Happy Birthday Surprise!

2014 - Happy Birthday Aunt Karen

 

 

Happy 40th Birthday to my little sister!  What a joy this journey has been recounting memories with you.  Life hasn't been perfect.  We haven't been perfect.  But we know God has brought to where we are today.  He is faithful.  You are the center of many memories for my children as I hope we will be for Jordan.  I'm thankful for the ups and downs we've been able to share to together.  I truly "count it all joy." You are an awesome friend and even better sister.  Not sure I'll be blogging in my 80s, but I hope we have many more memories to fill in the next forty plus years.

^"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  Colossians 3:15-17

^"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39

 

2013 - Jordan Leigh

What beautiful faces!

A surprised Memaw!  Karen and Scott announced they have been chosen by a birth mom.  Karen and Scott just met the birth mom and her family.  The same day Karen found out they had been chosen, mama was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Thankfully, it was caught very early. 

Jordan Leigh was born on June 6. Karen and Scott arrived at the hospital right after her birth.  Our phone rang with Karen wishing Bryce at Happy Birthday and telling him he had a baby girl cousin.  We all prayed and prayed for a baby for Karen and Scott.  Just as I love hearing my children sing in the pew beside me, it blesses my heart even more to hear them pray. And, pray, we all did.  I cannot begin to count how many times Aubree asked how long it would be.  We were all excited, but there are not words to describe how excited Aubree was.  The day Jordan was born turned out to be a crazy doctor day ending with a procedure for mama, so none of us could make it to the hospital to see Jordan.  The kiddos and I got up early the next day to visit them and then drove an hour and half to Aubree's orthodontist appointment.  It was a crazy day, but worth it to the moon and back to see Karen and Scott with their baby Jordan.

This was an emotional time us all.  Mama's surgery was successful, and she recovered well.  The kids and I went to help after Jordan was born.  Our first night there they allowed me to take care of Jordan, so they could get some well needed and deserved rest.  What a blessing to have a newborn sleeping on my chest.    Even through the waiting and tears, our family has truly been blessed by the gift of adoption.

Jordan's first visit to our house.  She's wearing the coming home outfit Karen bought Aubree.  Jordan wore it home, too.

Four generations

 Two sisters with their blessings.

 

"In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption as sons(and daughters) through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Eph. 1:5-6

2012 - Our Strength Comes from the Lord

 

One year for Christmas Karen had t-shirts made for us with our homeschool name, Firm Foundation Academy.  With her background in education, she has been a tremendous help to me over the years.

This picture was taken at the Creation Museum in KY. On our way there, I got a phone call that mama had been taken to the hospital.  It was a difficult time for everyone.  Scott's family had just been through a difficult time as his brother was very sick.  This was the beginning of difficult times for our family as mama was in and out of the hospital several times during May and June.  She is a walking miracle, and we are very thankful.  These are the life situations where faith becomes real.  We had to trust God no matter what.  I remember being outside the ER room telling Karen that the doctors were telling us mama had a brain bleed.  We had been up all night  She had been up all night.  I remember my heart stopping when she read about "sub-arachnoid hemorrhage."  Then, she headed our way.  It was a precious sight when mama and Karen saw each other as mama was being wheeled into the ICU.  We were on first name basis with the nurses on the hall.  This is not a good thing!  Mama's hospital time ended with her telling her doctor she was not going home until he figured out what was wrong with her.  Wonder where Karen's and Aubree's stubbornness comes from?  In June, mama had brain surgery and fully recovered!!  Thank you, Jesus.

Fun times at the beach with Aunt Karen with creative beach toys.  Whose idea was that anyway?

To show Karen how much they love her and how crazy they are, Mama and Bo drove to the coast for us to all have dinner together for Karen's birthday.

 

A special time our family - Bryce's baptism.  Bryce had been saved for several years, but he wasn't ready to make his public profession of faith.  Bryce was baptized on the day our church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. 

 

I think Aubree was trading lollipops with Uncle Scott.  Do you think the hug worked?

 Mama and her two girls at Christmas. :)

 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.

    From where does my help come?

² My help comes from the Lord,

    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber."
  Ps121:1-3

2011 - From Bryce

 

 

 

Aunt Karen,

     Thanks for being an awesome aunt.  The best (and only) aunt of mine.  Here are some of the memories that I have of you.  Helping with giving me and dad the tent.  A while back taking four kids to the beach which I'm positive was stressful.  Taking us to the beach every other week this summer.  Helping me learn how to dive and being a judge of how good I did.  Taking me to the water park with Luke, Louis and Logan, and with Luke and Aubree.  Taking us to the pool and watching us a billion times.  Playing in the pool with us.  Dealing with us arguing and settling disputes.   I love you and thank you for all the fun and enjoyable times you have provided for us.  Love, Bryce

^"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  Eph. 3:14-20

2010 - From Aubree

 

She is the one…

Fun facts

·      She is the one that will buy me dip-in-dots before supper at the mall.

·      The one that uses old coupons so she has to find a teenager at the registers.   

·      The one that will give me the presents that my parents will not such as nerf guns, light sabers and littlest pet shops.

·      The one that when she is buying me a build-a-bear (bunny) will go over the budget.

·      The one that will take me to the water park.

·      The one that we will eat ice-cream for lunch with me.

·      The one that will get her hands messy with me when we cook.

·      The one that will brush my hair when other people will not.

I Love you.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 2:1-2

2009 - Generations

Aubree's special spot - at the coast, their house, or outside.  Very sweet.

Scott and Karen came to watch them in a play.  They played on the trampoline together and helped make peanut butter pinecone bird feeders to the kids to give as Mother's Day presents.

 Looks like Scott is as excited as Bryce over his birthday present.

 

Aunt Karen pulls one of Aubree's teeth.

 



I had the special opportunity to travel to Washington with Karen as she went for work.  It was a special time for us.  The guys surprised us by having Scott at the airport to welcome Karen home.

Celebrating Karen's birthday!

Family Picture

 

 

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord, your word

    is firmly fixed in the heavens.

⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;

    you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

⁹¹ By your appointment they stand this day,

    for all things are your servants.

Ps. 119:89-91

2008 - Adding the Special Uncle

 

Aubree called to tell Karen about the snow.

 

Easter

Karen pulled one of Bryce's teeth.  Confession time - I've never pulled a tooth of Bryce and Aubree, I never tasted their baby food or formula, and I've been known to call for help when a kid has gotten sick.  Aunt Karen has tasted Jordan's food, pulled at least one of Bryce and Aubree's teeth, and helped when one of them has been sick.

 



 

The kids have loved Scott since the day they met him.  When Bryce heard he worked with transformers (at the time), Bryce thought the super hero Transformers.  He finally understood the difference, but his conversations still centered around super heroes.

 

Engagement picture for Karen and Scott.

 

I think I cried more at Karen's wedding than mine.  Don't worry, I was very excited to marry Newman.  I think it was because I was young and still didn't understand about God being the center of our marriage. Anyway, we were so excited!!  And Mr. Scott became Uncle Scott. 

I Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

2007 - A Special Aunt

 

Karen and Newman always did a great job with birthday cakes!  This was a golf course.

 

The kids favorite place to sleep - in Karen's room.  Now, it's Scott and Karen's closet...

 

Bryce calling Karen to tell her he lost his first tooth.

Karen sang with her church in Greenville at the Governor's Mansion.

 



One of my favorite pictures of Karen and Aubree.

 



 

The kids made Christmas ornaments, and she surprised them with doughnuts. These weren't regular doughnuts.  They were snowmen. Talk about spoiling....

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Gal 5:22-23