Gotcha!

Gotcha!!!  That's definitely one word to use for what happened on Saturday night, March 13, 2010!  The "plan" was that some close friends were picking us up for a night of jazz music and dinner.  All things were going according to "plan", or so was we thought.  We pulled up to a lovely establishment called the Farmhouse . We enter in and BAM!!!  We are greeted with "surprise" and "congratulations"!!  Overwhelmed, shocked, heart-touched, humbled, loved, happy; these are just some words to describe what was going through our minds.  Are children planned a huge surprise party to celebrate milestones for us.  We are both turning 50 this year and we will also be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. 

The total surprise and shock, besides being clueless...is that Jim's birthday is soon, March 17th (actually I was in the process of planning a surprise party for Jim and all the time our daughter was sending out emails to say "reply to the party that we're doing", only let mom know that you plan to attend the other party, but the party on the 13th is the "real thing"), but my birthday is not until June 30th and our wedding anniversary is June 7th. 

What a great event!!  We saw friends that we have been close to for over 30 years.  We had opportunity to talk with some family members from out-of-state, who weren't able to attend because of weather issues, but we truly felt their presence. 

Jim and I could hardly speak when we first saw all the work that our children did for us.  What a special way to honor us.There was a slide show of our "life" together to this date and music of the 60's and 70's playing in the background! 

To start off the evening, we had "our first dance" together to "Our song" You decorated my life-Kenny Rogers.  There was great food and wonderful memories and "catching up" shared.  Barbara Bush states a definitely of a family that I love: "To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." ~Barbara Bush  Everyone that was there that evening was "our family".  They have "been there" for us as we have "been there" for them.  Hugs were evident and love and laughter was everywhere.

The above description does not do justice to the impact and the experience that we had to be honored by our children and celebrated by some close friends!  All this: because two people fell in love!  In June of 1980 two very young people committed their lives to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part!  We started a family in 1982, with the birth of our son-Matthew, and added to our family in 1985, with the birth of our daughter, Megan.  We grew together as a family, individuals, and as a couple.  Our lives continued to intertwine with people who not only became friends, but became part of our family.  In 2008 we added another member to our family, Lindsay-our son-in-love.  Our lives are full of joys and some sorrows and much prayer as well as a ton of laughter!  We are so blessed. The love of these "two young people" is guided by God who is the center of their union! Our credit for such great kids must go to God as well as those people that God put in our lives to help in raising them. We have thanked God every day for the blessing of our children. 

Oh What a Night is was!!  We feel that the words "thank you" aren't enough to express our gratitude, but as dear friend stated, "thank you is enough between close friends".  So THANK YOU Matt, Megan, and Lindsay, our love for you is unconditional and increases with every passing day! THANK YOU FRIENDS  for a night that we will never forget! The milestones of 2010 will be remembered along with other important dates in our life together. 

Living R Lives together:  March 13th was an example of those daily blessings.  The lives that we touched and touched ours over the span of 30+ years, how joyful, how pleasant, how grateful, and how blessed. Another favorite is a passage in Colossians, when Paul states, "Love is what binds us together..." Col 3:14. The bond of Christ was evident in the room that night. It was because of Him, that we celebrated.