Ninety-Seven Years Young

She's an independent and strong lady; she's healthy and vibrant. She's a gardener and puzzle-artist, great-grandmother and still occasionally helps out at her late husband's seed company. She's ninety-seven this month and is the youngest one you'll meet who's that close to one hundred. With a very large family, we all wear name tags to keep track of the ones we lose touch with over the long year between family reunions... but she doesn't forget. She knows every one's name and has little treats labeled with our names each Christmas. Oma is Maria Dam from Holland and she has served the Lord her whole life. We're grateful to be a part of the legacy this woman has created on earth. Happy birthday, Oma. We praise God for your life. (Gratitude #456)

Beautiful, classy lady

reading her cards

457. knowing where you come from (Terry and Oma)

458. for large families

459. for teenagers--cool nieces and nephews

460. for creative people who bring face paints to the celebration
461. for helping cousins

462. for boys who will still get their faces painted--nice look, guys

463. for super-hero excitement

464. for little boys who are just big enough to want to join in the festivities now

465. for a girl who looks for fun everywhere we take her

466. for mothers and daughters and granddaughters and great-granddaughters

467. for sparklers in the Fall

468. for the number 97 being swirled in the air by this sparkler (and I love her hand in the opposite pocket)

469. observing Oma take joy in watching the kids with their sparklers

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life. Proverbs 16:31

Jammies And Sparklers

Ah, springing into summer. It's been warm here and the days are getting longer. Do your children cry that it can't really be bedtime because it's so light outside? I love the long days but the mornings are light as well and that means that they wake up at the crack of dawn even after a late night. So, here they are, all cozied up in their jammies, but hardly ready for bed in their minds :) We let them celebrate the day with some sparklers and silently prayed they'd soon drop onto their pillows for a an epic slumber. Mommy and Daddy are tired.