Saturday, September 19, 2009

12 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




September 6, 1997 was a day that Dave and I will always remember because it is the day we pledged our lives to each other and to Christ and became one! (Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh) Dave and I have grown so much in the last 12 years. There have been good and fun times and some bad and difficult times throughout these years but we have grown so much closer as a couple and closer to God as a result. Marriage is not easy all the time but if you both can remain faithful to God and His word - His blessings are so abundant and He has so much in store for you both in your marriage than you can even fathom. I am forever grateful to Jesus for incredibly blessing me with this man for 12 years. He is truly my lover, soulmate, and my very best friend. We have seen so many marriages struggle and fall apart over the past couple of years and yet we feel we just keep growing stronger together. With that said, we know it is not us but the grace of God in our lives. There are some who may not understand this but I encourage you to seek God out for yourself, try Him and try reading the Bible. It may just change your life :)
Dave surprised me by taking off on a Tuesday (thanks Erin for working for me) and we got to spend the day together while the kids were at school. You know, it's funny, we did not do anything spectacular or go to a fancy restaurant but the joy of just being together and getting to spend some alone time together was just incredible. The gift of marriage is a true blessing from God, for marriage comes from Him alone. I am so grateful for this gift and my special gift, my husband Dave! I love you hunny more than words could ever express! Here are a few picks we got on the beach during our walk on that special Tuesday.

Camping, backyard style.






We have been wanting to take the kids camping for quite a while now but it seems the intense heat of South Carolina summers were not the best time to try, so we improvised :) Backyard camping in the tent. We had a great time setting up the tent and the kids were so thrilled. It was such a fun night for all of us. Even Samson (our little min-pin doggie) got in on the fun and was in his glory getting to sleep with all his masters in a 2 room tent. Spending time as a family is one of the most greatest blessings God gives us while we are here on this earth. The kids are getting so big and I know one day they may not find hanging out with their parents as a super fun thing to do on a Saturday night but for now we will treasure the times we have together.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Baseball with the Dogs....



Charleston Riverdogs, that is. Since moving to South Carolina, we have not been able to see any pro-sports in person. Being from the north, this is a sad thing. But, we are so grateful to have the ability to watch "farm teams" play. The Riverdogs are actually a minor league baseball team of the NY Yankees -- yes, I know my fellow Philadelphians, it kills me to say that I am watching them but at least they are in the American League, right??? :) All kidding aside, they really put on a great show for kids complete with Charlie, the mascot -- Kira definitely gets more excited over Charlie than the actual game :) We have been able to get to two home games this year and it is always a fun time. Captured these quick shots -- (I think Andrew looks pretty authentic - ha, one can dream right :) )- at a game that we attended a few weeks ago.

Happy Birthday Jessi!!






If you all can remember, Kira met a few very special friends last year at school. Girls whose moms are just amazing and the sweetest women you could ever want to know. Kira, Mikayla, Jessi - The 3 of them are so special and share such a fun friendship. I really try to stress the importance of good Godly friendships to Kira even at this age. Friends are the ones who encourage you, make you laugh, cry with you, and share your life in a special way that only they can. We were so honored and blessed when the McGaha's invited us to Jessi's birthday party! What an exciting time - a fun girly ballet party complete with the making of headpieces, learning some ballet moves, dressing up, and of course, lots of yummy food and cake. Thank you Mrs. Carroll for your wonderful talent and your ability to love and teach children the art of ballet! Thank you sweet Jessi for allowing us to come to your party and share with you in your special day - you are a treasure! BTW, check out the gorgeous pic I got of Jessi's sister Katie - amazing beautiful blue eyes :)

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends!