Elizabeth is 99!

Today our Mom, Grandma, "GG", Elizabeth turns 99!
What an amazing life for a sweet and winsome lady.
Her sons love and care for her faithfully,
our children adore her,
and I couldn't have asked for a better mother-in-law.

I'm so glad I have some marvelous photos of Elizabeth ...
she's now under Hospice care and is fading from this life.
It's very hard to see her so weak, but thankfully most days she
isn't in much pain.

We love you, Mom.
Happy 99th birthday!


(This photo taken a year or so ago.)

 Around 1940, Elizabeth biked through New England with
some girlfriends. What spunk!



more on the wedding!

I am very sorry, blog readers. Life's been sticky lately and I'm having a time getting to the blog. Blah! But I promised more about David and Chelsea's July wedding so here goes.

The exciting and also a little nerve-wracking fact of having our five oldest grandchildren, ages 2 - 5 serve in the bridal party became real on the morning of July 18. Keeping 7 little children (including the two newborns) fed and rested was accomplished by many helping hands: parents, aunts and uncles, and two sets of grandparents. The little ones also had to be washed, combed, dressed, ferried, and photographed. A big undertaking but also a labor of love for our David and Chelsea.

          Here are the girls, ages 5, 4 and 3 all ready for photos. They held together pretty well!

 

A little wilted before the ceremony. Golly it was hot for us non-Floridians.

Here we have the little ring-bearers, beating the heat at the

St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club (wedding venue) after torrential rain the day before.
 Whatcha gonna do? Boys will be boys.
One bolted during the ceremony, but

all things considered they held it together.

 

 

 

Makin' it work: pre-ceremony snacks and video in the van.

 

 

"Wake me up for the reception."

 

 

Still sleeping .... Jordan with Jenny.

 

 

Wow! Chelsea's mom and aunt made all these cookies, which were

waaaaay better than any wedding cake. Little take-home bags

were provided, too!

 

Lily with Bill and me.

 

Mark with his middle, Ethan.

 

 

 

Have you ever played shuffleboard at a wedding?

Everyone loved it!

 

 

 

Jenny, Jill and Katie: three of "my" girls!

Notice the bride and groom in the background?

 

 

Cattle call for the photographer!

 

 

 

Of course, these two were who it was all about!

Chelsea and David planned a unique, fun and God-honoring wedding.

They had a short getaway in Florida and are planning

a fabulous official honeymoon for November!

 

 

This time a year ago, David and Chelsea had only known each

other a few months. For years I've prayed for my kids and their spouses, even before we KNEW their spouses. I thank the Lord for answered prayers!

(Special thanks to Jenny's mom, Shelley DeGeyter, for

some of these photos.)

 

 

 

 

90 years

My mother was born 90 years ago today.

She died over 36 years ago, so she's been gone quite a few more years than I had her.

 Losing my mother taught me never to assume a person should "be over" their grief.

Never, ever assume.

And the loss also taught me the preciousness of having a mother,

a loving mother who poured into us four kids so much

that she loved and shaped us almost completely before we lost her.

Thanks, Mom. I miss you.

Happy birthday.

 

 

 

 

July has come and gone and I have a new daughter-in-love!

Tampa Bay

My life is a wild, wonderful whirlwind. Well maybe it's more like hurricane season when you wait for the next big one to roll in. In between, there's tranquility.

We've been home over two weeks and "BLOG" keeps staring at me from my to do list. Computer issues, some house repairs, checking in on Bill's mom and catching up on sleep from the Florida wedding trip have kept me from writing.

So, excuses aside, here we go!

Yes, we drove all the way to St. Petersburg, Florida for son David and his lovely bride Chelsea's wedding. We made the drive safe and sound, all 2500 miles round trip in ten days! And the drive was definitely "shortened" by Katie introducing us to the podcast "Serial." Oh gosh, a seriously addictive real-life crime story!

Hot, it was hot as a pressure cooker! Bill and I lived in south Florida our first five years of marriage but the incessant rain they've been having blew the humidity level to around 200%. We dressed appropriately (no matronly suit for me!) and the wedding and reception and even the rehearsal dinner were just fabulous. Most importantly, the bride and groom were thrilled and loved their special day and they are just ADORABLE!

