Happy Anniversary!

Today is the 8th wedding anniversary of our daughter, Megan, and her husband, Ryan. They were married on a typical Michigan summer day. It was hot with just enough rain in the afternoon to make it sticky, similar to the day we were married. It was a beautiful wedding, she was a stunning bride and he the dashing groom. 

Ryan is a good man. He loves his family and puts their needs before his own. I remember Megan telling me when she didn't want to go back to work after having Collin that Ryan told her she didn't have to. He said he would work as much as he could to make up the difference so she could stay home. They equally share parenting duties and are wonderful parents to the two best grandkids in the world! We got to have dinner with them tonight while mommy & daddy went out to celebrate their anniversary. Uncle Michael ("Dude") was here too. We had a lot of fun and he got a lot of good lovin'...

I'm talking LOTS of good lovin'!!!

These two chatted on the patio together for quite some time :)

Because two people fell in love...

Happy Anniversary to a sweet couple, may you have many, many years of love and happiness together as husband and wife!

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."  
I Cor. 13:13

Takin' Candy From a Baby....

Whoever wrote the lyrics, "it's easy, it's so easy, like takin' candy from a baby" must have never taken candy from a baby! Last night we were enjoying the grandkids, watching a movie (for as much as you watch a movie with two little ones), and licking on tootsie pops. Madelyn was proud to have her own just like her big brother and seemed to be enjoying every lick. Collin and the three of us adults quickly made it to the yummy tootsie roll tucked inside. 

Madelyn is too little to understand you hold a sucker by the stick and try not to touch it to keep from getting all sticky. It mattered not to her that those sticky hands were wiping across the walls, the chair, and the sucker itself was being swiped across the carpet. 

None of that mattered to me either but mommy knew the time had come to take the sucker away and warned us of what would follow. Poor Madelyn, she went from total contentment to being completely distraught in mere seconds! 

It was an exercise in the bittersweet and not all that much different with her than with the rest of us. When things are going well, just the way we like it, we sit back in the easy chair and think, "life is good." The older you get, the better you know how quickly that can change. The question is, how do we react? Do we take the good with the bad, the bitter with the sweet? We are never too young or too old to learn and I learned something from this sweet little girl. 

She enjoyed the sweet with much gusto and while the bitter was, well, bitter, she got over it quickly. No grudges or hard feelings, short memory stuff. Time to move on (a quick piece of non sticky licorice helped). 


May it be said of me...

"If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. God is working for His highest ends until His purpose and man's purpose become one."  author unknown

Friday Date Night II

We spent Friday evening with the grandkids again this week and took them out to dinner, this time to the Big Bear Lodge. It is close to home and one of our favorites. They have big booths so we can eat comfortably and, again, the kids were very well behaved. We do know that going out to dinner with little people is different than when you go with adults. With adults, you are slow to order because you're too busy talking, you savor each mouthful because you didn't have to cook it, and probably best of all - someone else is waiting on YOU!  You chat after the bill comes, maybe over coffee and dessert if it's a special occasion, then after a couple hours you leave. With little ones you order quick, you hope it comes quick, you eat quick, and you get out quick! While this is okay for dining out, we do not want this to be the way it is as we watch our grandkids grow up. It happened to us once with our own two. The years flew by too quickly. First thing we knew, we were sending them off to school, then college, careers, marriage, and parenthood. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed every minute of it, even the teen years that people warned us were dreadful. Not so! That is not to say it was all perfect, just enjoyable.

We want to make a conscious effort to enjoy...

every word...

and every smile...

every peek...

and every boo...

every monkey see...

and every monkey do...

every I love you...

and the quiet moments too!

Our daughter would tell you the best times for her are spent with her husband and children. She also  appreciates date nights with her husband, time to herself, and time with friends. She is very thankful to have grandparents nearby. I think she knows by now that we are not watching the kids for her, we are watching them for us, and loving every minute of it!

FRIENDS

Last night we visited with our dear friends, Rod & Carol. How we miss them! We have been friends for over 35 years. I guess that makes us dear, old friends :)

We have so many fond memories of time spent together, vacations, stories that make us laugh hard to this day. Our kids do too. When they heard McGees were in town, there was no question they were going to be here to see them! We had such a fun time together over dinner and nonstop chatter.

