Sights for Sore Eyes

One time when Wooster and I were “just friends” or “dating”, we were in an outdoor sports store in Gainesville, Georgia. I can’t remember the exact date, or year but I’ll always remember that little store.

It was very crowded with inventory and had all kinds of animal heads/bodies covering the walls and posts.

I would look around, become enamored with something, and lose Wooster amongst the tall shelves and deer stands. It was sensory overload city. I wasn’t the only one feeling lost.

There was a pretty little blonde headed girl that was wandering around too. She might have been around 2 ½ or 3 years old. She had the most beautiful little ringlets and a green dress on. Fifteen or so years later, I don’t remember what her face looked like, but I do remember her.

On one aisle, or area, she was lost from her mama and daddy. She mistakenly thought that Wooster was her dad and followed him down the whole aisle while saying “DDDDADDDDY??? DDDDAAADDDY?? DADDY?”

Wooster never turned around, or acknowledged the little girl. He didn’t even think of it, why would a little girl be calling him “daddy”?  I helped the little one find her parents and all was well.

Later, we would joke that he had some kids that he wasn’t telling people about.

Until.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guy came along.

We were first around Christopher back in 2006 when we went on a mission trip to Alaska. We did a VBS and did some other construction work (i.e. filling a ditch in with dirt). Chris helped out with the recreation part of the VBS. We also had a main goal of bouncing a bounce ball from the parking lot up to the 2^nd floor of the church, where I would catch it, while leaning out, from the window. But that’s beside the point. J

After that short jaunt in Alaska, we later went on to be leaders of the youth group that Chris was in.

We’ve spent A LOT of time around each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve watched him grow as a person, leader and in his spirituality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve witnessed bad decisions and good decisions being made (with everyone praying for both).

He’s always willing to go and to serve. And he has a great looking jeep. What’s not to love?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(maybe it WAS a bad decision to wear those daisy dukes on that roofing project in Ohio. It’s all fun and games until…)

 

We’ve sat through cold baseball games, played basketball at weird times at night, and even had the infamous “My Word is LAW” talks in parking lots with two vans full of students trying not to watch.

 

Then there’s this girl….

 

 

 

 

 

She’s a fun one. (aaannnddd she’ll probably kill me for that one right there.)

I think every picture I have of her, she’s moving or talking and it’s blurry. No surprise there.

 

 

 

 

I can’t say enough. She. Is. So. MUCH. FUN.

She’s pretty on the inside and out.

She has two crowns to prove it.

 

 

 

 

 

Homecoming Queen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Marigold

But crowns aren’t everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously.

The girl can work too. She also has a great servant’s heart and sweet spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pray for this girl, her current situations and her future.

These two are ALWAYS willing to go, have fun, talk to people and to lead. I know I’ve said it over and over. BUT THEY ARE fun people.

God has AMAZING plans for both of these great people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, she and Chris drove across the country to spend a week in Moore, Oklahoma. They worked, prayed and played with others during World Changers. Then at the end of the week, they drove to see us!

It was a sight for sore eyes.

I loved every second we got to be around them.

Back to the original story at the beginning of this post. (and let me dry my eyes for a second.)

Wooster is approximately 15 years older than Chris and 17 years older than Katie.

I always joke around that he could be their dad. Mainly I do it to give him a hard time. But there is some (very slight) truth to it.

Their parents and grandparents have done a fabulous job raising them.

They also gave us a great opportunity to be a leader in their life. It was/is a great responsibility but it has been a true joy to know them both. We didn’t take any moment of time with them for granted and tried to soak up and let soak in any influence we had with them.

I take great pride in both of them and can only imagine how much their parents feel about them.

Only their parents, grandparents, immediate family, cousins, roommates, best friends and future spouses (okay…a good many people) could love them more than us. But we love them and support them. That’s the most important thing.

🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All four of our “kids”.

They are beautiful.

Can you tell we are proud?

I would tell everyone about these people all day if I could.