Sat. 9/9/23, 50th Party for us today! Many dear family members and friends came to celebrate with us. Everything was so nice.Thanks to our wonderful family who helped so much!

We were blessed with so many family members and friends coming to our 50th Anniversary Party.  We were blessed to have those we have been friends with a long time and also a short time, who are dear to our hearts and so special to us.  God has blessed us with each other and with all these who we love and were so happy to celebrate with.  

Stuff packed up and ready to load for party

Kimmy and Jared setting up dessert table.  Melissa putting confetti on each table.

Everything ended up looking beautiful

Eli and Jack working on blowing up balloons and putting them as a border for people to know what room the party was in.  It was Bill's idea!

Peyton helping too!  They all did great.  I wish I would have taken a picture.  It looked beautiful when they got done.  It came all the way from that door to where Peyton was.

We were so thankful we had the balloon blower for the kids to use to blow up all those balloons.

Eli, Evan and Jack

We ended up getting done a half hour early and it looked amazing!  Thank you everyone who did such a great job helping!

 

 

 

Bill and I at our 50th! So thankful for our 50 years of married life together

I love this picture of my sister Brenda and my Best Friend Vikki looking at our wedding picture album

Sue, Charlie, me and Bill...great friends

Without us knowing, Vikki put metal knives in the center of the tables so people could hit them on the Mason jars.  We of course had to kiss.

Dave and Terry on left. Me talking to Merijo behind them, Jen, Brad, Greg Young, Roy behind him, Lew, Wes, Joel, Gayla and Cindy on far right

Brenda, Vikki E. Dave, Terry and Pat...plus the same people above at the first table

Barb and Ron

Stacie and the Paws for a Cause dog she is helping train

Bev, Ron, Barb and Ron

Amy, Dennis, Dennis Watkins, Jim and Marsha. Bill in the background talking to Debbie and Dale

Maddy, Brielle, James and Diane

Eli, Jack and Evan...those are the knives Vikki put on each table

Debbie, Dale, Bill, and Mary Eaton.  Dale Honold was in our wedding 

Vikki and Marie

Peyton, Rody, Charlie, and Sue

Adam photo bombing us

Terry, Vikki, me and Bill

Vikki, Bff Vikki who Vikki is named after, me and Peyton

Peyton, Vikki, Vikki, me, Melissa and Kimmy

Kimmy, Vikki, Brenda, me, Bill, Melissa and Dave

Dave, Brenda, me and Bill

Brenda, Melissa, Kimmy and Vikki

Mary and Mike Eaton, me and Bill

Me and Kim Gager looking at my wedding dress.  She said hers was a lot like it.

 

Bob, Tim and Cathy seated, Jan, Bill, me, Gary and Kim standing

Sabrina, me, Bill and Bill Smith

Bill, me, Debbie and Matthew

Me, Bill and Debbie with beautiful 50th ornaments she gave us

Jared and Melissa relaxing in the chairs we got from Pam and Fred.  They thought they were really comfortable and we should set them up when we celebrate Christmas.

We got ready for the party, then left to go decorate at noon.  Kimmy and Jared were picking up the courage and boutonniere for us.  I had given them the receipt and let the place know they were picking them up.  They called and Kimmy said they mistakenly put Sat. Sept. 30 on it instead of making it for today.  It was a friend from church who wrote down my order.  I had told her this Saturday and we could pick it up in the morning.  She is really sweet and must have been used to writing homecoming dates for Freeland down.  Bummer!  Kimmy and Jared were going to wait for them to make one, but we needed them to help decorate and the lady said they would have to stay there instead of Jared coming back to pick it up because they close at noon.  Bill and I told them to just leave. 

We all met at the church and started decorating and setting stuff out.  Jared, Kimmy and Bill left for a while.  Jared even went in a Bridal store to see if they made corsages.  So sweet of him.  Bill came back with two boutonnieres from Kroger, one red and one white.  One for him and one for me.  He thought we could make a corsage out of one of them and he would wear the other.  That didn't work, but was very sweet of him.  We ended up just going without.  Kimmy and Jared got my refund, so we saved $40.  

At two, just about everyone came at the same time which was nice.  The caterer set out a fruit plate and a veggie and dip plate for people to be eating before the meal.  It was really good.  They set up the food on tables in the hallway and then we all prayed and ate.  Bill had Dennis Ward, a dear friend and now a Chaplain, pray.  Bill married him and his wife Amy.