We are all grandparents now, they have four granddaughters, so now we share stories about all of them and about when our kids were little.  Tonight Megan told Carol that every time Collin watches Scooby Do, it reminds her of being over their house in the mornings before Carol sent them off to school after I left for work. Michael told Carol how her two boys (a few years older than him) were his heroes when he was a little guy.

We laughed about the same things we laugh about almost every time we get together, they never get old (the stories, that is!) We learn some new things once in a while too that we never knew either about the kids or from them. We talked about a McGee/McGuire reunion and how fun that would be, hoping we can do it some time soon. Until then, we will always remember the fun times we have shared and the love that never fades when it comes to our family and theirs. It's what true friendship is all about!

"Friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never, cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands I know

That a lifetime's not too long... to live as friends."   -Michael W Smith 

Total Darkness

I can remember only two times I was in TOTAL darkness. The first time was when our kids were little and I took them to one of their dad's high school football games (he was the coach). There was a storm that took out all the power. We went into the high school along with the rest of the crowd and I could not see my hand in front of my face. Not surprisingly, our daughter was afraid of storms for a long while after that. It was scary! We could not find their dad but we knew he was there somewhere. The second time I experienced TOTAL darkness was yesterday. It was a bright, sunny afternoon and we went for our usual walk. At the end of the trail, I usually make a pit stop at the community center. Being it was Saturday and the center is usually closed, I was prepared to hold on til we got back home but noticed it was open so I went in. The Fire Chief was inside along with another worker who told me the community center was closed and was just opened for the Fire Chief. I asked if I could use the restroom and he said yes. The lights are keyed on and off so I could not turn them on. I'm used to finding my way around in the dark so I thought no big deal.  Since the lights were off altogether, there was zero light in the bathroom, I am talking TOTAL darkness! It didn't scare me like it did our daughter when she was a little girl but it made me think about something we probably all take very much for granted - eyesight. For that split moment I thought about how awful it would be not to be able to see the beauty of God's creation or the sweet smile of a child. I thought about some of the beautiful places we have been and seen - from the rugged ocean shores of the west coast to the beautiful New England shorelines of the east, to the beauty of our state's upper peninsula in the north, to the sandy beaches of Florida in the south. I thought about how God created it all for our enjoyment.  I also thought about how He provided an escape from spiritual darkness. The familiar and beloved hymn, Amazing Grace, is also a favorite of mine: 

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; 

I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.

And I've never forgotten this acronym I once read that best describes God's Amazing G.R.A.C.E.

God's

Riches

At

Christ's

Expense

Just as my kids found their father and were taken to safety and his protection from total darkness, my Heavenly Father saw fit to deliver me from spiritual darkness to the safety of His arms. I am so thankful for that place of rest each day.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. II Thes. 2:16-17

Double-Date

Things change as you get older. Used to be we would go out for dinner with another couple. Today it's a couple of little people, our grandkids.

Last night we took them out to dinner. On our way Collin asked if we were going to the "Bear Lodge." He has an amazing memory! We were there with him once and he remembered. I told him we were going to take him to Baldo's but if he wanted to go back to the Bear Lodge, we would take him there instead. He said, "no, let's go to Bull-Doze." (He loves trucks, perhaps he was thinking he would rather see bull dozers instead of bears!) With a 3 year old and 1 year old, you never know what to expect. I told Collin if we weren't on our very best behavior the waitress would kick us out. I don't think I should have said that or even needed to because they are very well behaved children. Their mommy & daddy do a fine job to assure that and I am proud to say that their behavior was outstanding!!! It took us right off our pins and needles from the get-go. We also had an excellent waitress who helped speed the process along quickly. We were in and out inside of one hour! We came back to our house for play time. These two children are the joy of our hearts. Yes, they tire us out with their boundless energy, but the things they say and do are just so precious. Little baby girl constantly going up to her papa with outstretched arms for him to pick her up, which he cannot do yet because of lifting restrictions from recent surgery. Instead she crawls up on his lap for hugs, pats, and I love you squeezes. Melted heart #1. 

