The Big 5-0

Blog About Fall 2020

Doug was about to turn 50, so Kylie and I thought it would be fun to surprise him for a weekend visit. She hadn't been gone long, but we already missed her and wanted to take advantage of seeing her when we could while we were in America.

I wasn't home the day she flew in, so a friend of mine picked her up and delivered her.

I let Caleb in on the secret so he could video the moment Doug opened the door, but we didn't tell Keira or Karis so we could surprise them, too.

Kylie arrived and was able to help Keira get ready for Halloween and take Keira trick or treating with Doug.

The next day we had planned a surprise party for Doug, which was disguised as a dinner at a friend's house. It was the day before his birthday, so he still didn't suspect anything.

The best gift I could think to give him was to let him know how many people he had impacted in his first 50 years. We shouldn't wait until someone is gone to verbalize what they mean to us, right?

So many of you graciously wrote him a letter to tell of how he had impacted you or what he had meant to you, and it became a beautiful book, full of almost 150 letters.

You guys were amazing!  Thanks!

Peanut Butter Pie is a must!

The hosts of the party have been friends of ours for close to 28 years. In fact, Doug performed their wedding ceremony 25 years ago!

More friends from our early days in college.

Eight of these people were in the student ministry Doug first worked in when he was 19 years old, and the man next to Doug was his first employer in the ministry world. These guys have all remained close to us over the many years that have passed since then.

Our three oldest serenaded Doug with "Happy Birthday," sung in two different languages from our overseas country.

And while all of this was happening, back across the sea, our host country was still doing school online.

I hate to say this, but it was a blessing for us, because Keira could attend school online and not miss anything while we were in America.