2013 - 13 Big Moments

When the world marked the days this year, the number “13” played a leading role. 

The number 13 won't make such a prominent appearance again for another 100 years. If the world is still spinning as it is now, I won't be on it, and neither will you. This is, I admit, a sobering thought. But it's a good sobering thought. It makes you think about real things - eternal things. The Bible speaks to this in Psalm 39, verses 4 and 7.

“O Lord, make me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

Good verses to ponder as we look at the future. Good verses to ponder as we reflect on the past.

And speaking of the past and the number 13, we'll let it make an appearance in the yearly update. Following are 13 of the big, but fleeting, moments of 2013.


1. When the son of lifelong friends gets married on the west coast (and when Luke is a groomsman:), you get up at the crack of dawn on January 1, 2013, and whisk your way to the great Northwest. Even though the weather in Portland, Oregon, was cold, wet, and miserable, the celebration was warm, dry, and sweet.

Forrister and Harris kids: lifelong friends

My dear friend, Louise - mother of the groom.

2. Speaking of Luke, he got our attention this year when he quit his job as a Pharmacy Tech in Fayetteville, AR, packed up all his belongings, and moved to LA to try the acting thing. In between going to auditions, he’s parking cars and taking acting classes. He’s had a little luck modeling and even more luck when he landed a small part in Carley Rae Jepsen’s cover of Part of Your World. If you buy The Little Mermaid, Diamond Edition, you can see Luke in high definition.  He's the piano player and makes his appearance a little after the 1 minute mark.

3. Our Hannah finished her 4 years in Fayetteville in May, graduating from the University of Arkansas with Honors. That little degree from the Sam Walton School of Business helped her land a good job with Market Fresh Produce in Nixa, MO. 

4. May 2013, also saw sweet Faith graduate from dear old Bolivar High. It also saw her provide some excitement for our crew (and her coaches) at the State Track meet. Her chance to make All-State came down to the very last Triple Jump of her prep career. With hearts beating out of our chests, we watched her sprint down the runway, then hop, step, jump! She hit the pit and the sand flew. We watched her. We watched her coaches. Joy and more jumping when the tape measure showed she had jumped far enough for a medal.

Changing the BHS record board:)

5. David successfully finished his freshman year at the University of Arkansas, and immediately headed to Branson, MO, where he hung out with 7-9 year olds all summer. As a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps, he was paid to swim, eat, play, camp and ski. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

David and U of A roommate, Judah

"Working"

6. July began with Lou and Faith journeying to El Salvador on a medical mission trip with our church. Lou saw a lot of patients, Faith took a lot of blood pressures and played with lots of kids. God was glorified, and many were encouraged!

7. Something pretty big happened in July that changed the course of our fall. While Lou and I were out on a date, Hannah was being proposed to by one Alex Joseph Hughes. Talk about happy and excited and...busy! She said, "Yes!" on July 19, 2013, and they said, "I do." on October 26, 2013. Those two dates are a mere 3 months and 1 week apart.

They might be a little excited!

8. While we were still trying to grasp the fun wedding mountain that lay before us, we hiked a few Rocky Mountains around Estes Park in August. We saw the top of Flattop Mountain, and  Lou, Luke, Faith, Elizabeth, and Mary Grace hiked Longs Peak, a 15 hour trek to the top of a Colorado 14er. We always come away from our time in the mountains amazed at God's beautiful world. 

Flattop Mountain

Faith, Elizabeth, and Mary Grace on their way up Longs Peak

The Narrows

The Home Stretch

The Summit

9. In those three pre wedding months, Elizabeth began her senior year. This is our third year in a row to have a senior. (That kind of pace makes a parent have senior moments!!) Elizabeth has decided she wants to study computer science in college. Now we've just got to decide where that studying will take place! In the mean time, college Calculus, dual credit Biology and English Composition, Fit and Well, Speech, Weights, Volleyball and Basketball are keeping her from being bored.

10. Also in those three months, Faith left for her Discipleship Training School in Colorado Springs with a mission agency called YWAM (Youth With A Mission). Her training, which had an emphasis on justice and mercy, lasted 3 months, and she is now currently on the field in the Middle East, working with Syrian refugees. She's there until February 19. She's loving it and we are loving her and praying for her from afar. My heart aches and is full all at the same time.

11. Could any other major event happen in those three months? Like the baby of the family starting high school, playing a varsity sport (tennis) and getting her driver's permit? Could we be talking about Mary Grace, who also plays the violin? Yes, we could. And I'm here to testify she is juggling all the changes like a champ. She's got what it takes.

