Down memory lane . . .

Thank you Sarah, Cheryl, and Trisha for your comments on the previous post. I have much to say in response, but for now, thank you for sharing with me your wisdom, your empathy, and your encouragement to press on during this season. Loving God is the easy part; trusting Him (in everything) is the hard part. I think it is our trust He values even more than our love. (More later . . .)

Our computer recently was in the throes of a painful death, so we had to buy a new computer--Rob spent HOURS and HOURS transferring all the data/pictures/etc. from the old to the new. In the transition, he unearthed some old pictures from a church family retreat in Tyler way back when (maybe 1999?) I can't remember where the retreat was held or anything specifically that we did, although we apparently played board games, went fishing and canoeing, and did something with cardboard and glue guns. A surefire recipe for a great retreat!

I have to share a few of these retreat pictures with you Tyler people; several of the children in these pictures have now graduated from high school or college. It boggles my small mind. (You'll notice I didn't add any pictures that I am in. Three words: very bad hair. I'm not all that vain, but there is no point advertising something that unflattering on the www.)

For these friends in Tyler, who happen to be in some of our very favorite families:
The Bulls: in their last Christmas picture, their oldest son (blue shirt) was almost as tall as the dad.
Trisha and Alex (who is now 8)--my very happy friend and her beautiful baby!
The Walla family: our adoption mentors. These boys are also now very grown up and very wonderful.
The Millers: Their youngest daughter would be born a few years after this picture was taken; the oldest are now in college. (Sarah, I need to hook you up with these girls!)
The Gorenflo's: Their daughter is in college and I just read in a recent church bulletin that their son graduated from college. Great family.
We just got a graduation invitation from Travis, the young boy in the red shirt. A great kid!

If it seems like I'm using hyperbole ("great family", "great kid", etc.), all I can say is that you would just have to know these folks. They are certainly more wonderful than my words can depict, and I sure do miss them!

Thank you, Lord, for intersecting our lives--even if only for a short time--with these people. Love you guys!
Jana