FORTY-fied!

Who knew when we became sweethearts at the end of my freshman year (college) and his sophomore year that we'd go the distance? We were so, so young.

We figured out after my sophomore year and his junior year that working at a camp in the Colorado Rockies (Covenant Heights) as Program Director (him) and Craft Director (me) would be a great way of spending the summer together.  And during that summer he popped the question and I said yes.

And a year later, we were married. Young, yes, but very much in love.

That love sure helped us get through the rough patch of losing our first child at birth. And that love grew even more with the birth of healthy Anne.

And then even more as we welcomed robust John into our hearts and home.

The years passed by so quickly!

It almost seemed like we blinked and the kids were off and running. Two weddings and two more were welcomed into our family: Jed and Kari.

We did get around once our nest was emptied:

What a nest it now is with five little birds cawing, singing and sometimes squawking from the family tree!

Somehow we have arrived at the 40 year

Anniversary mark. It doesn't take 20/20 vision to see that we have aged since those first photographs where we are frozen in time with smaller waistbands, denser hair, and less wear on our tire treads. But the key to survival has been through the fortification of His love, our love, the love of family and the love of friends giving us sustenance along the way.  We are truly blessed! Thank you for being a part of our lives!