1st day of high school

Thankfully, the last one to teach to drive

12. Speaking of having what it takes, my 87 year old mom has got it going on. She's not the spring chicken she once was, but she's doing pretty darn good for the shape she's in. At the wedding, she looked positively radiant. 

13. But nobody looked as radiant as our Hannah, who gave her hand to Alex on a beautiful fall day in our backyard. Thank you, God, again, for the sweet grace of that ceremony and reception. It was a blessing and a blast!

Our girls

Lou and I are still holding hands and hearts in this our 26th year of marriage. We're also still holding on to God, for "in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28a) We are grateful beyond words for his kindness and faithfulness this past year. 

We pray God's blessing on you and yours as you begin 2014!

Change

Since I last posted, things have been a-changing in my world.

To get the ball rolling, in late July, my oldest daughter, Hannah, got engaged to Alex Joseph Hughes.

Alex and Hannah

And she is getting married on October 26 of this year.

Did you read that correctly? This year.

Warp speed, Mr. Sulu.

You may have noticed my countdown ticker on the right side of this page. I put that there just in case I forget.

So, we have been giggling, and rejoicing, and planning, and phone calling, and list making like crazy at our house. It's not stressful - yet - just busy. Even if one is inclined to procrastinate (and I am), you are not afforded that luxury when you have a countdown ticker on your blog!

But all is going well so far, and we are happy. I kid you not, sometimes, the joy in our house is almost palpable. It's hard for it not to be when two young people are in love and deliriously excited about starting their life together.

But that's not the only change going on this past month.

Our David left in mid August for the University of Arkansas to begin his sophomore year. He left just as we were getting used to him being home again. And liking him being home again. David has a sparkle that makes me smile just thinking about it. So when his Honda is missing from our driveway, and the mess that is left on the counter from his making protein shakes is not there, it kind of makes this mom's heart ache a bit.

At Rocky Mountain National Park

Faith, Mary Grace, me, and David

And then there's our Faith.

She graduated from high school in May and is leaving next week for Colorado Springs where she will attend Youth With A Mission's Discipleship Training School. She has a heart to take the gospel to the world and felt compelled to spend this first year out of high school being trained to do that (for 3 months) and then she's planning to go do that (for 2 months).

I can tear up pretty quickly if I let my mind dwell on just how far away she'll be. However, with her being so excited and happy about this next step God has for her, I won't let myself stay in that tearful place long. But oh, how we are going to miss that girl.

Child #5, Elizabeth Kathleen, has added more fuel to our change fire by starting her SENIOR year. In case you don't keep up with my family like I do, let me remind you that this is our 3rd year in a row to have a senior in high school. You may find yourself asking, "What were Lou and Shelley thinking?" To which I would reply, "We obviously weren't." ;)

So, she is in the thick of all things senior. This coming Friday, we go to have her senior pictures taken. How can this be? She was just sucking her left thumb yesterday, wasn't she?

Colorado 2013

I'm treasuring every minute with her.

Surely, by now, we're done with major changes recently, right?

Nope.

Our "baby," Mary Grace, began a brand new chapter of her life this past month also. On August 15, she walked through the doors of Bolivar High School, a member of the class of 2017. So far I hear more about Art, Tennis and French than Geometry, English and P.E.  She's still playing violin, making beautiful music for the family daily. I'm blessed.

Well, hello there.

At the top of Longs Peak

At this point, I've only failed to mention one of the kiddos - my oldest. Luke has been in LA since March seeing what kind of mark he can make out there. He's had a little luck, landing a small part in a music video with Carley Rae Jepsen. It can be seen on October 1 if you buy The Little Mermaid Blu-ray Diamond Edition. He's the piano player.

I don't know. I might buy one.

With different auditions weekly, Luke's life is one big state of flux. But I'm so used to that pattern at this point, that his constant state of change seems normal. That strikes me as so funny. Love, love that boy man.

On Flattop Mountain

The baby and the first born

So here we are at September 1, with the books closed on August. It was a full month, a good month. There was nothing to be really sad about, but there has been a lot to think about. Thankfully, amidst all the recalibrating that such a month brings, God gave me a couple of sweet gifts to help me along.

Lou, my best friend who also happens to be my husband, lets me talk to my heart's content about whatever, whenever. He chimes in when necessary. Those kind of sounding boards are hard to come by, and I am grateful to God for him.

I also like to hike with him.

And finally, God was faithful to give me himself. He reminded me daily through His word that he loves me, and that he'll give me all I need just when I need it.

That's good news for all the change of the past and all the change in the future.