He prayed such a wonderful prayer.  We all ate and the food was super delicious.  The caterers even offered to carry our salad plates or regular plates if we wanted them to.  Then they came around and poured coffee for us.  They also picked up our plates when we were done with them.  They were so nice and went out of their way to make everything so nice for us.  After everyone had eaten, they picked up the food and put it away in tins in the refrigerator.  The two ladies had to leave, and the 22 year old granddaughter stayed and when a few couples came in late, she got the stuff out and made plates for them and heated them in the microwave.  Bill's sister Debbie came 15 minutes after the party ended and she even made her a plate.  She also helped pack up our dessert table for us and cleaned the whole kitchen.  Then she told us we could take all the food home with us.  We were just amazed at how great a job they did and how kind they were.  A friend of ours who was there knew the caterer and had gone to youth group with her daughter.  We were happy to find out they were Christians, because they were sure showing the love of Jesus!

I sat down with Debbie and Matthew for 5 minutes, then Vikki sat with them for a while.  Then she and Matthew left and the rest of us hurried and started putting chairs and tables away and picking up everything and packing it up.  Bill, Rody and Jared were just amazing helping so much.  Bruce had to take Max and Vader home.  Melissa, Kimmy and Vikki were all amazing helpers too.  The kids were all great helps hauling all the stuff to the vehicles.  What a great day it was!  We all came to our house afterward and some of us ate again.  Then we opened our cards.  We had opened our gifts at the party because we had 3 people requesting we do that.  It was nice hanging out and relaxing together.  I sure love my family.

 

Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, Our 50th Wedding Anniversary, Got a few last minute things for the party, picked Kimmy up and decorated the fellowship hall for the party, Kimmy and Vikki came over and we worked on pictures for the picture books, went to Outback for dinner,

Bill surprised me today with roses and some other flowers mixed in

Bill and I working on balloons together for our 50th party

We set up what we could.  Had to leave 4 tables at the end for youth group tonight

Vikki made the balloon arch and Kimmy helped her hang it.  She did an amazing job on it.

We went to Outback and had steak. We had the best waiter.

Free delicious dessert to split.  It was huge.  Thunder from down under was the name of it.

We picked up the cake for tomorrow

Our chairs from Pam, Dick, Fred and Lourdes.  They are so comfortable. 

 

 Kimmy worked very hard making 140 cupcakes and frosting and sprinkling them.  They look amazing.  I picked up 400 pictures for the picture books I ordered from Walgreens.  I also picked up some Hershey gold wrapped kisses for the candy dish.  Meijer had them on sale.  I picked up some gold forks and gold shredded paper from Party City.  I worked on getting the glass candle holder filled and ready.  Kimmy called and wanted me to pick her up at 1:30 at the Dow Diamond.  Jared picks up the van there.  I didn't hear from Kimmy where to for sure go to meet her, and couldn't get a hold of her, so I called Jared.  He tired to give me directions as I drove, but I got confused at some of them.  Kimmy finally called and said to just put Dow Diamond in maps, so I did and then with talking to her I found the right parking place.  She was running behind because of making and decorating so many cupcakes, then having to pack them up so Wyatt didn't get them and also had to load them in her van to bring to me.  She was so busy and lost track of time.  I thought she knew we were to be at the church to decorate at 2, but it must have been Vikki I told for sure.  We left the Dow Diamond at 1:55.  I called Bill to have him take the tubs I had loaded and stacked to take to the church.  He got there at 2 and met Aiden who was opening up the church for us.  Vikki came right after she got out of work.   I had to drive slow and easy on the turns and stops, so the cupcakes didn't go flying.  Kimmy did ask me why I was speeding when she noticed I was going 85 on the expressway.  I slowed down because I didn't know I was going that fast.  We got to my house and quickly unloaded all those cupcakes, then went to leave and the mailman pulled in right behind us.  I had to go talk to him to see what he wanted.  He was delivering a big package which was a Lazy Bear Chair from Bills brother and sister and their spouses.  I had the mailman just put it in the garage and told him we were just leaving to go decorate for our 50th.  I told him that because I said we didn't order a chair and it must be the neighbors.  He said the name was right on it.  Then I remembered why it was coming.  He wished me a happy anniversary a couple of times, and then left.  We hurried to the church and were only 15 minutes late.  Vikki and Bill were there blowing up balloons.  We all moved some tables, then had to get extra chairs because they only had 5 at a table and we needed 8. We were very thankful Aiden set up the tables and chairs for us.  That was a huge time saver where we only had 2 hours to decorate.  Bill and Vikki kept working on balloons, I helped blow up some while Vikki started connecting them.  Then Bill and I carried them all over to her to use.  Kimmy and I moved the big table and got table covers on all of the tables, and the table skirts on the two long tables.  Kimmy put all the centerpieces on.   The girls set up the table with the wedding pictures, card box and other stuff and made it look beautiful.  Vikki did an amazing job connecting all the balloons to make an arch.  She and Kimmy hung it.  It was a blessing that I picked up three small command hooks for the camper and I just thought I would throw them in just in case we needed them.  We sure did need them. I put 50th confetti around them on six tables. We had to leave 4 tables plain so the youth group could use them tonight to decorate cookies for the fire station.  We will finish those tables tomorrow morning.  Kimmy put all the cupcake holders and trays on the dessert table.  Everything looked very nice when we left.  Kimmy and I picked up subs at Subway and brought them to my house to eat.  I only ate part of mine, because Bill and I were going out for our anniversary later.  Kimmy and I stuck the 50th anniversary decorations in some of the cupcakes.  Some have to wait til tomorrow because the tops of the containers won't close with them on.  That will be Melissa's job tomorrow.  We started working on organizing pictures for the picture books after that. Bill worked more on mowing the grass. I gave Kimmy the stack I had worked on organizing last night and she started the small picture book.  I started organizing the big stacks I picked up today.  Vikki came and started working on them with us.  Kimmy worked on big stacks too.  Bill came home and brought me beautiful roses with flowers mixed in.  I put them in a vase.  We girls worked until Bill and I had to leave for our date, then they finished both books which look amazing while we were gone.  They are amazing and very talented.  They went to Big Boy in Midland and Jared joined them.  We went to Outback, and I looked up and reminded Bill we needed to go to Sam's Club first to pick up the cake at 6.  I was on my phone so didn't notice we weren't going the right way.  The cake was beautiful.  We headed back to Outback.  We had the best waiter at Outback.  He went out of his way to treat us really good and wished us Happy 50th a few times.  He brought us a delicious big chocolate brownie with ice cream dessert for free for our anniversary.  While we were eating our dessert, Bill gave me the sweetest card he had written in.  It had an Outback gift card in it for $50.  We used it to pay for our meals.  How handy!  When we got home, we opened our chairs up and took a picture to send to Pam and Fred and thank them.  Then I looked at the amazing picture books.  I texted the girls to thank them.  Bill and I read our Bibles after that.

