Loving and Celebrating My Boy as He Loves and Celebrates Us.

Two days ago, my oldest son, Blake, graduated from the University of Texas.  

Today he turns 22 years old.  

This tow headed little guy with the wispy, fly away hair now has a full beard and deep voice; 

and he thinks and acts like a man.

At his graduation party, Blake and his fellow graduates turned the party around.  

Instead of celebrating themselves, they threw a party to celebrate 

their friends and family and the blessings they have received from those relationships.  

It was remarkable. 

 They climbed up on the picnic table and gave little speeches of gratitude to all who attended.

Then they ended their time with this prayer.

I'm still teary-eyed thinking about it.   

Thanks, Blake {and all your precious friends} for showing us what it looks like to show gratitude.

Next time we'll be more inclined to pause and realize that we live a blessed life

and we have a loving God and lots of people to thank for it.


{The next little video is kind of silly, but I wanted the grandparents and family who couldn't be there for the ceremony to get a glimpse of it...}

Finding Significance in the Abundant Life

"...I have come to give you the abundant life!"

~Jesus
A few weeks ago, I spent time with some dear friends at my annual "Abundant Life" retreat.  This little retreat started when several of us began to have questions about what we should do with the second half of our lives.  
{the goal for this little blog came out of last years Abundant Life weekend!}
 Every year we meet to reflect on the past year, 
evaluate our current commitments and set goals for the future.


This year was a special event, because it was our 5th anniversary. 
I decided to purchase a little gift for everyone to "mark" our time together.


I found a little shop on Etsy called "Oh Sweetlee Me"  
where you can select a verse to to be hand-stamped on a silver disk.

I chose to have Alely, the shop owner, stamp the reference for our key verse on the necklace:


"The thief has come to kill, steal and destroy, 
but I have come to give you the abundant life."

Not only did the necklaces delight everyone with the scripture reference and sweet pearl, but the packaging!  Could it be any more precious?  

She made a little envelope out of a page from an old book, tucked the necklace inside, added a doily and some twine and even attached the verse!  

Wouldn't a special hand-stamped verse or someone's initials be perfect for 
graduation or Mother's Day?
Find her shop HERE.
Here are some of her sweet Mother's Day ideas in the picture below: