More from the big 49.  Oh, how I love these pictures, these people and these memories:

These right here are the party favors!  Yes, we reached way to the bottom of our 1999 grab bag and pulled out…the Steve Birthday Mix!  It has 8 songs that we felt defined him and our family, beginning with Carry on my Wayward Son and ending with the Doxology.

We are blessed to have a plethora of amazing musicians in our family who provide music at, well…everything.  At parties, at Sunday dinner, on long car rides.  You get the idea.   Yes, we are very blessed.  And also?  Can you catch a glimpse of the view behind them?  Tetherow is just beautiful.

Speaking of people who’s music made me cry…

This is Chris Beland and his beautiful wife, Annie.  Chris is something of a BIG deal ’round these parts for his amazing vocal and songwriting abilities.  He wrote a song for Steve and another friend battling a serious illness and sang it at the party.  However, note to self:  listen to beautifully moving song before the party so as to get all the crying out of the way while the whole world is not watching.  Lesson learned.  Thank you so much, Chris & Annie, for being such a significant part of a special day.  You’re gold.

There will never be a time when looking at this picture doesn’t make me smile.  Ron and Teri are dear friends and Ron gave a stellar toast at the party.

 

One of these lovelies is mine and one is my sister’s.  But I pretend they’re both mine because I’m selfish like that.

Heroes.

More heroes.

Sometimes people ask me how I’m holding up through this difficult season.  This picture?  This is how.  These ladies – my sisters and my mom – have spent countless hours on the phone, cleaning my house, going with me to conferences when I knew I couldn’t go alone and just generally paying the price for my sanity.  Their strength, wisdom and wit in the face of pressure is beyond words.

Now these people are so many gifts.  Chris has been one of my closest friends for so many years (except neither of us is old – weird, huh?) and few people understand me like she does.  Joe stepped in this summer when Steve’s illness got the best of his lawn mowing skills.  Seriously…friends who mow your lawn?  Priceless.

Do men have bff’s?  I don’t know for sure, but if they do…this is Scott and he is definitely one of Steve’s.  Linda says Steve and Scott have a bromance, and I’m glad that they both have cool wives who are happy to be friends as well.  Speaking of Linda, how cute are her shoes?  CUTE!

Well, I guess this is the end because this picture leaves me speechless.

 

Happy birthday, Steve Stern.  Your life is a treasure to me and to many.

 

2 Comments

  1. more great pics, memories, and tears to keep in a bottle.

  2. Susan from Nebraska

    I never noticed that their eyes are the same color! I know they sure do love each other. Still thinking of the great memories from that Birthday Week!