Thurs. 9/7/23, Went shopping for stuff, worked on picking pictures to run off, finding and sorting ones I already had, steamed wedding dress and bridesmaid dress, Went to Kenzie's Ultrasound

Kenzie with all the things the girl gave her....The bear was so soft and it has a heart she put in it with his heartbeat from the ultrasound.   

These are all of the amazing pictures from the ultrasound.  He smiled, sucked his thumb, stuck his tongue out, opened his eyes, put his arm up.  Oh my, I love him so much already.  Seeing this ultrasound was so moving.  Babies are a miracle from God with a personality even this little.  No one can say they are just a blob after seeing an ultrasound like this.  Praying for the murder of babies in the womb to stop.

 

This is such an awesome picture.  Love Kenzie and love her baby! Thanks Kenzie for letting us all go to this amazing ultrasound session.  My heart was so touched.

I went and picked up some more things I need for the party.  Got some gold shredded paper and some brown and mixed them for the candles I want to have on the table.  Found some gold forks for the dessert table.  Came home and Kimmy came over.  She brought 140 chocolate chip cookies she baked.  She is just amazing.  We had a muffin.  We got the engagement book fixed up nicely for tomorrow.  Vikki, Peyton and Kenzie came.  I went to pick up Melissa and brought her here.  Then we all left to go to Kenzie's ultrasound session.  

It was just amazing.  The girl had gifts for Kenzie to pick out...she picked a cute soft bear.

She took her time and explained everything so well and answered any questions Kenzie had.  She gave Kenzie snacks and a drink, and offered us all some too.  Vikki had a pop.  At first baby just was comfy and slept with his head on the placenta.  She tried to wake him up...that's why she gave Kenzie snacks and a Mountain Dew.  Kenzie went to the bathroom too.  When she came back, he turned so we could see him better.  He sucked his thumb, smiled, stuck his tongue out, moved his arm, hands and feet.  He opened and closed his eyes.  

It was so clear and just amazing.  What an awesome God we have to create human beings so incredibly.  Such a miracle.  We all loved it and are all excited for this sweet baby to arrive.  

Vikki, Kenzie and Peyton went home from there.  I took Melissa home, then Kimmy and I came here and Kimmy left for home.  I steamed my wedding dress and the bridesmaid's dress.  Read my Bible.  Downloaded the pictures I picked out, over 400 of them, and ordered them from Walgreen's.  Vikki told me how to use a 45% off coupon.  Good thing.  It saved a lot.   I went to bed at 2:30