Why do you get married?

62 years...

...Married!!!

How do you make it work?  Some would ask Why do you make it work???

My beautiful parents-in-law, 62 years ago.

Time and marriage have a way of adding a few things...

Children and Growing Up

Daughter-in-laws and Opening Arms

Grandchildren and Laughter

Wrinkles out of nowhere

Pounds around the middle

Gray Hair on top

and No Hair for Pop :)

Love Multiplied

Heartaches Unavoidable...

And through it all, one thing remains constant.

The Two Shall be One...

Here on their 50th Wedding Anniversary,

and then Today, still together, going on 62 years Together!

Their marriage has survived miscarriage, military separations, moves, the death of a son, and now the advent of illness and the frailty of aging years...

The constancy of their marriage is like a welcoming light in the window beckoning you home.

It is a journey of faith and commitment and love.

From the first blush of young love to the cherished patina from decades of lived-out love ...

"We need a witness to our lives.  There's a billion people

on the planet...I mean, what does any one life really mean?

But in marriage, you're promising to care about everything.

The good things, the bad things, the terrible things,

the mundane things...all of it, all of the time, every day.

You're saying, 'Your life will not go unnoticed because

I will notice it.  Your life will not go un-witnessed

because I will be your witness'."

                       ~ Beverly Clark, Shall We Dance, 2004

For me, that is Legacy Living at it's finest.  To honor another with your heart, your words, your time, and your faithfulness.  It is leaving a Legacy that will outlast your life.  Their example has left indelible impressions upon each one of us as we too are witness to the enduring commitment of vows spoken some 62 years ago...

For Better, For Worse

In Sickness, In Health...

Marriage isn't for the faint of heart.  The commitment part takes discipline and time.  For isn't Perseverance simply a long obedience in the same direction?

The power of such a covenant is profound, and we are the joyful recipients of these sacred vows.  How blessed we are to be raised up and sheltered under the circle of their love...

Love you always Grandpa Don and Grandma Millie... This Daughter-in-law can't begin to express her love and gratitude for you both... How did I ever get so lucky?!

Graced Forever to be Grafted into your Story,  Always Yours, Jane 

The Brush of Mercy

Grateful...

...for safe travel to Grandpa Don's hospital bed

...for wisdom of doctors and tender ministries of the nurses

...for fluids, and antibiotics, and steroids...

...for oxygen, sustaining the scarred lungs

...for the arms of family, the loving hugs, the encouraging smiles

...for improving prognosis

...for cream soups and chocolate shakes

...for laughter brightening the sterile white room

...for faithful God, for gifts of life

...for believing patriarchs who lead the way, amazing father-in-law who trusts in midst of trial...

Gratitude flows freely this night.  Thank you all for carrying us to the throne of Grace.  We have felt the brush of His mercy, and we bow low with thanksgiving,

                                                  In Grace Always,
                                                                    Jane

  

Babies in the Barn...

 

 

Our newest additions...Triplets born this week!

 

Hard to tell where one baby ends and the other begins.  It's a jumble of kids!  And, oh, so sweet...

 

 

From the top of their downy heads and silky ears

 

 

to the tips of their darlin' little hooves!

 

It's my favorite time of year.  Kidding Season.  Well, to be honest, most every season begs to be favorite.  But our baby goat season is the best!  It is new life.  Hope birthed in innocence.  Crazy, happy goat-kids leaping and bounding around the pasture.  And piles of soft, silken kid babies napping in the straw under mama's watchful eye.   

 

And in the midst of the happy, the phone's ring shatters the bliss  Stacatto message. Heart beats urgent..

 

Father-in-law... pneumonia... breathing labored .... lips tinged with blue... hospital rush.... 

 

We are on our way.  Heading north, racing the ice storm.  Praying, praying as we breath, let the oxygen flow in, sustain life... 

 

Be merciful...