Or, after tipping the tree over in the living room and spraying all the messy stuff on the carpet, hearing a little boy voice say "it was an accident." Even if it was intentional, he called me in right away to see it and both of them helped put the messy stuff (I don't know what it's called!) back in the pot. Their mommy has done a good job of having them help clean up their messes. Melted heart #2. (No picture of this, a good grammy destroys evidence!) Or, after hurting himself and crying, "I want my mommy" he sits on my lap, we wipe away tears, and then he says, "I'm alright, I'm alright." Melted heart #3. When we were on our way to take them back home, little boy in the back seat is finally tired. Papa says, "Are you a little bit tired?" and he says, "No, I'm all the way tired." (Good, we're not the only ones!) Then finally, the tired, sweet voice from the back seat said, "I had a lot of fun tonight, grammy." BIG Melted heart #4. They will never really know just how much fun we had tonight too!

These are just a few of the things that melted our hearts in one short evening. There are so many more and the ones to come we cherish already with great anticipation. We are so thankful for these little ones who have already added so much to our lives in a short period of time. They are a gift! God is good, His timing is perfect, and we thank Him for blessing us abundantly beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine.

"Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Ps. 100:3-5

I'll Meet You in the Middle

We got out and walked the last two mornings and it was HOT!!! Gary is back to walking the 4-mile path but we parted in the middle while I did the hill and he stayed on the trail. There is a park bench in between the end of the trail and the hill so we decided we would meet back there in the middle. We have been married a long time and find that we agree on most everything. If ever we were out of sync, and especially concerning decisions we made as parents, one of us would either come around to the other's thinking or, on morally neutral matters, we would agree to meet somewhere in the middle. It has worked well for us for all these years; and I highly recommend it!  :)

"You are forgiving and good, O Lord, 

abounding in love to all who call to you. 

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; 

you alone are God."  Ps. 86:5, 10

Independence Day

I am not a history buff. The only thing I liked about high school history class was the teacher. I like to celebrate patriotic holidays because I love my country, hold those who serve(d) in the military in the very highest regard, and am thankful for freedom, liberty, and all they afford to us as citizens of the U.S.A. I married a history teacher. What I thought was unimportance as a student, now I find to be much more interesting as an adult, and not just because I love the teacher; however, that does help :)  Today I asked him to answer this question - What is the true meaning of Independence Day? This is what he said:
"The fourth of July is a time when all of us should reflect on what this great nation was intended to be. The author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, said it best when he wrote "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It's important to remember that all our rights come from God. In Romans 13:1 God said, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Our nation was created according to biblical principles. I believe that is one reason why our nation has been blessed for these past 234 years. The fourth of July is also a time to remember all of those who have given the last full measure of devotion to keep others free and to protect our liberty. Let us never forget those who have fought in foreign wars - from the American Revolution, to the beaches at Normandy, through the sands of Iwo Jima, the jungles of Vietnam, and, most recently, in the desserts of the Middle East. We are truly blessed by all those who have sacrificed so much so that we might have so much."

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: 

except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."  Psalm 127:1 

"Let those of us in America never forget the Lord."

Thanks, honey, that is beautiful...

...and speaking of beautiful, I'll close with these pictures from our 4th of July get-together:

Trust What's Best

Gary got back out on the trail with me for the first time today since his surgery a couple weeks ago. As we walked the usual path, I looked over to the sled hill and asked him if he thought I could go up the steeper side for more of a challenge. He said it would be 'exponentially (his big word!) more difficult' and thought it would be better for me not to push too hard and risk injury. I agreed with that because I certainly do not want to injure myself and be sidelined! After about a mile, he headed back home and I headed for the sled hill to get my cardio workout. As usual, I went up the side of the hill with less of an incline. When I got to the top, I couldn't help but think, I can do this (steeper side). I was tempted to take the challenge. I looked down the front side and then down the back side to see which one looked easier and seriously considered going for it. Then I thought about three young, athletic guys who were working out on the hill the other day and started down the steeper side.

All three decided against it and headed back to safety laughing at each other either for     being sissies or smart, I don't know which. I decided to listen to the good advice of my husband.  He was not trying to tell me what to do, but I know he has my very best interest in mind. He also knows a lot more about training than I do.

