100 years

 

Elizabeth Haller: our mom, Grandma, "GG" was born 100 years ago today. She charmed everyone who knew her by her humility, laughter and sense of humor, and the way she held so loosely to the things of earth. She left us last December and how we miss her wonderful spirit. Happy birthday, Mom. We love you!

 

happy birthday, Jenny!

 

 

Wishing my daughter-in-love Jenny a super happy birthday today!

In this incredibly full season of life,

may God strengthen your hands,

calm your spirit,

give you grace in the hard moments and joy in the quiet ones,

and fill your heart with his love and assurance that life always moves on

and little ones become independent!

 

 

I'm very proud of you and thankful you married my son.



Have a beautiful day, Jenny.

 

 



birthday to birthday: happy birthday David!

One year ago our son David spent a week at home with us. We took walks, cooked and ate out, talked and laughed a lot. It's so great to spend an entire week with one of our kids. (Did I ever imagine saying that 20 years ago?!) Anyway, he'd been seeing this girl Chelsea for a few months and though he was texting and talking on the phone with her, it was like pulling teeth to get much info.

About a week later, they made their relationship official. Within five months they were engaged and five months later they were married! So from birthday to birthday, David's had an incredible year. (And oh, we absolutely love Chelsea so that makes it all the sweeter.)

 

 

 

I just told Bill I can't believe I had our first baby 32 years ago. Really, where do the years go? David was an accommodating baby, considering we had little idea how to care for him. He was so calm and agreeable and that's stayed the same much of his life.  

 

Happy birthday, David! So very proud of you and the man and husband you've become.

 



Maine ~ 1984

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!



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!!



a really belated birthday wish

Good evening friends! I'm beating myself up - again - for not keeping up on important things like wishing my sweet daughter Katie a HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY on February 20. But hey, I actually celebrated WITH her even though she lives 1,000 miles from me because I flew to Florida and SURPRISED her! It was pretty dang fun, great to be with her and oh, the weather wasn't too shabby either. I decided and booked my flights on Monday February 16 and flew on the 19th .... so it's been kind of a whirlwind.

In trying to travel ever so lightly, I didn't even take my camera and relied on my phone which felt like leaving my toothbrush or some other important item behind. Bah.

So I took this photo a year and a half ago, Katie with my granddaughters Ari and Ashlyn. It's one of my favorites. Katie's a family girl.

We had a fun few days eating out, talking, beach, getting yummy produce at her local stand, visiting friends the Hudsons and Lipmans, and on the spur of the moment going to a Rend Collective (I didn't know, either: it's a band)/ 10th Avenue North / Chris Tomlin concert in Miami. The drive to Miami took two hours on Friday afternoon, what did we expect? Insane. But it was a good concert, very worshipful!

Anyway. I love this photo and I love Katie ... the sweetest-spirited person I know. I can't believe my little girl is a young woman. How did that happen? Happy birthday, Katie! I miss you.

And ... after this winter that we're still enduring, I would hop back to Florida in a moment to soak up some sun with Katie. I heard it's the coldest in 25 years, which is how long we've lived here. We had 7" of snow yesterday. The piles from our shoveling by the driveway are getting very high and everyone's ready for spring. Which, no, doesn't come in March in Ohio!

Alright, letting this be the end. But I have some really BIG and fun news that most of you probably already know but I can't wait to write about it. Stay tuned!

Lily's turning 3!

 

The recent weeks have been a little rough,

but then the Haller birthdays roll around and

I'm reminded how incredibly blessed I am by my family.

Never would I have dreamed to have 7 grandchildren in 5 years!

It's pretty awesome.

 

So today, Lily Jane turns three!

I was inadvertently present at her birth and

what a tiny treasure she was!

 

Now Lily is a fun-loving little girl who loves puzzles and books

and walking to the park to play or being outside. 

Love, love playing and reading with her!

 

 

It's awful living so far apart, but makes our reunions that much sweeter.

Wishing Lily Jane a special, wonder-filled birthday.

Love you, sweet girl.

 



 

Thank you, God, for grandchildren.



happy birthday, Mark!

on his wedding day ~ August 1, 2009

Today is my son Mark's 27th birthday.
We've been with him on his birthday for the last several years (partly because
his daughter Lily's birthday is tomorrow: three years ago Jill was in labor
on Mark's birthday) ... but not this year.
Here's a birthday acrostic:

 

M - man-boy. It's a familiar family story, how from a very early age Mark loved to work. At about 6 years old, he volunteered to help Taylor, a neighbor, erect a stone wall. Taylor sent Mark home for a lunch break but Mark was back at Taylor's door in 15 minutes, ready to work. The boy just wanted to grow up quickly!

 

A - Amiable. He was such a shy little boy. And though still kind of quiet, Mark gets along well with people: his job requires it. I always told our kids, learn to get along well with people and it'll take you far.

 

R - reticent. The guy has little to say. But when he does, you want to listen. 

 

K - Kids! In about 4 months, Mark's wife Jill will have their third baby in just over 3 years. He's a firm and loving dad and (of course) works hard for his family.

 

Have a happy birthday, Mark.

You're an amazing son and we love you!