From Ashes to Beauty~!

I love this picture of Rich and Lisa and their blended family. Rich has three children and Lisa has one... Sophia is in the red dress. The picture of John and Rich is priceless.. John sporting his long hair.. and Rich smiling like a proud father should. Take a look at this picture today because in one year John will be taller than his Dad.. I told them it's not fair they have all grown above my heart I'm so happy for them and so proud.

Feb. 26, 2011, my son Rich got married to a wonderful girl named Lisa...Oh what a happy day it was and a proud moment for me..and my family. Rich and his girls walking down the aisle was so precious.. He is was so proud it was so hard for him not to cry..

Nov. 2009 his wife died of cancer. They had been married almost 20 years and it was such a sad thing to happen to him and the three children..

John is now almost 14 and Kelly is 12 and Emily is 10..

Lisa has a girl age 5 and her name is Sophia.. This marriage is a gift from God..

Have relaxed since I have gotten home from taking care of the 3 kids while Rich and Lisa went on their honeymoon to California.. It was a very busy week taking care of them, running them to their different events and getting them off to school every morning.We did a lot of Act of Kindness deeds for the neighbors.. Delivered cookies, brought their paper to their doorsteps every morning, trash day brought their trash containers to the front of their garages, left a note to the mailperson to thank them for a job well done. I made them Cream of Wheat every morning which they were allowed to pile on lots of vanilla ice cream . No beds were made and we just had fun the whole week.told them we were on vacation too..but when Saturday came we cleaned up the house and got ready for Rich and Lisa to come home. They came home on Sunday afternoon.. Had supper ready for them and it was good to pick them up at the airport and then come home and a hot meal was ready to eat... The kids were so excited to see Rich and Lisa...It was good. Dave came to take me back to Iowa on Sunday . On Monday morning the kids went off to school and Rich,Lisa ,Dave and I went to Egg Harbor for breakfast and afterwards we were off driving back home to Iowa.. Lisa and Rich had a day full of being busy with their lives.. They are so happy and it's so wonderful they have each other.. During the wedding the scripture reading was :

Isaiah 61:3 To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise.. They have both come from ashes to beauty... Praise be to God...