My Fabulous Family

Dear Husband (DH) and Me: Married 20 years this year and proud parents of four wonderful boys and one amazing daughter. DH was a full time pastor for 20+ years and is now a consultant and coach with churches and nonprofits around the country through his own company. He keeps us all organized at home and does most of our cooking and laundry (for which I am eternally grateful).  I am a school principal, author, and former literacy coach who works in our local public school system. When we wanted to get married, our counselor said, "I don't want to discourage you, but I've never seen two more opposite people want to marry.  It'll be hard work."  He was right...but we are SO BLESSED! Our marriage has been a journey of faith, friendship and love that I could not have imagined.






DS 1: Our soldier! He's 28 years old this year and is a member of the Army National Guard. DS 1  is an Army Medic who just started his second deployment overseas.  In recent years, DS 1 graduated from "Air Assault School" where he learned to rappel out of a Black Hawk Helicopter from about 8 stories up! This course is rigorous and demanding.  While on the first deployment, the soldier fell in love with another soldier and they will be married next year.  We are proud of them BOTH!  He enjoys sports, shooting, ultimate frisbee, cycling, and the outdoors. He also likes to golf.  He's a very talented musician and all around
wonderful young man. I'm so proud of him.

DS 2: The coach and missionary.  He'll be 27 years old this year and works in a College and Young Adult Ministry program in South Florida.  DS 2 majored in Exercise Science. He trains and works with sports teams.  An Ultimate Frisbee player, soccer player,
drummer, and "loves-to-laugh" kind of guy who's always up for a good party with family, friends and food! He met and married his wife at the church where he is working.  She is a teacher and loves working alongside him at church.   DS 2 is firmly rooted and grounded in his faith and loves to be on the mission field.

DS 3: Our pilot.  22 yo and a graduate of Florida State University where he lived life to its fullest!   He has a real heart for the down and out and missions and is currently finishing up his fourth year with Winshape Camps through Chic-Fil-A as a director/pastor. He is also extremely focused on his passion--flying. Watching him develop his passion has been pure joy! The picture at the right is him flying over our house.  Alone!  He cares deeply about many issues and causes. He's dependable and intellectual--both qualities that will serve him well as he grows. His degree is in Business, but who knows where his journey will take him?  It's a fun one to watch!

DS 4: Our fisherman, musician and outdoor guy! He'll turn 18 in
January and will be a senior. DS 4 loves every minute of his life and is always seeking the next thing to do. Most recently, he's taken to shark fishing.  He enjoys music, playing on the computer, basketball, and being outdoors. He also has a HUGE heart for animals. He helps lead worship at Youth Group and is becoming quite a guitarist and vocalist.

And LG (our Little Girl) who is not so little anymore!  She came to our family in 2009.  She'll be 15 years old this year and is completely OURS.  I cannot believe she'll have a learner's permit to drive this year!  She loves music, movies, dancing and singing. She is a social butterfly who loves her friends and family.

Her adoption was finalized on April 5th, 2011.  While she didn't start out in our family, we feel like she's been here forever. We're glad to be her "forever family"!   And boy does she ever belong!

Here we all are on "Adoption Day"...what a special moment when things just felt complete!

And here we are five years later and growing!