it to his grave that day, due to the union audit and general weariness of the week so we made the effort to get there after our morning service yesterday...all 7 of us, visiting his little earthly plot. 7 sets of feet that wanted so much to chase that little fella...

7 sets of eyes that wanted to look at his precious face...

7 noses that wanted to sniff his glorious baby self...yeah, I know, he'd be well past 3 by now, probably smelling more like a worm than a glorious baby now but still....

7 sets of hands that wanted to toss him in the air,  hold his hand or show him how to build Lego things...

7 hearts that ache for heaven a little bit more every day...

But 7 hearts that also praise the Lord for the gift of Jack, for if it wasn't for him?

We wouldn't really truly know just how blessed we are, how good and strong our God is and just how fantastic Heaven will be when we get there...when we see the face of our Savior and our little heavenly ambassador (though I can't wait to see just what Jack is like when we do get there...a man, a baby, a small boy??? ooh, I can't wait to see)

Just thinking of that sweet boy this morning...always....hope your Monday is off to a good start...I pray that this week is chill and that the daunting things our family faces are met with grace and goodness.

Thank You, Lord!

Harvest Bash Pict-o-rama!!

Even though I seemingly have time, still sitting here at the audit...ho hum....I am not going to go thru and label each picture so if you have any thoughts and/or questions regarding any pics, feel free to leave me a comment...