Hoffmeister Happenings: Grandpa's 80th Birthday

Last Saturday my mom's side of the family (the Winters) got together at First Baptist Church, Kingston to celebrate my Grandpa's 80th Birthday. It was great to see all of my cousins and their families. My Aunt Dinah's 3 boys were there as well as Marci's daughter Stephanie and son, Tristan. I couldn't help but feel the gravity of the absence of other cousins who normally would have been there. My cousin Carl passed away last month and was sorely missed by everyone. His warm smile always lit the room. Also missing were Adam and Jared. Adam and his wife Rebecca and son Keenan are overseas doing God's work and spreading the gospel. We can't wait to see them at Christmas. Jared and Dorothy had to work as well but we look forward to seeing them during the holidays. And lastly, Daddy wasn't there in body but we felt him in spirit. Sorry to be a downer but I couldn't share the fun we had without taking a moment to reflect on those we missed.

Grandpa & the Great-grandchildren

Grandpa seemed to enjoy seeing his children, grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren (he has 8 counting Keenan). We will be adding a couple more to the flock soon. My sister, Tracy (and David & Elijah) is expecting in the spring and we learned some amazing news from Stephanie and Nathan. Stephanie is also expecting a baby that we have prayed fervently for a long time. I want to take this opportunity to share God's abundant grace as he provides this awesome gift to Stephanie, Nathan, Marci, Tristan, and George. They had to say goodbye to Carl last month and though he can never be replaced, God sent an angel to lighten the grief and remind us all that his plan is perfect and full of love. Isn't God wonderful?

Congratulations, Stephanie & Nathan!

The cousins enjoyed visiting together and relishing the moments of playtime among our children. It was a wonderful gift to see the many generations together sharing in fellowship and love for one another. Our family has been blessed to remain close enough to share in each other's lives through the years and we look forward to welcoming more children into the family and witnessing the generations to come. Check out some of the pics taken at the party.