Summertime change and celebrations

I'm pacing myself for all of the work and changes coming to our family within the next few months. We covet your prayers as we step out in faith to follow His leading.

Our lease here is up in June and we need to sell our house in Mt. Vernon. So we're going to be moving our furniture into storage, living in our travel trailer, renovating the house, selling it, and buying a home back here in the Bothell/Snohomish area, prayerfully all in time for school to start again in September.

Prior to our move, I will also be taking some courses to provide more professional services to people with disabilities and their families. The goal is to start working with clients after being resettled in September.

In the midst of all this we're going to have a big party in July. We're welcoming family and friends from near and far to celebrate a lifetime of love - my parents' 50th wedding anniversary!  (It will be our 10th wedding anniversary as well, though our celebration will wait.)

What an adventurous and creative 5 months it's going to be! I'm already praying for patience, peace, and our new neighborhood - that we will be placed right in the middle of where we need to be, in just the right home, at just the right price! He is in control. We make our plans but He directs our steps. We are listening and trying to be obedient. His kingdom come. His will be done - here as in heaven.

Thanks for your patience and prayers too during this exciting #caldwelladventure. 'Tis going to be awesome to take this day by day and see His hand at work through all the details. Stay tuned to follow our story...

Happy 3rd Anniversary to My Precious Husband Paul!

You are my Romeo
I am your Juliet
The passion burning strong
Since the first day we met

As I pause and reflect
On what you mean to me
I cannot help but think
Of how it came to be

Our gracious loving Lord
Knew just the one for me
He chose “Happy Daddy”
To lead our family

Three years ago today
I pledged my love to you
I took your hand in mine
And said, “I will I do”

For better or for worse
In good times and in bad
In sickness and in health
And even when we’re sad

Through all the months and years
Oh how the days have flown
Our love keeps growing stronger
As we look to Heaven’s throne

His love will never cease
To amaze me every day
As I marvel at His hands
That guides us on our way

Each morning I awake
With you right by my side
I thank our Precious Lord
For making me your bride

As I ponder our future
Together with our Lord
I cannot help but know
The plans He has in store

His plans to lead and guide us
His plans for health and love
His plans for peace and purpose
With blessings from above

So thankful for our daughters
I can’t help but exclaim
So beautiful so special
Each one with a precious name

Jeanna and Jessica
Haley and Molly too
Then along came Hannah Mae
Our miracle – it’s true

I am yours forever
Forever you are mine
Our love was meant to be
From the beginning of time

Let’s keep growing old together
Hand in hand and cheek to cheek
As we make His plans our own
We can reach the highest peak

Three years ago today
I pledged to you my life
My Darling Paul, I love you
I’m proud to be your wife

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Joy Grace Caldwell

Anniversary & Dedication

July was a busy month! Of course it started with a "bang" as we celebrated July 4th with family & friends two days in a row watching the best fireworks shows ever!!!

Then on the 15th we celebrated our 2 year "Family Anniversary" together. Here we are at the park playing and posing together...





It sure is work, trying to get all these girls smiling at the little blinking timer light on the camera at just the right moment... maybe another day...

A couple of weeks later Uncle Jason, Auntie Laura and the only "Wright" grandson - Elliot came to visit. We had way too much fun together while they were here - showing them all the "grand" NW Washington scenic (& shopping!!!) sites.

Look at those beautiful big BLUE eyes she inherited from Mimi (My mom) & Grandpa Charles (Paul's Dad)!To add blessing to blessing they were able to celebrate Hannah Mae's baby dedication with us as well. Very special!

Of course what could be more precious than Papa being able to dedicate his granddaughter... and she was a perfect little angel for him, too!

Uncle Jason finished it off with a beautiful prayer, as well.

Just a few more pictures of our little darling...



(*All baby photos are "Creations by Joy"... Can you tell we're having fun?!)

Our First Anniversary

We celebrated our first anniversary as a family and a couple this weekend . We started it off on Friday night, exchanging cards with the children and eating the top of our wedding cake. Paul was a little leary that it might taste old and frost-bitten, but it was actually preserved very well. I had wrapped it in several layers of plastic wrap, 2 layers of foil, then packed the box around it with plastic grocery bags, and finally taped the box shut. All of us agreed that it was as delicious a year later as it was the first time around. We finished the evening with a walk down memory lane as we looked at our wedding pictures together, recalling the fun and memorable moments we had shared.

This one was Haley's idea... she took the picture too :)

On Saturday, we began our day together as a family at the Annual Children's Festival at Hillcrest Park. The girls had lots of fun making crafts and playing games together.

Then at noon it was off to Jeanna's second swim meet where she won a first place ribbon with her team in the 200 free-style relay and a second place in girls' 100 IM. Good job, Jeanna! We are so proud of your hard work! We have a future olympian in training!

After the day's festivities, we took each girl to a different friend's house where they were staying for a sleep-over, as it was now our time... Time for "Romeo & Juliet" to enjoy each other...

Paul & I thoroughly enjoyed the next 24 hours alone as we made one memory after another, enjoying one another's company surrounded by beauty in a multitude of different settings. We started the evening off as I surprised Paul and drove him out to the Benson's Farmstead B & B, where we had reservations at the Garden Tower Suite. After a leisurely stroll through the grass and a few kisses out in the garden, we proceeded to eat dinner in Anacortes on the pier, where we watched the boats passing by on the water below.

Following our delicious dinner, we took a breath-taking walk over the Deception Pass bridge. (If you're afraid of heights, you don't want to do this!) It's a dizzying height - suspended 600 feet above the rushing waters of Deception Pass - scary yet beautiful all at the same time!

We then drove over to West Beach where we sat on a log in the cool evening air, cuddled in a sleeping bag to stay warm, talking and basking in the warmth of each others arms, as we watched the sun set over the ocean.

We took the long way back to our hideaway, driving through the country side and recalling events from the past year. After our arrival back at our Garden suite, we laid on our backs in the cool evening air counting the stars in the beautiful night sky. We lay there for a long time, talking and reveling in the beauty of our surroundings while bats swooped over our heads, cats made their way through the tall flowers and grass, and a combine hummed in the distant farm fields. As the grand finale of our evening, we shared a candlelight dessert fondu, toasting each other with pink champagne while soft music played in the background.

The next morning we awoke late to a beautiful clear sky and birds singing in the trees outside our room. Our hosts graciously served us a delicious gourmet breakfast in the garden, seated at a table under a beautiful shade tree. We sat and drank in the beauty around us as we watched the robins swooping down from the trees, skimming along the grass looking for their breakfast. The fragrance of the flowers and the quiet sounds of nature around us was refreshing as we read the Bible together and began Year Two with Him as the center.

After we checked out, we took our time as we drove up Chuckanut Drive, along the banks of beautiful Bellingham Bay to Old Fairhaven, part of Bellingham's historical district. We casually walked the streets together, hand in hand, poking our heads into quaint little shops chatting and enjoying our last couple of hours uninterrupted. We stopped and ate lunch at a little Mexican cafe, Dos Padres, before heading back south towards home.

What a beautiful weekend we shared together - a good balance of family and fun with the children, and then romantic and intimate time alone as husband and wife. We are so blessed and overwhelmed by the goodness of God and our love for each other. We are looking forward to many more beautiful anniversaries - Romeo & Juliet with our 3 princesses together forever...!