snapshot memories

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.

The Wonder Years

Over the last few weeks, I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about people I miss and reflecting on times past, and I've realized -- yet again -- how very blessed I've been by those the Lord has put in my life and the experiences he's allowed me to have.  So for this week's Multitude Monday, here are some pictures that show some of the people, places, and events (from 2003-2008) that have helped to shape me and bring me to where I am today.  Some of them are kind of random, since I pulled all of them out of Facebook albums...yet, they're all sweet memories nonetheless.

571.

2006
Living with Kevin...always amusing :)
And musical -- how I miss having live piano music!

572.

2007
Chicago -- Oh how I love this city!

573.

2007
Thanksgiving dinner in my studio apartment
on the northside of Chicago
With my sister Nahomie, who came up
from FL for a month-long visit

574.

2006
Family

575.

circa 2004
Sweet, sweet Darlyne in Haiti

576.

2007
I met up with my mom in TN, and
we spent the weekend with my grandparents.

577.

circa 2006
James, in Cades Cove

578.

2005
Jessica and Sean, two of the most amazing
people I've ever been blessed to know.
The Lord has taught me so much
through these two.

579.

2003
Junior, 4 months after joining our family.
He went to be with Jesus 4 months later.
We read Psalm 91 in Kreyol together
every day.

580.

2008
Katie and me at Argo Tea :)
How I miss our tea dates!

581.

2008
Kevin, right before we saw Wicked.
This was my last day in Chicago.

582.

2008
little Miss Lina :)
This was taken during a surprise weekend
trip I made back to Florida.

583.

2004
Me and Phalone, the first little girl I ever
sponsored.  She moved out of the school
system shortly after this photo was taken,
and we lost contact.  Thankful for the
time I was able to spend with her.

584.

2006
Mom and me.

585.

2005
Nahomie and Mom
at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Warsaw.

586.

2007
Nahomie, Lina, and me
Getting ready to bake/decorate Christmas cookies.

587.

2008
Paul, just before we saw Wicked.
Such a fun night.

588.

circa 2007
Paul and Jean Marc, my little sponsored boy.

589.

circa 2007
Sheila and Paul.  Love these two.

590.

2007
My mini-snowman that I built on my balcony
at my apartment in Chicago.

let it rain

Let it rain, let it rain.
Open the floodgates of Heaven

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad
Let the distance shores rejoice
Clouds and thick darkness surround Him
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne
A fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side
His lightning lights up the world
The earth sees and trembles
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord
Before the Lord of all the earth
The Heavens proclaim His righteousness
And all peoples will see His Glory

- Michael W. Smith, Let it Rain

not that you can really tell from this picture,
but...this is my backyard in the RAIN!!!

561. Seeing Mr. Jim back at Esperanza, after being in the hospital for nearly two weeks.

enjoying my unexpected day off

562. An unexpected day off!
563. An impromptu lunch with my favorite newly married friend :)
564. Planning activities to do with the kids at Notre Maison.
565. A rainy Sunday!!!  So so thankful for the rain!

Sabrina and Donovan; aren't they cute?  :)

565. Sunday lunch with Donovan, Sabrina, and Paul.
566. My new camera, which came in the mail today.  I'm excited to try it out!  :)
567. Good biopsy results for a friend's dad who has been hospitalized since Thursday.
568. Green grass, thanks to Sunday's rain.  We even have a few purple flowers that popped up in our front yard.  Amazing what a good rain can do.
569. An ice cream and movie night with the brother.
570. Clean drinking water; I take this for granted, yet so many people around the world don't have access to something so simple, so lifesaving, as clean water.  And so, for the next 10 days (well, 9 now, since today's almost over), I'm joining The Well's Project at Texas A&M in drinking only water to help raise awareness and funds to provide people in several communities in Rwanda with clean drinking water.

today's ten

551. Kris and Stephanie's engagement, and the sweet time celebrating them Saturday evening.
552. Jessica's quick trip back to Texas!  So wonderful to see this dear friend and catch up over a yummy dinner.
553. Saturday evening's 1/2 2[tall] 1V N WC PSL* :)  Still trying to limit my sugar intake, so this was a splurge...oh so worth it!

me and Jess

554. Lunch on Sunday with some of my favorite people at one of my favorite places.
555. Feeling oh-so-much better than last week, and my voice is coming back now, too!  Goodbye, Beth the Mute!
556. Cooler weather! Meaning, the highs for this week range from 87 (today) to 90 (Wednesday-Friday).  It was chilly enough this morning, though, that I got to wear (for the first time) the jacket I bought in FL this summer!
557. Last night's sermon.  So applicable, and so convicting.
558. Being handed a wad of gourdes as I walked into church.  I know it's silly, but it makes Haiti feel a little bit closer.  (22 days!)  :)
559. Reading in my hammock, enjoying this beautiful weather.
560. A fun Saturday morning, working with several lovely ladies--and enjoying that the Aggies were playing in Dallas rather than College Station :)

*half-caf double tall 1-pump-vanilla nonfat no whip pumpkin spice latte  Oh no, I'm not high-maintenance at Starbucks, of course not!  :)

Wedding festivities!

Once upon a lovely Sunday evening in September, Donovan and Sabrina got married :)

As promised*, here are some pictures from their wedding weekend (apologies in advance for the poor photo quality, particularly regarding the last bunch).

The girls started out the weekend with pedicures:

Sabrina, Everly, Birdie, and Jubilee

The evening before the wedding, we made the lovely

30-minute drive to Independence, TX for the rehearsal.

Note: Sabrina's sister Bunny stood

in for her at the rehearsal.

Post-rehearsal, Sabrina and Jube looked lovely;

Paul and Birdie pretended they were in a band.

Bridesmaids

Birdie, me, and Everly

 Almost married!

Sabrina and Donovan

At Cenare for the rehearsal dinner

me, Sabrina, and Everly

 Wedding Day!  Getting ready at Eyrie Park.

Sabrina, me and Samuel, Jubilee

Willin and Everly

Trying to figure out how to tie the sashes;

these pictures make me laugh :)

 Beautiful Birdie

Time to put on her wedding dress;

she was positively giddy with excitement :)

Opening her gift from her husband-to-be--

a beautiful necklace from Anthropologie.

Time to head to the church!

Willin, Samuel, and Jubilee, Sabrina

The ceremony

(photos courtesy of Paul)

Quick photos before the reception

 The cakes!

Having fun at the reception, which was held

at the Antique Rose Emporium. So beautiful.

Off they go, amidst a shower of rose petals.

 Once most of the guests had departed, we took

advantage of the empty dance floor.

Some got a little crazier than others...

Around 1am, after cleaning up...soooo tired...

But happy :)

Congratulations, Donovan and Sabrina!  It was such a blessing to be a part of your special day--and even more, to be part of your lives!  May God richly bless your marriage; His faithfulness is already so evident in each of you and in the way He brought you two together.  Love y'all!

*This shall forever go down in history as the day that I actually followed through, in a timely manner, on a promised blog post.  I think I should get a gold star.