Denver on my Mind

Traveling with Eddie has turned into quite the adventure. Not much different than traveling with "Louise".(Can some techy person help me again...I don't know how to link to a particular past post on my blog?) Anyway, we were delivered to the airport yesterday by the very timely and competent Pastor Jon in plenty of time so Eddie and I split a sandwich, got me a starbucks and made our way to the gate. Uneventful and oh so freeing to be traveling alone. Our flight left Orlando on time and arrived in Denver with 4 hours of a layover. We went and ate...yes, again! and then proceeded to the gate where we waited and waited and waited. The airport in Denver is wonderful. Lots of food and shops, but I was sorta excited about getting to Wyoming. Just wasn't meant to be. At 9:30 at night they said the flight would leave at midnight. So, guess what we did? Yes, at 11:30pm our time we headed to get a snack. By the time we got back the flight had been cancelled for real. Off to a hotel compliments of United Airline. I'm ok with changes and flying by the seat of my pants(NOT!). I really try to adjust but the most interesting thing is that Eddie, somehow in these type of circumstances, is completely calm and at ease. I'm serious. He doesn't get bothered at all. I'm all stressed about the car that is waiting for us and already paid for and the resort where we are staying that will not adjust the cost of our stay for the night we didn't get to stay there. Seriously, this is the most expensive place we've ever stayed and so the cost of that and the money just being wasted kept me up at night. Not Eddie. He slept the sleep of babies and seems to enjoy this adventure thing. I would have said and I by far the more adventuous of the two of us and yet in this type of situation somehow not so much. So here we sit, again, at the Denver airport waiting on our flight to Jackson Hole. It has been delayed again....but the good side is we had a lovely breakfast together. (Man! I sure talk a lot about food) Oh, did I mention that when they shipped us off to a hotel at midnight that we had NO LUGGAGE! No suitcase, no change of clothes, no toothbrush, no hairspray, NO MAKEUP...get the picture? Not pretty my friends. Except for Eddie...looks exactly the same as yesterday and is happy as a clam sitting next to me reading the news on his computer. We are such geeks together. Hopefully I will get to Jackson Hole today. I can't wait to ride in our convertable in the 40 degree weather and sleep at our expensive Spring Creek Ranch. Wish us well. love, jackie sue

25 Roses for 25 Years

Came home to these beautiful roses last night and the sweetest card. Heading to Wyoming to celebrate on Friday. Yay, God! You have done this thing and it is marvelous in our eyes!

Top 10 Reasons I'd Say Yes All Over Again!

Dear Eddie, Happy 25th anniversary! Can you believe it? 25 years ago today we were headed to our honeymoon. Oh the memories! I would just like to publicly list for the whole bloggy world why I am so blessed to have you in my life. I love you and esteem you above all others. You complete me and I'm so grateful to God for our journey together in this Great Adventure. Thank you for teaching me so much in this life. So, in no particular order, I give you the top 10 reasons I would say yes all over again.

1. Faithfulness. God has shown me faithfulness through your consistency in my life. You are not my "steady Eddie" for nothing. You have stood by me through thick and thin(and I'm not just talking about my weight).
2. Self-Control. I have never seen you lose your temper. Not even once. Almost with the dog a few times :) but, you never just lose it like me. I totally admire your self-control.
3. Thoroughness. David, you have taught me that any job worth doing is worth doing well. You never ever do a job halfway. I'd rather hire you to do a job than anyone I know. I know that when you are done it is just about perfect. Thank you for that example. Goodness knows I needed it!
4. Serving. My man, you are a servant. I see it in your life over and over again. You enjoy meeting the needs of others, sometimes to your detriment. A few years ago when you began to ask me before bed every night "Is there anything I can get for you? Anything you need?" Because I am usually, ok, almost always, the first one in bed, it just touches my heart that you are looking to serve me at the end of the day. Most times I say "no, I'm fine." But, if there is anything I want I can ask you and you and you will do it for me. I am daily blessed by your serving.(the clean kitchen at the end of the day never goes unnoticed, even if its not until the next morning that I notice)
5. Stewardship. David you are amazing with money. We couldn't be more opposite in this area. I have nearly killed you with my freedom to spend. But really, you can hold onto the same $10 for weeks. I can hardly hold onto it for 10 minutes. This has been and continues to be a point of contention for us. I promise to continue to work on it. We have both grown in this area, but I continue to admire your ability to hold onto a dollar.
6. Preparedness. This is definitely one of your defining characteristics. MacGuyver is another nickname you have earned. I don't always appreciate this in your life, when it makes more work for me, but honestly, there just isn't anybody like you. I would definitely pick you to be on a stranded island with, and not just for the obvious reasons. You could totally rock on Survivor!
7. Memories. We have shared so much through the years. 2 bouts of unemployment, 2 miscarriages, 3 births, 2 adoptions, building a home in our dream location, church attendance at the same church our whole marriage, holidays, made up holidays, deaths of loved ones, many many many traditions....what I love about you is how you have embraced the importance of family memories. You desire to document them all. You are my videographer, photographer, and light man. You are priceless.
8. Lover. And that's all I will say about that :) oh, and that I am one satisfied woman!
9. Loyalty. You are such a loyal friend. You aren't demonstrative to most people, but when you give your heart you stay put. I admire your steadfast loyalty and have personally benefited thousands of times through the years. Thank you for being so true to me and to our marriage. Your loyalty has built trust in our relationship and I have learned to depend on your love more than I ever thought was possible. Oh how I love old love.
10. Provider. David, as my husband I have always been able to count on you to provide for me and the kids. You have sacrificed again and again to meet our needs and even our wants. You work so hard and so faithfully to be able to provide for us. I know you worry about how we will take care of the little girls, what with our age and all, but I have been blessed by your resourcefulness through the years, and only God knows how He plans to continue to take care of us through your efforts. Thank you for being such a faithful provider.

