my person

my husband is fifty plus two, today!  it sounds too crazy to be true.  how are we this old?  i started dating Jeff when he was less than half this age...we've been together for almost 30 years!  how even??!?!

 

there's lots i adore about this man.  so many things.  a few things rise to the top, however.  

he loves Christ and has deep gratitude for what this has meant in his life journey.  he is unwavering in his faith.  no shifting or wishy-washiness with circumstances or storms.  to him, what was true then is still true now.  he is firmly rooted and lives a life of gratitude for God's rich grace.

he is authentic and real.  what you see is exactly what you get.  no facade, no pretenses, no shifting personality to suit a crowd.  love that about him.  he is and always has been 100% content with who he is and what he has.  no reaching, striving, grasping.  just contentment.  it's completely refreshing.

he is fiercely loyal.  to me, to family, to friends, to work and church connections...

his heart is so kind and his compassion runs deep.  without this we'd never have opened our home to so many kids, to so much chaos, to so much less free time and the persistent stage of "crazy".  often people like to think this is all my doing.  they'd be very wrong.  

i could go on and on. i'll stop there and just say that it's such a gift to celebrate Jeff today.  super thankful to be his partner in life.  he's so easy to love.  

here's to your next 52 years, Jeffrey! :) 

15

this guy is 15.  so many feelings about this.  immensely thankful his first mama gave him life.  remembering her on this dear boy's birthday.  

what a journey it's been.  so thankful God has been in it from day one.  His footprints are all over the path that brought Hudson to today.    

and it wouldn't be a birthday if his dear father didn't torment him a bit while he slept.  same stuff, different day, different kid.  and then the picture made it's way to our family snapchat.  because it's how Jeff shows his love....i guess... :)

love you more than you could ever know, Huddy!

how even??

ummm...this is how Jeff found Alemayehu the other night...we turned the light on to take the picture.  side note- he likes to sleep in all those clothes, just like his dad...weirdo.  

seriously, how does one even sleep in this position??

little fella

we are transitioning yet again in our home.  the sweetest little fella has come back to share space with us, for a time.  we love this little soul.  our previous attachment runs quite deep.  we are adjusting while he adjusts, and our adjustment pales in comparison to his.  still, he is strong, resilient and sooo very brave...he really is a bit of a superhero. 

please pray for this little fella and his dear family alongside us.  i so believe in the power of prayer.  pray that steps will move quickly for him to secure a bright future of love and stability, however that looks.  pray for patched-up hearts and hope-filled spirits with lots of tangible supports to be known and shown to all parties involved.  God...work and move and have your way, i pray...