my neighbor in heaven is going to be c.s. lewis. i have worked this all out with the eternal neighborhood planning committee. personally i can't wait to see what kind of "welcome to the 'hood" party he is going to throw for me... i think aslan will show up and really get the party started...

i love that i am always rediscovering things that "jack" wrote that are fresh to me every time. i especially love the way he writes about friendship.

this is most likely how he is going to think about me his new neighbor and eternal BFF...

"In Friendship…we think we have chosen our peer. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances.

A secret Master of Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, ‘Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,’ can truly say to every group of Christian friends ‘You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another.’

The Friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of others."

{C.S. Lewis}

this cute couple with an even cuter baby is one of those friendships that God put together (i guess they are ALL those friendships, but this one really fits that bill.) dan and olivia were plopped down into my life by God and there is really no reason that i should know them except He wanted us to know each other. God reveals much beauty and love to me through knowing these two. and now i get to know TWO more members of their family...

they asked me a few months ago to share with them my adoption story as they were at the very beginning of their own adoption story. maybe they wanted it as encouragement or maybe as a warning... their story has had a couple of introductory chapters. and now they are holding half of a brand new chapter. the other half was still in NICU on this day. but he is home now. they have a beautiful story to tell and to retell and to keep telling. i can't wait to watch this story unfold. it is going to be amazing. like all of God's stories... full of character development, plot twists, and grace. goo gobs of grace filling all the empty spaces.

i love to tell the story of unseen things above. of Jesus and His Glory. or Jesus and His love.

adoption is the story of Jesus and His love for us. i love how clearly dan and olivia see that. and you can read dan and olivia's unfolding story on their blog, the art of joy...

they are going to tell a beautiful story straight from God's heart into this weary world. and i am so grateful that God is going to let me watch this story. and hold some cute babies along the way... He is a gracious Master of Ceremonies indeed...

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;

It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems

Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.

I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;

And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat

What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.

And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,

’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,

To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

which could be entitled LAST first day of school with three children under my roof. but who's counting? yup, i am counting. counting and trying to remain calm about all the changes that i know are coming at me .

i remember when i used to always document FIRSTS... first steps, first solid food, first day of preschool.

now i document LASTS... last school year. last birthday at home. last time we will be the marshall family all living in one place.

i am not a big fan of LASTS.

but my girl made it a bit easier on me. by wearing a sweater that she KNEW i would love. i also liked maxx's thematic shirt for the first day of school.

i may have done a LOT of things wrong whilst raising them. but teaching them how to be ironically thematic goes in my gold star category...