Susan Thompson is having a birthday.
I could think of no better way to honor the impact she has had on me and
so many others than by sharing a few (aka 125+) photos of her with you all.
Although she was born before the world changed from black and white to color,
Susan could light up a room with her smile from an early age.
Fun fact: While Susan is from Sardis, MS, she was actually born in Memphis, TN!
Susan is shown here with her big sister Elizabeth.
She is getting a little older, a little taller, and with longer locks!
Who doesn't enjoy photos of Susan in a tutu?
Trying to figure out the whole "Easter Bunny" thing...
Susan has been a fan of monograms for a while.
Susan, embracing her new baby sister Mary!
After Mary turned evil, Susan let Elizabeth hold her,
and Susan turned to holding sweet things, like this little bunny rabbit.
Susan was never a fan of matching outfits, although she knew
she would be photographed with her sisters time and time again...
School Days smiles.
Entering into the teenage years with a cute puppy!
When I met Susan she was 16 and full of grace.
I was fortunate enough to meet her a second time in our college days.
She agreed to marry me and did so in 1986!
The 21 year-old bride, in the Sardis United Methodist Church.
Honeymooners
A few years passed and we started our family!
Matthew, our first born, with his sweet mommy.
Susan, Matthew, and Matt's nerdy dad.
Matthew and Susan
Two years later, Lynsey arrived!
Pictured with her sisters again, this time under new circumstances,
and without matching outfits!
(with cameos by Matthew and Julia Grace)
Ready for a Christening
At Mary's wedding, Susan finally got to be in a photo where she wasn't in the middle!
A year after Lynsey was born, James entered our life!
Our new crazy life had three children in it! Wow!
Hey, wait! Are all the boys wearing matching shirts? The girls, too!
Carefree days back on the farm in Sardis.
Then, in 1994, we moved to Virginia.
Later that year our fourth child, Grace, was born!
More carefree days on the farm, with the new and expanded Thompson family.
Then we took a little trip for some R&R, with our friends the LeRouxs.
It makes me want to climb a tree to fetch a coconut!
Then guess what? Yep! Twins! Luke and Hannah were born!
They obviously grew quickly since I couldn't find their baby pictures!
(cameo by Rebekah Dean)
The children grew in stature and wisdom.
Eventually, our 15th wedding anniversary would lead us in a new direction: Kazakhstan
Susan, with sweet Lucy, who we adopted in Aktobe, KZ, 2002.
Susan, with Lucy, in Almaty, KZ, October 2002.
Our experience with Lucy lead us to adopt again and we returned to Kazakhstan.
Susan, with Noah in Petropavlovsk, KZ, 2004.
Beach vacation! Back to the middle!
Hey, wait! Why aren't Elizabeth and Mary wearing their matching shirts?
In 2006, we returned to Petropavlovsk.
Susan, with Sholpan, Zarina, and Rinat.
From the Reveille UMC Directory, it's the Thompson family and their 11 children!
But the children have a way of growing up and moving on.
And we found new direction also: China!
Susan, with Annabelle in Hunan province, 2008.
We returned to China in 2010, adopting Jacob from Nanning.
Also, in 2010, we adopted Joshua from Guangzhou.
Back home, we celebrated many birthdays and returned to our "normal life"
until 2012, when we ventured back to China, adopting Sophie from Yinchuan, Ningxia.
Also in 2012, we adopted Samuel from Inner Mongolia.
Shortly after arriving home, Jacob's platelets bottomed out and it was clear that
the boy with Fanconi anemia would need an urgent bone marrow transplant, in Minneapolis.
So Susan and Jacob moved to Minnesota for 5 months.
She kept in touch with us through FaceTime and phone calls.
We all missed her and Jacob a lot.
They endured the highs and lows of the process (mostly the latter).
And eventually he was released (with a mask)!
After returning home, we got back to life as we know it.
That's what I'm talking about!
Life unfolded before us and Susan tackled it head on with grace and beauty!
The older children grew up and moved on but always kept in touch.
Life was never dull.
The memories kept accumulating.
Our joy increased almost daily.
Susan slowly became comfortable with both being in the middle and wearing matching outfits.
Did I mention that this whole time she was also teaching Sunday school and choir?
The seasons came and went, and it all seemed to go by so quickly.
Thousands of meals have been prepared by sweet Susan for our platoon sized family.
She is a truly amazing woman, but I guess you all knew that already.
A Christmas gift from her little angel, Samuel.
The fun continues and the calling expands.
While we were on vacation in the Great Smokey Mountains,
we learned that it was time to return to China.
So off we went to Gansu province to adopt Jackson.
And the rest (and the best) is yet to come!
Susan Hays Thompson: She can do it all.
Happy Birthday, sweetie!
You are the most amazing woman the modern world has ever known.
We can't wait to see what happens in your next 50 years.
With your faith, your loving care, your drive, and some AARP discounts,
the world (or at least our little part of it) could be completely transformed.
We love you!
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