Mother's 90th Birthday Party, March 8th

Mother's 90th Birthday Party, March 8th

Thank you to everyone who sent a card or participated in our Life on Record gift to Mother on her 90th birthday. She loved hearing from you because she treasures friends and family. She received over 100 phone messages, as well as many beautiful cards. It was so special to me to see her respond with smiles and tears of joy.

Isn't she just beautiful...inside and out!!!

As I listened to her phone messages and read her cards, I kept a running list of what all was said about her. Truly, Elaine Mitchell is a precious lady and I am honored and 
blessed to call her, "Mother!"

Helper

Encourager

Brings out the best in people

Thirsts for knowledge and how to help others

Good hostess

Fine Christian person

Gets along with others well

So friendly

Makes others feel so welcome

Cares so deeply

Steadfast friend 

Has godly wisdom

Finds joy in living and obeying God

Interested in her family

Offers the sweet hope

Discerns the character of people

Has no judgment

Brings out right words to think correctly

Grand lady

Hospitable

Never judgmental

Listening ear

Sweet, gentle, giving attitude

Precious

Gracious

Best friend

Life-long friend

Friendly, always has a big smile

Well-liked by everyone

Has energy and time  

Elegant Elaine

Gracious hostess

Radiant smile

Sense of humor

Christ-centered personality

Jesus Christ first

Never says a harsh word about anyone

Always there for people

Lady

Warmest, kindest

Makes a lasting impression

Wonderful Christian lady setting an example

Charming, loving, giving

Gentle spirit

Valuable member of our family

The friend everyone wishes they had

Speaks calmly

Prayer supporter

Good cook

Warm, caring beautiful

Enriches others’ lives

Beautiful red hair

Bright one that stands out in a crowd

Does what is right

A heart as big as the world

A lady I would like to be like

Charming personality

\

I had such fun decorating and preparing 
for Mother's party with Chiree and Rebecca.

The girls spent the day before sorting through the many, many old pictures we had and then made a beautiful long 

display across Mother's buffet 

in the dining room.

We finished the cake and then set the table 
with Mother's china she has had since 
she married,along with the glassware that was her mother's and the bronze dinnerware Daddy bought her when he was in Viet Nam.

Mother's neighbors when she and Daddy lived in town were able to come and share in the celebration, Deanna, 
Harriet and Ruth.

Mother was blessed to have her pastor and his wife come for the evening, 
Roger and Pam Brumley.

My dear in-laws, Jim and June Bollinger, spend lots of time with us, so it was most fitting for the three of them to be together for this special day.

My sweet hubby, Jimmy, loves Mother so much, and the feeling is mutual!

Grandson, Nathan and wife Katie and baby son, Caleb, were not able to be here, so we Skyped them in for them to 
share their birthday message.
 (Granddaughter Rachel and her husband Brad, and baby son Coen Skyped also).

After dinner, we all shared how very special Mother was to all of us. Then Rebecca, Chiree and I modeled clothes way back into the 1940's that Mother has kept.
The aqua satin semi-fomal dress with mink stole wasworn to a military event in the 1960's. (You can see the picture of 
Mother wearing this in the third picture 
at the top of this blog on the far right.)

Chiree joined Rebecca in the fashion show 
modeling a brown velvet jacket worn 
over a striped sun dress that Mother 
wore in the 1950's.

Mother sure enjoyed having her two 30-year-old granddaughters be a part of her 90th birthday party modeling her clothes!

Rebecca was more than willing to model the 
darling floral bathing suit, complete with a 
matching gathered skirt that Mother 
wore on her honeymoon in 1951. 
(Isn't it darling, and it still 
looks brand new!)

Chiree modeled an all wool, form-fitting black suit that Mother wore in the 1940's, and I wore a housedress (complete with pears...Look out, June Clever!) that Mother wore a lot when I was growing up.

      

All of the family was able to come 
for a visit at various times this year. 

Mother made some wonderful memories!

Michelle and I enjoyed celebrating Easter with Mother with the dogwoods in full bloom in Neosho!

                                 Mother enjoyed being with all of 

              her sweet, crazy-fun granddaughters!

Great-grandson, Coen, learning is first
101 words with Great-Grandma
Coen will be 2 in January.

Great-grandson, Caleb, reading along with Great-Grandma Caleb will be 2 in March.

