Remember our son Erich???  He moved to Nashville at the beginning of the summer to be a nurse at Middle Tennessee Medical Center and is getting married on September 18th!

Well, he has four days off in a row and is coming home to visit!!!  And he's bringing his new puppy, Hugo!!!  Our first granddog! :)  I'm sure I'll take lots of pictures!

I am so excited to hug him!

And remember Evan?  He has been in California all summer doing an internship at Warner Brothers Studio's Fitness Center.  He is arriving late tomorrow night along with Tim and Todd who have been out there for a week visiting him and sightseeing!!!  I'm excited to hug them all too!

Olivia and I have been having a week of girl time here - enjoying a little different pace, and we are now bracing ourselves for the return of the boys!!!!!!!!!!!!

None of them know about our little Miracle yet, so we'll get to introduce them to the new kitty! 

As difficult as goodbyes can be, they sure make the hellos exciting!

That's what I want to cling to as I long for Heaven and the chance to hug Adrienne after 18 years and Nick after a year and a half so far.  I read about how those "who sow in tears will reap songs of joy" and how  God  promises to "turn our mourning into dancing," and I understand these verses when I think about the joy I will experience as I walk down the golden streets toward my children's mansions!  Oh my!!!  I get excited just thinking about that day!!!!

For now, I will look forward to hugging my boys who are  here with me!

But, oh what joy will fill my soul when this earth passes away and we all stand in the presence of our loved ones who have gone before and even more than that as we all stand in the presence of our Savior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I will fall on my knees and barely be able to look up.  To say "thank you" in person to the One who has comforted me in my deep sadness, who has strengthened me in my greatest fears, who has provided for me in my time of need, who has loved me when I felt unlovely, who has sustained me when I felt I couldn't go on................

Thank you, Jesus, for being everything to me!

So, for today, I will watch for Erich's car to pull in the driveway, but as always, I will glance Heavenward often in hopes that Jesus may be showing up too!  I do believe it could be any day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anxiously awaiting so many arrivals,