Sweet 16

She rode all the way to her grandmother's house
sandwiched between her grandfather and her grandmother
in the front seat of that Buick Regal.
She squealed, "Ma-Maw, your squashing me!"
And her grandmother laughed herself silly.
Never had she heard anyone use the word "squash" as a verb.
(And her grandmother never let her forget it!)
Oh, the minute the car drove up the long, sandy driveway
- the sand that had felt so good and cool between her toes -
bypassing the baseball beaten mailbox,
Charlie-horse, the cows and guineas, the peach trees,
and pulled up to that
old frame house on that Texas county road,
she pelted out the car door,
threw open the front door,
made a bee-line to the bedroom,
pounced on the old handmade, quilt laden twin bed,
and joyfully exclaimed,
"Home, sweet home!"

***
 

The house - gone.
The quilts and beds - burned in the fire.
But the memories - live forever.

Oh yes ...
there is nothing quite like home.

 

 

 

Even with all the critters hanging around ...

 

 

View from inside the house.



Side view as it moved to door frame.

And this is one little critter I love to see hanging around this home ...
 

 

 

 

She's "Sweet 16."

Oh, yes she is.

 

 

 

 

Over sixteen years ago,

I thought I might never have a family.

But God gave us Karalee.

 

Years prior to that,

my surgeon stood over my hospital bed

and said that I'd have a 50% chance of conception.

A family - out of grasp.

The tears cried - countless.

Having a family was my childhood dream.

 

My husband had always wanted to adopt.

We took a step out in faith.

That step felt good ...

so good.

 

I clung to God with my every breath.

He rescued me -

I discovered that knowing Him was

my true childhood dream.

It felt so freeing to say:

Your will, not mine.

Close the door; keep it open.

What a roller coaster of a ride!

 

Praise God! He threw open that door! 

 

One year old, 1999

 She has made our lives so sweet.

She has made our lives "home, sweet home."
She has driven our lives with laughter,
pounced our hearts with love,
made a bee-line to give us memories to last an eternity ...
a journal full to forever bring laughter and joy.
And she loves blue, Jesus, and children.
 

It's hard to think of her pelting out the door to leave home one day.

 

But I know God has a plan for her life ...
His perfect path for her ...
an amazing ride ...
starting on this Texas county road.

And, from every angle, I have peace.

Wherever God leads her ...

I'll go!

(just teasing! Well ...?)



Sisters celebrating birthday at Disney World

He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 113:9