Making spirits bright....what fun...

I'm just not feeling it this year...as with many Christmases past...I battle depression, though it really is my favorite time of year...heck, my birthday is the week before...how can you not love Christmas??

Purposing to breathe, to be still and to cling to my Heavenly Father...the very One that my Parents before me taught me to believe in, to run to in times of trouble and in times of joy....

We do this....it has not been without its struggles and highs and lows but as a family, WE CLING TO JESUS. 

We've been moving toward Him for a while now, purposefully, so that is why this is hard to blog about...We haven't changed, the others have. To see your family members walk away from the Lord is hard to take. The ones that you thought were seeking him...or acted like they were....

As I type, we've finished a busy Wednesday with weigh ins, piano, grocery shopping and overhead, Mel plays her piano, worships her Lord with a shaky and cracking voice. As much as family strife hurts our hearts, and oh it does, we find our solace in the Lord. When we don't know what to do, we praise Him. I am so thankful for the testimony of my daughter, my sons, my husband, to worship in times of immense pain and confusion.This is one of those times.

As I left for choir practice on Sunday afternoon, our friend, Brendan, who is currently living with us, had just gotten off the phone with his parent. He was weeping and broken over the convo. Will got out his guitar and they sang some worship songs together. That is what I saw as I went to practice. What a sight for a mom to behold! Little did I know that he'd do the same thing for me 12+ hours later, calling me with Scriptures to read and words of encouragement...Ethan, my tender hearted guy, has wept right alongside me. 

It makes no difference to you, blog reader, what has transpired in my family...it has been a long time in coming. To be "uninvited" someplace without so much as a phone call for a discussion with me about a situation is more than I can comprehend...It makes no sense. How do I tell Levi and Molly? All they know is that they are heart broken and confused. sad beyond words and aching.

I will continue to find my joy in the Lord. I will put on a smile, sing the songs, attend the services, celebrate my 44th birthday, curl my short hair, attempt to send out cards and gather a few gifts for my kids and maybe a little extra one for my future grandchild....this strength is not my own.

I'm going to leave you with a few of the kids' wedding pics that they got from Nat a few weeks ago...they are so precious....forgive me for my heavy heart.  This is one of the hardest things I've encountered...right up there with losing Jack Oliver. 

three wise men...so handsome!

best friends, bro

beautiful bride

Sarah

superheroes have arrived

Mandy and Mel

a moment I've imagined for 22 years. once it arrived, I found myself unable to lift my head. surreal. beautiful. my boy.

Mother of the Bride

Handsome Ring guy

Flower Imp

Uncle John and the vows

first legit kiss!

seriously so amazed at this guy. aside from his magical tresses, he has a love for the Lord, mercy and truth that I haven't seen a lot.

Mack Attack

Baby Claire

Piper, the guest book queen

handsome nephew Jay, 5

Dashing nephew Ryan, 6

ended the night with worship, led by Mel and Michael Johnson.
awesome.

had to have Jack representin'...he was there, with his bow tie on.  Natalie's attention to detail, the details of my heart, blow me away. Thanks Nat.
All photos: NRS Photography
You should hire her...she does magical work.

Wedding highlights n stuff...a month later....

Natalie, the family photographic genius, did such an amazing job capturing precious moments on September 17, 2016. Can't wait to see the rest.
I must add here, also, these pics uploaded sadly out of order again and I'm too pooped to try to re-adjust them.

Levi, enduring some allergy testing, three days before the wedding.
His spinal surgery will take place next Monday, Oct 24th and we covet your prayers.
I know it'll be good and that it's totally and completely in the Lord's powerful hands but my heart is struggling.
We are totally at peace with this latest development.
I love how out of order these pics are. cracking me up.

some candids before the ceremony

Sweeties

Beauties

My younger bro caught this tear jerking moment...My sister is a tender hearted dame. And I love it so much. She said this was when Will seated me. I admittedly cried too...

One of my favorites.
Still so strange to think that we have a married kid. It's wonderful, oddly cool and all together amazing.

So, we "bumped" into the newlyweds while on a "business" trip to OH.
So much love.
And IKEA.

The Greenhills and Ochoas...from my dad's side of the tree.

Jill, in a Laurie & Becky sammich

E and Mel, the Sunday after the festivities. again, forgive the out of orderliness.

Taylor Girls....my mom's side!

After Rehearsal dinner, we all trekked down at the canal...Will and Joy had given everyone in their party these cool baseball tees that had their wedding hashtag as well as wedding date and on the back it said Young '94 (since Will and Joy are both 1994 babies, exactly two months apart in age)

Ian popped into this one!

The morning of the wedding...this is the tent that was supposed to be put up on Friday...oy.  Thanking the Lord that the weather did eventually clear up. and the humidity and mosquitoes came with that improvement in weather....

Joy and the bridesmaids, prayer. 

My MI cousins and my sissy. So glad to have such good family support. Loved seeing our relatives.

Parent's Prayer, led by Joy's Dad.

The evening ended with an amazing time of worship....led by Michael Johnson and Melanie. It was such a beautiful way to end the day...Will n Joy even went up for a song. 

 

so happy for you two.
We love you both so much!

sorry for the late update! To say that our lives have been whirlwinds would be an understatement....

I have so much I'd like to update and I'll do my best so here goes.

-Today, David, Levi and I were up before 7:00 am to head to Ortho Indy for Levi's pre-operative appointment...If you know us, you know that we don't do 7:00 am, let alone, say...9:00 am. If I struggle tonight, this is why. I'm a night owl. and not even doing that so well these days....Levi did really well enduring three vials of blood being removed from his arm...As mentioned above, his surgical procedure, to place a rod in the top part of his 67 degree curved spine, will take place next Monday, 10/24/16. Dr. Schwartz, L's surgeon, is incredible.

-Admittedly, it has been more than a little weird to not have Will and Joy around all the time. or even often...or occasionally. I get it...they are newlyweds...getting to know each other and adapting to their new lives together. All good and necessary. But my momma heart misses them both badly and the times we all shared together. I'll get used to it.

eventually.

hug your babies k? they really do grow up too fast.

Their wedding, as showcased above, was such a blast and such a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ at work in their lives and the lives of all involved. God is SO good. So thankful to have been a witness to it and to the endurance that Joy's parents showed in pulling off such a beautiful celebration. They are from NC so they were doing it all 12 hours away from their home. Loved every tiring, stressful, sweaty moment of it.

-In light of L's upcoming surgery, and his birthday, the week after, all of us are planning to take him to a Drury in Cincy to celebrate him a little bit before hand. He's such an interesting guy...soft, tender, unique...can't help but lift up prayer every time I get to worrying about his procedure and subsequent healing time....

-Ethan is savoring his role as lead big sibling and doing it with pizazz and a firm hand. He and Mel have taken it upon themselves to become the "school board" around here. They have made a list of guidelines and checklists that the two youngers and I complete daily. I appreciate and need the accountability on so many levels.

-Molly is maybe going to sleep in her own room tonight. fingers crossed.

I'm at the end of all the updating I'm going to do this evening. Knowing me, I won't be back till November so I apologize ahead of time....Check us out on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates. I know you're dying to know...

admit it....

I kid.

Hugs and prayers to you, loved ones.