Nathan, Katie and Caleb are excited 
to announce that Baby #2 is due in May!

Brad, Rachel and Coen are excited 
to announce Baby #2 is due in August!

Fun father/son time!

Fun father/son time!

Jim and I and Dan and Michelle
so enjoy getting together and being with Mother. 
We all have much for which to thank the Lord!

An update on the family:

Dan and Michelle still live in Denver where Michelle works for Kaiser as a nurse. Dan is taking a sabbatical from the pastorate this year but volunteers in various ministry needs. His dear mother has moved in with them and they are really enjoying having her. Their children...

-Rebecca (age 30) is working as a pediatric pulmonology nurse in the Denver area. 

-Brad and Rachel (both age 27) live in Castle Rock, Colorado, where Brad is a highway patrolman and Rachel works part-time for 911. They work their schedule so that they can care for sweet Coen without needing a babysitter. 

Jim continues his electrical work in Neosho, and I provide part-time caregiving for my in-laws. We (along with Chiree) moved in with Mother in July and so very much enjoy being with her  and making special memories. Our children...

-Nathan and Katie (both age 33) live in Niles, Michigan, where he is the video director for Revive Our Hearts ministry and she teaches piano and photography from home in order to be with sweet Caleb full time. 

-Chiree (age 30) also works as a videographer for Revive Our Hearts but lives at home and travels quite frequently with job assignments.  

Mother keeps busy writing letters, reading, purchasing her favorite books to give to others, investing in her grandchildren, talking on the phone to friends and family, attending Calvary Baptist and its activities and listening each morning to Chuck Swindoll's radio messages. 

Thank you to each one of you for being a part of our lives by the way you love our dear mother/grandmother. May God bless you!

2013 Celebrations

“Celebrate" 

~To bless or praise something or someone that is loved~

2013 was the year for the Bollinger family to celebrate! Each event that we celebrated was our opportunity to bless and praise the Lord Jesus Christ because of the people we love. Without Him, we are nothing and we can do nothing. With Him, He is the personification of love. 

March 13^th marked the day we celebrated as God blessed us with our first grandchild, Caleb Elias, born to Nathan and Katie. No words can adequately express what this precious baby means to us. Oh, my, do we ever love holding him, rocking him, tickling him­­­––Yes, he's won our hearts! We praise God for his life and we desire to do all we can to be grandparents who point him to Christ in all things, as his mommy and daddy do. We LOVE him!

(First Grandchild Tribute: http://www.cnook.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html 

April 14^th marked the day we celebrated Jimmy officially becoming a “full-fledged senior citizen." His steady nature and love for his Savior has made him a man who has brought harmony to our home and blessed all those whom he works with professionally and as a friend through serving others. We LOVE him! (The 65th Birthday Tribute: http://www.cnook.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html)

October 4^th marked the day Jimmy's parents, Jim and June, celebrated their 70^th wedding anniversary. With 63 family members in the Bollinger Clan, 42 of us, as well as 30+ extended family and friends, we were able to come and enjoy this memorable weekend celebration of Mom and Dad's marriage. They enjoyed every minute of it! We LOVE them!

(The 70th Anniversary Tribute:http://www.cnook.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html)

December 24^th marked the day we celebrated Chiree’s 30^th birthday. Watching how the Lord has worked through her life gives us joy beyond measure. It was a special celebration at the Arkansas prison with the inmates and co-laborers, Stacey Smith, and Nancy Leigh DeMoss, whom she has had ministry with for the past eight years. We LOVE her!

(The 30th Birthday Tribute: http://cnook.blogspot.com/2013_12_01_archive.html)

May 2014 be a year that we each accept challenges that help us know God more and make Him known. Here are a few of our personal challenges: 

 ~ That we would be "ministers of reconciliation"–whether that is by showing others the way of reconciliation to God by faith alone in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, or whether that is by bringing others to be reconciled to each other through forgiveness

 ~ That the "quality of hearing" the Word of God would be so keen that we could recall chapter and verse that applies to each life situation we face–whether that situation is something easy or something difficult

 ~ That we would daily be "progressing in truth"–whether that be by applying whatever God is teaching us, or whether that be by teaching others truths we are learning

We always love hearing from you–about your families, your experiences, your joys, your heartaches, your prayer requests. E-mails, phone calls, and visits all mean so much to us because you are a blessing to our lives!