As I walked back home, fatigued from the workout, I thought about how every aspect of my life points to the One who created it. How often do I know what I should do or say and go beyond what I know is best, only to regret it later. I trust myself and what I think is best rather than trust the One who knows what's best and always has my best interest in mind. His ways are not my ways because He is Omniscient (all knowing), Omnipotent (all powerful), and Omnipresent (everywhere present). When it comes to every area of my life, big and small, I'd much rather trust Him than myself. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is my Lord!

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:31

Here's to Anniversaries!

We finally, officially celebrated our anniversary tonight by going out to dinner with one of our all-time favorite couples, who also celebrated an anniversary 10 days before ours. We had a great time and many laughs. In fact, we laughed ourselves silly over something pretty silly. We debated about ordering dessert but this place has the BEST carrot cake and something called shark fin pie (all kinds of yummy layers of ice cream, peanut butter, oreo cookie crust, fudge, nuts, you name it!) We were back and forth, first we were getting dessert, then we weren't. We had the poor waitress confused. Finally, she suggested that she could bring them in halves and I thought she meant 1/2 of each dessert to split between 4 people. That sounded reasonable to me because the portions are HUGE! Instead, she brought one full portion of carrot cake and one full portion of shark fin pie cut 4 ways to make it easier for us. So now we have 4 people and 8 dessert plates, WAY too many!!!!! We laughed until we hurt. Then, of course, we enjoyed the desserts.

Marriage takes a bad rap with the divorce rate being so high. It really is underrated! Part of it is laughing at silly things and not taking things too seriously. So, I say, here's to anniversaries, and many, many more!

"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Matt. 19:6

H.O.M.E.

I am on vacation this week, at home on vacation, and I love it!!! I enjoy traveling but LOVE being at home. Home has always been a happy place for me, both as a child and as an adult. Not to say that there weren't times of trial, sorrow, and all the things that make up life, but happy nonetheless. Our folks made sure there was a lot of love and discipline in our home. It was expressed in their love for one another and for all of us.

Mom & Dad ~ 50th wedding anniversary ~ 6.17.2000

All of us at a family reunion that same summer.

The four of us kids were born within 2 1/2 years of one another! Ed was 1 1/2 when Jan was born, and Barb and I ('the twins') were born 11 1/2 months after Jan. To this day, I count them all as my very BEST friends, and their spouses too. Yes, we are blessed!

This is what comes to mind when I think of H.O.M.E.

H - heart. Home is where my heart is. I know I am loved here. I find contentment here. No matter what a day may bring, home is where I either celebrate or recharge. I love being home!

Me & the love of my life! He makes all this possible.

O - lOve - Just as O is the center of lOve, lOve is the center of our home. We love to be together, love to laugh together, love to listen to one another, love to enjoy one another's company.

M - Megan & Michael. Our home changed when we had children, all for the better! We lost our first child to an early miscarriage on January 13, 1978. But God was so good to us and inside of one year, on January 11, 1979, Megan Kristine was born. She is a precious daughter who is now a wife to our wonderful son-in-law, Ryan, and mommy to our sweet, sweet grandchildren, Collin and Madelyn. A little over two years later, our son, Michael Collin, was born on March 22, 1981. He is a treasure who is now also a husband to our dear daughter-in-law, Andi. Home is where they come to visit and where our grandchildren come to visit. I want them to always feel at home here. I want them to know they are loved more than life itself. I want them to know what a blessing they are to us and how deeply they have enriched our lives.

Michael & Megan

Ryan & Megan

Michael & Andi

Megan with Madelyn & Collin

E - eternity. When I think of home, I also think of my home in eternity. In January 1980 I attended a Bible study and was first introduced to the life-changing message of the gospel and salvation. I saw myself as God saw me, not a 'good' person, but a sinner in need of a Savior. I accepted his free gift of salvation with much joy by Admitting I am a sinner; Believing he died for me; and Committing my life and future to Him. Yes, it is as easy as ABC. He has taken what I thought was a great life and made it greater. He gives to us the things that neither this world nor any person can give - He gives peace that passes understanding, joy unspeakable, comfort, long-suffering, grace that is sufficient, and so much more. 

Now you understand why I love being home :)

"May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful."  

Ps. 68:3