Happy 19th Birthday Ryan!

Happy Birthday to my youngest  - Ryan Caleb!  

So wishing we could have been with Ryan today to shower him with gifts, and love, and encouragement, and cake and ice cream, and all the birthday "stuff!" 

So unbelievably proud of him for the obvious man he is - so independent and making it out there in the world all on his own.  

Proving to all of us what we knew all along - that he was going to be a successful person.  

He was destined for it.

From the time he was little.

Creative.

Handsome.

Super intelligent.

Extremely humorous.

Generous.

Good with facts and money.

Amazing common sense.

Sharp intuitive business sense.

Hard working and diligent.

I could go on and on - but suffice it to say that we are so proud of our Ryan.

Cannot believe he is 19 today.

Here are some photos of Ryan through the early years!  

You can SEE the personality he has shining through even when he was just a boy.

 April 29, 2000.  

One of the best days of my life.

 Ryan was hands down the HAPPIEST baby I had. 

Most content.

 Cake from 12th birthday

 These two who grew up together!

 Always a special bond with his brothers

 Fourth birthday!!!

 First day of school!

 Science Fair project and award!

 Looking up to Matt - literally

Pressing Down Hard

"Just exhale (right now)...and smile.  Sometimes smiling is an act of defiance against what's pressing down hard.
Sometimes smiling is an act of sheer bravery.
Sometimes smiling in brokenness is how we remember:

We are the Resurrection People and there is more happening than what seems and we practice our faith.  Practice Smiling.  Practice Joy.  Practice counting gifts.

He's got us today.  No situation is more hopeless than our Savior is graceful."

This came across my feed just as I sat down at my computer to catch my breath and try to get perspective.  

How timely.

Many situations are "pressing down hard" right now.  At this moment, we have movers loading up our possessions to move to California.

Only thing is - we don't even know if we have a house to go to when we get there. We were supposed to know by now.    Time was ticking.  Still no word.  We had to decide - do we go forward in faith?  

Do we just give up and stay and wait? We decided to press on.  

We may be renting another storage unit to put our belongings in, and then live...

somewhere else?  Find a rental? What an adventure.

By itself, this might be exciting, but other things are also "pressing down hard" right now.  At this same moment as the move, my dad is in a hospital having tests done on his heart.  Texts going around in the family group chat.  How is dad?  How is mom holding up?  So much to "worry" about.

Practice smiling.  Practice joy.  Count gifts.

We are supposed to be going to a memorial service next month for my nephew.  Grief entered our world deeply.  We cannot even book our flights because we don't know where we will be when that time comes.  Pile on more stress...

So, we carry on - we hope for our home deal to go through, we hope for good news about my Dad's heart, we hope that on Monday we know where we will be living.  But if none of these things come to pass, and amidst a dozen other long weighing situations and hoped for answers and waiting for news, we will carry on and know that God has a plan for us.  A place for us.  And meanwhile, we will keep on counting gifts.  And practice smiling. 

Easter

Putting out this plant and $1 chocolate cross is literally all I did for Easter this year.

But it's okay.

Whether or not we celebrate it on Easter day, the truth doesn't change.

Jesus died a horrible death, rose again, and because of that, 

we have eternal bliss in heaven with him.

We have hope in this life.

We have certainty of joy in the next.

We have a promise of help in all our trials on this earth.

We have the assurance that all things work together for our good.

All things. 

Not one moment of pain is wasted. 

It all works together to create a beautiful tapestry.

Thank you, Jesus.