Paul & Nettie, sittin’ in a tree…

K – i – s – s – i – n – g!!!

Happy 22nd, my love!!

So, to recap the last 22 years, Paul and I:

• Got hitched on April 17, 1993, at Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral in Fargo, ND;
• Honeymooned in the Black Hills (Devil’s Tower and Mt. Rushmore were highlights);
• Moved into our little 1 bedroom apartment in Bloomington, MN (International Village — I think he chose it because of A) the price, and B) the hot tub);
• Bought a house in South St. Paul, where we were living when
• Laurent Victoria and Megan Olivia were born, and during which time we
• Were briefly members of a Bible Presbyterian Church, in which we were the youngest members, and were somewhat theologically misaligned, and thus soon moved on;
• Were briefly members of a little PCA church in Farmington, and still count many among our friends;
• Moved to a south Phoenix barrio, where we were the only people for blocks around who spoke English (and more importantly, did NOT also speak Español), which was no obstacle to fun for our girls or the four Spanish-speaking neighbor kids with whom they played every day;
• Experienced our first major family trauma when 18mo Megan was run over by the neighbor’s Suburban and broke her left femur;
• Welcomed the arrival of Geneva Melody 2 months later;
• Bought a house in Glendale, AZ, in which we still happily reside;
• Enjoyed close fellowship in a tiny Reformed Episcopal congregation until it disbanded due to members moving away from the area (sadly we have lost touch with the Cole family, but it was Amanda that taught me how to make bread, for which I and my family will be forever grateful!);
• I gave birth for the last time, to my first boy, Jacob Theodore (aka Jacob The Adorable);
• Were briefly affiliated with the Communion of Reformed Evangelicals, and still count many among our friends;
• Made the most significant ecclesial decision to that point in our lives by joining Westfork Church, an inner city mission work, led by Pastor Steven R. Rutt (now Dr.!), dedicated to preaching the gospel,  feeding the poor, assisting addicts and ex-cons re-entering society, and working with neighborhood kids. When Paul began trolling the neighborhood in his big green van, looking for kids to pick up and take to church, and we began getting to know the families, praying with them, becoming their God-parents, working through crises and dramas, counseling, breaking up fights and bringing friends back together — little did we know that 14 years later we would still be bringing some of those same kids (and their friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, moms, little siblings who hadn’t even been born yet — and even their babies) to church… little did we know so many, many things back then!
• Loved on numerous animal friends, including several parakeets and a cockatiel, a desert tortoise, a stray rooster (that was blessedly brief) and many canine family members. We said goodbye to Brandy, the German Shepherd cross we rescued while in South St. Paul; welcomed a Boxer puppy to our family; rescued a neurotically adorable mutt we named Bella, who ran off soon after we also rescued a Pit-Bull we named Guinevere; said our final farewell to 10 year-old Sissy; and most recently, inherited a mischievous Mastador puppy we named Ambrose, who, I’m delighted to say, is getting along famously with Mother-Gwinnie.
• Discovered the challenges and blessings of our daily reality had a name, when our son was diagnosed at age 10 with ASD (autism spectrum disorder);
• Homeschooled our four children, two of them all the way through graduating at 16 and who now attend college, while the other two are continuing high school;
• Said our final earthly goodbye to my dad, in 2009, and welcomed mom to our household in 2010, which was also the year that we
• Joined RCIA, and entered the Roman Catholic Church at Easter Vigil, 2011. THE BEST decision we ever made.
• Watched our house burn two weeks later, and over the next weeks and months of recovery, experienced God’s grace through the church, and in a multitude of outpourings from friends and family;
• Helped sponsor around 14 (and counting) new members of the church over the next 4 years;
• Accepted the responsibility of becoming foster parents to the little boy of one of our god-daughters;
• Went through training to be licensed foster parents, and accepted the responsibility of becoming foster parents to two more little boys, who we were blessed to have in our family for 6.5 months.
• Are now preparing to adopt our little “Junior”, hopefully by the end of this year.

Whew! That’s a pretty good nutshell of a very adventurous start to our life together. Considering what we’ve been through so far, nothing that comes next should surprise me. With God, all things are possible!! I will close with two Psalms that were used at our wedding, 22 years ago.

Psalm 127

1  Unless the Lord builds the house, •
those who build it labour in vain.

2  Unless the Lord keeps the city, •
the guard keeps watch in vain.

3  It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early
and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, •
for he gives his beloved sleep.

4  Children are a heritage from the Lord •
and the fruit of the womb is his gift.

5  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, •
so are the children of one’s youth.

6  Happy are those who have their quiver full of them: •
they shall not be put to shame
when they dispute with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128

1  Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, •
and walk in his ways.

2  You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; •
it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be.

3  Your wife within your house
shall be like a fruitful vine; •
your children round your table,
like fresh olive branches.

4  Thus shall the one be blest •
who fears the Lord.

5  The Lord from out of Zion bless you, •
that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity
all the days of your life.

6  May you see your children’s children, •
and may there be peace upon Israel.