Milestones x2

So, its been a couple weeks now since my last post.  In that time, we have marked school field trips: Liv to Saugatuck sand dunes and roller skating, Laine to Home Depot, the park and getting ice cream at Fantasy Twirl, Devin to Craig's Cruisers, and bowling, off the calendar. We've celebrated Memorial Day in our family "traditional" way: annual parade through Martin with a ceremony at the veterans' memorial park, then the family pot-luck at the music barn. I also got to see 2 kids graduate this year - Devin first from 8th grade, then Liv from 5th grade.  Both will be moving onward and upward to new schools and experiences in the fall.



Devin and Caleb



Olivia and Steven

 Life keeps moving around us.  No matter how much we "slow down" or "de-clutter" our lives, it continues to move forward.  I'm not much for the sentimental-crying-because-the-kids-are-getting-older kind of thing... but these milestones we have celebrated recently... they make me kind of sad.  Seeing how "grown up" my kids look, makes me long for the simpler times of their babyhood.  But, when I look at it that way, I can't keep my rose-colored glasses on forever, either.  Those times were not easy, just, different.  Each age brings its own set of milestones, its own set of challenges.  My heart hurts because Paul couldn't be there for some of these things this year.  But, it also rejoices because now, through God's grace and perfect timing, he'll be there for the high school graduations, for the college football games, he'll be there to walk the girls down the aisle when they get married.  This season of our lives is another milestone.  And we will move past it too.  I pray we can take the positive things with us as we continue forward on our journey. 


Devin, around 2 years old





2012 has certainly been a year of unexpectedness for us.  We embrace the challenges we have faced, because - God knows what we need, when we need it. And, He knows what we are capable of - even when we don't, and don't BELIEVE we can get through something.  Seasons change. Milestones pass by.  I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. (and yes, I hear Steven Tyler singing that as I write it, hehe)

Olivia, first day of preschool