Hard to believe twenty one years have passed since the day we welcomed our first baby into the world! But today Ruby turns 21. Technically not until almost 11pm. 🙂
So thankful for this past year with Ruby. She had an amazing summer last year working at a camp, she overcame some pretty big obstacles and never gave up, and she has matured so much this past year! I love watching her grow into the lovely young lady she is today. She is so quick-witted, she is a loyal friend and a great conversationalist. I love when she comes home to hang out with us.
We love you, Ruby!
Her sweet room mate made a cake for her! So kind and thoughtful.
May 23, 2025 Mack Joshua Dorminy walked across the stage to receive his high school diploma.
At the start of the ceremony, the pastor welcomed everyone and then prayed. I was particularly struck by his simple sentence of gratitude, “Thank you, Lord, for getting us here.”
It meant much more than the drive from home to school for this graduation ceremony—though The Lord definitely got us there.
“Here” meant more than the many drives from home to school on those early mornings when Mack was usually not talking to me and usually annoyed with anything I happened to say—though the Lord definitely was with us each and every weekday morning.
“Thank You, Lord, for getting us here” also meant more than for the solo drives Mack took to school since the day he got his license—though the Lord graciously protected each of his drives to school. So thankful!
The Lord got us “here” through rough mornings of waking Mack up and hollering upstairs, “You better not be late again!!!” And some rough evenings when we were sure he should be doing homework rather than galavanting around town.
The Lord got us to football games near and far over these years. The Lord has been with us in wins and losses, emotional highs and lows, through injury and recovery, from rebellion to receiving a Christian Leadership Award….through all of it we can say, “Thank You, Lord, for getting us here.”
Mack’s high school years were not smooth-sailing, easy-going days. There were some of those, but few and far between. I spent many of our “here” moments wishing we were “there”—somewhere, anywhere different, peaceful, or happy.
Watching a young boy grow into a man, maturing and changing and trying to figure life out brings with it a variety of emotions, many lessons and growth for the kid and parents alike. Mack is my first and only shot at raising a son. I am one of three girls, so a lot of raising Mack was new territory. Having a brother would have educated me at least a little. So in lots of ways Mack and I grew through this season together. From the best of friends as a toddler and elementary kid to whatever you would call us in this recent season, we have both been on a sanctifying journey.
Lord-willing, there is much more life to live for us both…more challenges, more growth, more opportunities to mature. I am confident in every season we will be able to say, “Thank You, Lord, for getting us here.” It will mean much more than meets the eye. Much, much more.
Thankful we had some family in town to help us celebrate! We had dinner at our house thanks to Josh’s dad. Then, we had lunch at Noble Smoke the next day and Bossy Beulahs after graduation.
My sister snapped this photo of us—two pretty tired parents. We have been married over 24 years and are about to have a mostly empty house in the fall. Maybe we will get more rest? Gain some of our sanity back? Lower our cortisol levels? I am not sure, but I know there is no one on earth I would rather be with to raise kids and launch kids than Joshua Lee Dorminy. He is simply the best. Here’s to dreaming about our Empty Nest!
