sudden good-byes

Last week was hard. No two ways about it. Hard.

Tuesday evening, while eating dinner with Erik, I got a phone call. The worst kind. The kind announcing the sudden death of a friend. A good, loving, not-old-enough man.

He was 41, fit, and passionate. He was playing racket ball at the sports club {that's how fit he was}, and he suffered a massive heart attack. The attack stripped him from his sweet wife and his two teenage kids. Devastating.

We were honored to have served beside Scott Ondracek in the youth ministry at our church. We were blessed to have him film our wedding with his growing business, Crazy Pickle Productions {a videography company he started with his wife} ... for free. We were privileged to call him a friend.

He was a man involved in nearly every aspect of our church; while his ministry stretched far beyond the walls of the church.

I don't understand, and I must come to grips with the fact that I most likely never will. I must simply rest in the knowledge that the Lord called him home.

next to the oranges and the lettuce …

this one time, a photographer friend of ours wanted to take pictures of us in a grocery store.  so we said ok.  it was to add to his portfolio.  very glad we could help.

i mean, who doesn’t want cute, creative pictures taken of them? 

total. blast.

that man in the plaid down the produce aisle, what a catch!

eight–zero

introducing the newest member of the eighties club … my dear, sweet grandma!  she would seriously roll her eyes at me for making such a big deal about her 80-year-long accomplishment called life, but oh well.  affectionately referred to as “Omie” by her grandkids {it comes from the german word for g-ma – Oma! – yup, I’ve got a little deutsch in me}, she is one of the absolutely sweetest and most dear women in my life. 

thank the Lord for 80 beautiful years!  happy birthday barbara richardson!