                            (Benjamin Hewitt Photography)

 

                                            Sweet dance on the patio.               (Benjamin Hewitt Photography)

Oh I didn't mention ... the wedding and reception were held at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club ... a SWEET and historic place where David and Chelsea had many dates. Following dinner we all played shuffleboard. What fun!

 

                                                                  (Benjamin Hewitt Photography)

 

 

Lily caught on fast and loved some shuffleboard!

 

 

David's beautiful bride Chelsea, who I prayed would be kept safe and healthy

until God brought them together. I can't tell you how happy I am that they

both waited for each other. A perfect love story!    (Benjamin Hewitt)

 



It's hard "losing" this last son. As CRAZY as I am about my daughters-in-love, I feel a little loss when each son has married. But I'm super proud of each of them, and happy to see them succeeding in life. David and I danced to "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan. Ok, ok, I love it as the intro to Parenthood but the lyrics seemed perfect, even though my son is grown.

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young

 May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young

 May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
 

Bob Dylan, 1973

I have more to share, especially about my grandchildren's roles in the wedding .... next post!

birthdays and bumping along

This gal had a birthday on June 23, but I was MIA and missed blogging it.

Happy birthday, Jill!

She's a mama to three tiny ones, ages 3, 22 months and one month.

Full, long days. But you handle it with grace, Jill.

This photo about sums it up, I think! (Ethan would not pose!)

Hang in there! I love you.

 

 

And this little girl turned four the day after Jill's birthday.

Oh Ashlyn, you're a sweet treasure ...

my curly-headed, lovey, cuddly, sometimes emotional, darling granddaughter.

I hope your 5th year is fabulous!

Love, love you.

 

 

I'm tellin' ya ... life is full to the brim for the Hallers!

Two new grandchildren, keeping tabs on Bill's mom,

trying to sell our cabin, and a wedding next month.

I've had LOTS of travel, and

 the coming month will be wild and wonderful

as son David gets married in Florida. Yippee!

 

 

Just crazy about all these people ... my wonderful, exploding family!

Here are a few more photos from recent weeks:

 

Ethan

 

Lily

 

Jenny with Jordan

 

Dan with his older three

 

Noah the "squawker"

 

 

Ethan, Mark and Lily

 

 

I am exceedingly blessed and grateful.



happy birthday, Chelsea!

This girl's birthday is today ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHELSEA!!

 

She's the one who stole my son David's heart,

the one he waited for,

the one I prayed for,

the one who blew into our family just over a year ago,

who blew us away at Thanksgiving as we all crammed into

one house together with 5 little children,

who could go with the flow of our craziness,

and will officially join us when she

marries David next month!

 

Chelsea you are warm and witty,

outgoing and humble,

hospitable and grace-filled,

faithful and loving.

Best of all, you have brought light and love to my son's life

and for that I thank you and thank the Lord for his faithfulness.

Hope you've enjoyed a special birthday!

 

it's raining babies: welcome, Jordan! (And Noah's birthday)

The craziness started last Friday as Mark was bringing Jill

home from the hospital the day after she had Peter.

Jenny, expecting in about two weeks, was experiencing signs of labor!

For a few hours we wondered if we might have two babies in two days.

The visits to and from the birthing center ended in Jenny finally going

home yesterday morning, May 31, to await labor.
And May 31 is Dan and Jenny's son's birthday,
turning two yesterday!

 

This photo of Noah taken by Ari, age 5!
He's very difficult to capture.

 

Mid-afternoon we wished Noah a happy birthday via facetime.

Within the hour, Jenny's water broke and an hour or so after that,

she gave birth to Jordan Elizabeth Haller!

Would you look at this face?

 

 

 

She's beautiful and well-loved by Ari, Ashlyn and Noah

and has made us grandparents for the SEVENTH time!

 

 

 

For those a little lost on all these children ...

we have four granddaughters, ages 5, nearly 4, 3, and newborn. 

And three grandsons, ages 2, 21 months, and newborn!

I'm simply amazed and thankful!

The five older ones will be in David and Chelsea's wedding in July

so obviously our summer is crazy full and fun.

 

 

 

Thank you for all the messages, prayers and good wishes!!