Well, sweet man of mine,I love you. I am so blessed to have you as my husband, lover and best friend. I am so hoping that God gives us many more years and that I go first ;) I can't imagine this life without you, or the next one either. I just know we are going to be next door neighbors in Heaven and you will still be my gardening buddy. My heart is full and my life is full and you are the love of my life, along with Jesus, and I promise to be yours for all of my days. Thanks for choosing this red-neck girl to be your very own.

Always,
Bun

Oh the grief

Lord Jesus, It is by faith that we watch to see you turn the Chapman family's mourning into dancing. Things like the loss of a precious little girl are just too much for me to take and so I just weep. I weep knowing that You call us to mourn with those who mourn and so today I feel the grief with this family who has done so much for me in my personal walk with You. Their lives and especially Steven's music has kept me on the path to You for so many years. They are people I look forward to spending eternity with. I celebrate that Maria has had a family here on this earth by Your great mercy who loved and adored her. I celebrate that they will be united again in Your very presence. You are gracious beyond all comprehension and I ask You to comfort Will in a way that only You can. I ask You to bind satan and his lies from the heart of this young man. Please protect him and do not let the evil one steal him away from the future You have planned for him. Jesus, may I take each moment that You give me to love those You have placed in my life. Thank You that You hold Maria in Your arms today and that she is Home. Oh sweet Jesus, the comfort that brings to this momma's heart. Thank You so much for the hope of Heaven. I pray that the enemy would have no power in this family as they grieve. I pray that they will hold together for Your glory and that the enemy will have nothing to taunt You with in this situation. Comfort Maria's momma and daddy like only You can. Thank You for Who You are and all You are doing even now on their behalf. Hold this family close Jesus and may they run to You with every ounce of their grief. Protect their hearts from bitterness and endless questions of "what if". Precious Lord, I love You and trust You with all those I hold dear. You are good. Always always and forever. amen.

Matt Graduated!

We had a great weekend celebrating Matthew's graduation from highschool. It was a fun and meaningful time for Matt and us. Thank you so much to all who joined in our celebration and well wishes for this boy of ours who is quickly becoming a man. We are so proud of him and grateful to God for the priviledge of raising this boy and all He has done in our lives through this process. Matt, I am so glad to be through highschool with you and look forward to the future with you, my son, my busterbrown boy and fellow traveler in this journey toward Home. I love you!

The Blessings That Make Me a Momma

(the photos of the girls in their traditional Chinese dresses were their birthday photos...D is 5 and E is 2. The photo of the whole gang was taken back in January. Quite a beautiful group, don't cha think? Course I'm a tad bit prejudice :-) )

Busy, Busy, Dreadfully Busy

My time with Louise was priceless and oh so tiring, but I believe I have finally recovered. Life here on the home front is nothing if not busy. This is such a happening place don't cha know. Ellie turned 2, Catherine had a slumber party for her birthday, we finished our 2nd post placement interview and are officially done with visits from social workers whom we've never met before who have to make a quick but thorough assessment of our family, ballet recitals and mother's day this week, Matt turns 18 and then he graduates and then we have an open house to honor him and celebrate God's faithfulness that we have survived all that parenting a teenage boy involves thus far. Then Catherine finishes school and Eddie and I head to WYOMING for our 25th wedding anniversary trip. After that we are heading to TN for a reunion with our Fuzhou travel group...can't wait to see all the families...see, I told you life's busy. What's going on in your neck of the woods??? Hope you are able to celebrate Jesus in the midst of all you are experiencing, because He loves you so much. His, jackie sue (I will post photos in a few days...ok weeks...but sometime)