Gloria and Julia attend a wedding

On the morning of the wedding, Julia and I were just waking up when we heard a voice from outside the window calling out, "Hello! Hello!" In Belize, it's not uncommon to have peddlers come by to sell their goods. "Probably people coming through to sell produce or bottled water," I told myself.

Then it came again. Upon opening the door, I was amazed to see Rhoda, the sweet, busy lady who was looking after a hundred things for the wedding. There she stood, holding a bowl of tree-ripened mangoes and avocados, all sliced up and ready to eat. I blinked in wonder at her genuine hospitality. I could have come up with an entire list of reasons she would have been too busy to do this for us on the morning of the wedding. My motivation for hospitality went up several notches after experiencing it firsthand in this way!

The day passed as swiftly as those days do when there's food prep, guests, and all that goes with a wedding. In the morning, Grace asked Julia, Katie, and me to arrange her flowers — that pushed me a good notch out of my comfort zone. I never considered myself a florist. Grace gave us some basic instructions and was on her way.

The flowers ended up not being quite what she had ordered, and when I opened the sleeve of white roses, I was horrified to see that most of them had brown spots on the outer petals. I quietly asked God to show me how it needed to be done. One at a time, we picked off the brown petals and massaged the carnations to help them open more. As I was working on the bride's bouquet, I found myself humming — maybe I do enjoy making arrangements more than I thought? By noon we were flowered out and happy to have the project complete, most grateful for the dinner plates someone dropped off for us.

At about that time, I found out I was needed to join the family and the rest of the bridal party as soon as possible for pictures at a local park. That meant racing back "home," grabbing a shower, and coming back as quickly as possible. On the 30-minute drive back to the house, I enjoyed a Belizean meal. It felt good to fuel up again before the big event ahead.

The afternoon passed quickly, and soon we were all headed for the wedding. Grace wore a cream-colored dress with her adorable little sisters wearing aqua, the bridal color. They are both part of the Schrock family by the miracle of adoption. Grace's nine-year-old sister, who is closest to her age, was the Maid of Honor, with her brother serving as Best Man. It really was just too cute!

I was captivated by what the minister shared in his sermon about the importance of having Christ truly first in our lives. He used the triangle example: picture the husband and wife, one on each bottom corner of the triangle, and Christ at the top. The closer they draw to Christ, the closer they'll automatically draw to each other. What a profound truth this is for all relationships!

After the wedding, a delicious Belizean meal of rice, chicken, deep-fried plantains, coleslaw, and Hawaiian wedding cake was served. When Grace's uncle came to serve sparkling juice to those of us at the bridal table, I couldn't help but notice his two little children who trailed after him. Wherever he went is where they were. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time for that daddy to spend time with his children — they were not a bother to him; they were a big part of his life. I also noticed how he and his wife treated each other with affection and respect. I couldn't help but wonder if that family will be one of those with close relationships during the teenage years and beyond. I don't know, but I do know that I am motivated anew to really invest in my children on everyday levels.

The evening passed swiftly. Among my highlights was meeting another lady my age who also does weekly writing — how refreshing that was! After cleanup was completed, we headed back to Grace's house, where we unloaded ice chests, water coolers, roasters, and such.

Late that night, Julia and I enjoyed more fresh mangoes together and savored some golden time as we rehearsed the events of the day.

The trip was great up to this point, but guess what? The best was yet to come! The following day I would be going back home!

Travel went well. The last flight brought mixed feelings — there was that empty spot with the thought of coming home as a widow. God knew, but I still told Him about it and told Him I'll do life His way.

Arriving in Indianapolis, we headed down the walkway off the plane. Up ahead I caught glimpses of little faces peering for Mom and hands waving. It was just so precious. In moments I had more children around me than I could hug at once. Yes, we were blessed. The empty spot would not define us as deprived.

Here is a delicious chicken recipe to try:

Ingredients

1 cup crushed cornflakes

¾ cup butter, melted

½ cup flour

⅓ cup Parmesan cheese

Chicken breasts, thighs, or chunks, or cut up a 3 pound broiler chicken

½ cup minced parsley

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Blend crumbs and other ingredients except butter.

2. Dip chicken pieces into melted butter.

3. Dip buttery chicken into cornflake crumb mixture, coating thoroughly.

4. Arrange chicken in single layer in uncrowded shallow pan line with aluminum foil.

5. Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes.