Celebrating A Decade!

Exactly one month ago, my husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary — a decade of being married!

We celebrated our anniversary with an elegant dinner to a local inn.  The drive there was gorgeous!  The inn is situated right along a wide river.

Our dinner was amazing!  The cuisine superb!

As we were getting ready to depart for home to relieve our babysitter, my husband drew my attention to a breathtaking sight.  Candle light from the inn reflected on the hazy blue of the river, while millions of fireflies danced their own sparkly tune.  It was an incredibly romantic and beautiful sight.  We stood, holding hands, gazing at the riveting sight.

Marriage to my Man has been all and more than I had hoped!  As my Man said, “My only anniversary wish is another year with you!”

We recently watched a movie about a couple where the woman died from cancer.  My husband and I were both moved to tears.  As we lay in bed with arms around each other that night, I felt the wetness on his cheeks and asked him the reason.  My man’s response was, “Because I can’t imagine life without you and want many more years with you.”  Me too.  Me too, honey.

Recently, my man did something that still brings me joy.  He went shopping with a friend of his to buy outfits for their wives.  They went to The Loft and bought entire outfits, accessories included for their wives.  They then planned a date to take their wives on a double-date when the wives could wear their new outfits.  I absolutely loved this!  The outfit is delightful, but better yet was the sweet thought!  Later I learned that my husband had used his birthday money that he had saved over the years to buy my outfit.  His sweet thoughtfulness doesn’t end!  I am so blessed!

The past decade has seen its tragedies and triumphs, its frustrations and fun, its pain and pleasure, its burdens and blessings.  Yet, I can honestly say that I am so thankful for my husband of a decade and hope we have many more decades together!

These Happy Golden Days of Summer

It’s almost August now, which means the month when school starts back up again for my kids.  There’s a lot of sadness in that thought for me because I have so enjoyed these golden days of summer!  I just love having the time to sit around and play games with my kids, and we’ve done lots of that!  It’s exhilarating to join my kids on the swings or slides at parks.

These happy golden days of summer are something that I want to hang onto a bit longer.  To cherish them.  To run through a few more sprinkles with my kids.  To watch bare feet run across the lawn a few more times.  To sit down with a book and read to my kids.  To play a few more games of Chess with my boys.

I could do without the fighting and bad attitudes that also come with a family of siblings and sin natures.  Kids come with the whole package though.  In spite of the fact that some days I would appreciate some quiet hours to myself, I wouldn’t trade these days with my kids.

The kids and I have made so many memories this summer, visiting with friends, playing at parks, enjoying swimming lessons, and just hanging out at the house.

It’s been a hot summer, and tempers have been hot at times too.  Yet, being a family means we love each other in spite of our faults.  We remind each other how to behave, and we don’t keep a record of past shortcomings.  Families are where we learn to forgive willingly.  Families are real.  Thankfully, grace is real too!

As the last month of our “free” summer months dawns, I can treasure memories of these happy golden days of summer.

The Nitty Gritty

I haven’t blogged for awhile — more than a month since my last blog.  That’s because first and foremost, I am a wife and mom.  I would rather be doing than writing about what I want to do, hope to do, or ought to do.  Even more so, I would rather be being. 

I want to be the wife and mom that is actively loving, living, and practicing her learning. 

The Lord recently reminded me again of how I need to be all in the present, giving myself unreservedly to my family by loving and serving them with a willing and joyful attitude.  This doesn’t mean it’s easy always to love and serve.  I love and serve joyfully even when the recipients aren’t so loving or appreciative in return.  Loving and serving isn’t about the happy feelings I get in return — though I do get some of those too.  It’s not about me — what I can get as a result of my actions. 

Loving isn’t about me, what I get as a result of my actions.

Motherhood isn’t about the warm, fuzzy feelings I get when I cuddle with my kids — though that’s a part of it too.  Motherhood extends beyond what makes me happy to what brings joy to those whom I am serving and most importantly Who I am serving.

Marriage works the same way.  So often, marriages occur because of what we feel we are getting from the marriage: passionate pleasure, comfortable companionship, hugs and holding hands, romantic relationships, protection, sense of security, children.  That’s why divorce is so prevalent.  We think marriage is all about ourselves.  What if instead, we began our marriages with the thought of “How can I help this person to be all that God created them to be?  To be all that they were meant to be?  How can I meet this other person’s needs: emotional, spiritual, psychological, physical, sexual, etc…?”  If both partners were committed to practice such, there would be no divorces!

We come naturally wired to think of self.  It takes a lot of effort to think beyond ourselves, how something makes us feel, to how we can help and bring joy to someone else. 

Honestly, I am not there yet.  I am still learning.  Thankfully, I have a very patient husband and forgiving children.  I am thankful that grace is there in each moment of my day.  Grace helps me deal with the nitty-gritty and to come out with a heart of gratefulness and humility.

Grace is all about the “nitty gritty” of life.