Thankful Thursday - Adding Years, Adding Memories 🧡

Thankful Thursday: Adding Years, Adding Memories 🧡

Life is people… and these two have all our love.

This week, we get to celebrate two of our beauties. 🎂

Amy’s birthday on October 5th and Blakely’s on October 7th. One in Minnesota. One in Florida. Both grown, building their lives, and absolutely killing it in their own ways.

And somehow, we are supposed to act normal about our children being full-grown adults.

With responsibilities.
And opinions.
And calendars we have to consult. 😂

I understand how birthdays work. I just don’t understand how the years managed to move quite this quickly.

🧡 The View from Here

There is something tender about loving your children as adults.

You get to know them in new ways. You hear their thoughts, watch their choices, and see what matters to them. The conversations change. They bring things to the table you hadn’t considered. Sometimes they offer the very encouragement you needed.

And you sit there thinking…look at you. Look at the woman you’ve become.

Look at the life you’re making.
Look at all the things you’re figuring out as you go.

You’re proud of their accomplishments, of course. But you’re also proud of the things that don’t come with an announcement. The effort. The growing. The everyday showing up when life is being a little extra.

Because goodness knows, adulthood could have included a more thorough orientation packet. 😂

🍂 Different States. Same Love.

Florida and Minnesota.

One is still waiting for fall to get the message. The other has a reasonable chance of actually wearing the sweater.

We would love to have everyone close enough for a birthday dinner. Pull up another chair, cut another slice, linger a little longer. Those ordinary moments become awfully precious when miles require planning.

But distance doesn’t change who belongs.

Amy and Blakely, you are woven into our days whether we get to see your faces in person or love you from here. We think about you. We pray for you. We celebrate what’s going well and want to know when it isn’t.

Being grown does not mean you have outgrown being loved on.

I’m afraid that part is permanent. Parent policy. 🧡

🎂 Adding Years. Adding Memories.

Birthdays give us a reason to pause and say the things we hope our people already know.

You matter to this family.
Your presence makes a difference.
We love the women you are today.

And we are grateful there are still memories ahead that none of us have met yet.

More dinners. More visits. More pictures somebody will object to. More stories told around the table, with occasional disagreements about what actually happened.

Family historians are rarely impartial. 😂

This week, I’m thanking God for Amy and Blakely. For another year of their lives. For the privilege of loving them, cheering them on, and watching their stories continue to unfold.

Life is people.

And these two?

They have all our love.

Happy birthday, sweet girls. May this next year hold good health, deep friendships, room to grow, and plenty of reasons to laugh. May you know how dearly you are loved—by us and by the God who knows every step ahead of you. 🧡

Verse: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” — Philippians 1:3, NASB

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Amy and Blakely. Thank You for the women they are and the joy they bring to our family. Guide their steps in this new year of life. Give them wisdom, good health, steady friendships, and Your peace. Help us love them well—with listening ears, encouragement, and room to keep growing. Across every mile, may they feel remembered, supported, and deeply loved. In Jesus’ name, amen.

With a thankful heart,
Karen 🧡

Notice More. Love Well. Gather Often.