The Silver Lining~ 25th Anniversary

On the first day of summer and the longest day of the year,

I get to celebrate 25 years of loving my precious husband!

Today is our 25th silver wedding anniversary

and I sit thinking, reminiscing, and being thankful for silver linings...

In the song Josh sang Sunday, some of the lyrics say~

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think its more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining~

We have had some of the sweetest moments in our marriage

(births and adoptions)

and some of the saddest as well

(deaths and moves)...

all working together to make us who and where we are.

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do.

Scott and I are celebrating by being at home doing the normal things of life.

He is working in his home office.

I am taking care of children and doing house chores.

The thing that makes our marriage so strong

is not putting huge expectations on the other person.

We always thought we'd go away for an extravagant vacation to Hawaii

but instead we are home living life anticipating

our 'vacation' to China coming later in the year. :)

Sad? NO~ exactly where God would have us be!!!

Thought I would share a few of the silver lining moments in our last 25 years.

Our very first picture ever taken together in 1983~

Dated 3 years of my college years~

Got engaged in November of 1985~

My engagement announcement photo.

Rehearsal Dinner photo~

Married June 21, 1986~

Honeymoon bound~

Had our first baby, Savannah in 1989~

Amelia came in 1992~

Rosie was born in 1995~

Sarah Lenox and Parker were born and in Jesus' arms on their birthdays.

Then God began speaking to us about adoption.

In 2006, God sent us to China for EllaKate~

2010 God sent us back for ShayleeJoy~

This year we celebrated the marriage of Josh and Savannah~

becoming a bigger family with 5 daughters and one son~

and have SO much to look forward to...

sweet Will!!!

I am SO thankful God has allowed us silver linings over the last 25 years

and know He is just getting started!

The next 25 will be the best to come I am sure!!!

SO what are we doing to celebrate?

Living life at Lakeshore Drive with the blessings God has given us~

can't think of anything better!!!

James 1:17~

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

For This Child I Prayed~

1 Samuel 1:27

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.

Sunday was a day we will never forget...

ShayleeJoy JingJing was dedicated to the Lord!

The Burgess family shared about their work @ university in China

and the love they poured on the people in Putian City SWI.

The morning began with two littles loving on their baba!!!

SJ's first Father's Day with her forever baba~

Our house was full of love this weekend and

we loved loving on the Burgess family

who was here to speak in our church

and be a part of JingJing's dedication service.

The service was perfect

with the Burgesses speaking, Jing's dedication,

and Josh singing J's song!

We were SO blessed to have family and friends

here to help us celebrate.

A friend with a Putian City son was here all the way from Nashville

and it was SO sweet to spend time getting closer and sharing~

Thank you Heather and Zion for driving so far

and for the precious frame you gave Jing!

Jing loved Ms. Sheryl reading her books~

Besides our two huge families,

we were surrounded by other adoptive families~

the moms and their babies...

The Brooks Family~

The Warwick Family~

We were also loved on by family~

and John Daniel~

This is such a sweet photo of Lydia and Jing.

Lydia loved on Jing when she was still in the orphanage~

she said she would run into the baby room,

scoop her out of the corner and take her outside

where she would sing and dance and pray for her~

Oh Lydia~ how I love you so!!!

Rosie and Sammy~

A cute set of twins~ LOL

After a day of amazing JOY,

it was time to say goodbyes and see you soons~

The sweet thing is we will see the Burgesses again

when we travel to get Will.

They live about 45 min away from where we will stay

so it will be the sweetest thing to be together again soon!

And the MOST bittersweet part of the day

was watching two cars with half my children go driving out of the drive~

Josh and Savannah headed home

and Amelia headed to college.

Scott and I had once again had a VERY emotional Sunday

similar to the one we had the day after the wedding~

change is so hard yet so necessary.

Wouldn't change a thing!!!

Because I am very blessed~

Psalm 45:11~

Let the King be enthralled by your beauty;
honor Him, for He is your Lord.

A Sweet Father's Day~

We had a very sweet Father's Day

(dedicating Jing!)

and celebrating with a house full of love!

What could be sweeter than a dad with his beautiful daughters?

First year for SJ with a forever baba!

A dad with his beautiful daughters and one son?

How about next Father's Day with two sons?!?!

Last year for Will not having a forever baba!!!

(Sent to me by Jennifer along with the video!)

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,

and the hearts of the children to their fathers … Malachi 4:6a (NIV)

How Do You Spell D.A.D.?

The time we have with our children is a gift from God.

Depend on God!

Always love them!

Devote your time!

(Rick Warren)

JingJing Love~

We saw JingJing for the first time in Feb 2010,

accepted her referral,

and sometime in July, I received an email from Lydia Burgess

describing the love she had for little JingJing.

At the time, it was exactly what I needed to continue the wait

for our precious baby!

Then in March, we were able to meet the Burgess family

and spend time listening to their life in China.

They described their day to day life teaching in the university

and the time spent at Putian City SWI.

It just blessed us beyond belief that they had loved on JJ

before we ever knew her!

We were able to choose a weekend for them to come for a visit

and this just happened to be it!

It was SO close to being perfect~

we were just missing Cathy and Joanna!

Our weekend included...

face to face love~

a little swimming~

sister time~

just hanging out~

rides in the boat~

a little computer time~

being together~

one on one time~

family~

How do you even put into words what they have done for JJ?

My heart is SO full for the Burgesses~

they are one of the most precious families we know

and will always be a huge part of JJ's story.

They were here for her dedication service today

and I will post about that tomorrow. :)

Beach Photos~

After dinner last night,

the girls wanted to take photos on the beach.

I was SO happy!!!

The first thing they did was hop on the lifeguard chair

and guess what red words were painted right under Brooke's legs?

Yes... KEEP OFF!

The girls~

The Bigs~

Everyone had someone...

Amelia and Brooke~

Rosie and Leah~

EK and SJ~

Me and Scott~

Family~

Sisters~

The perfect ending to a perfect week~

SO thankful for our week away!!! :)