With all of the crazy schedules in our home we tend to lose the connectedness we need.  We become passersby without intending to.  We have learned that must be able to re-group and re-evaluate how our family’s needs are growing and in need of nurturing.  Not only do we need to get out and have fun doing the things that we love and define who we are, we feel we must get back onto the same page.

Unfortunately, we do not get to do this very often.  However, this weekend was a blessing for Kip and I.  We spent time with dear family friends in a beautiful mountain B&B.  It was so relaxing and fun.

The setting couldn’t have been more perfect.  A lovely little Inn tucked into the mountain in Breckenridge.

On Saturday the four of us went on a nice bike ride from Breckenridge to Frisco.  However, not far from Frisco I got a flat (seriously? on an asphalt trail).   I jumped off my bike and walked it as my friend M pedalled her little legs off to catch up to the guys.  A few minutes later my knight caught up to me.  The silly thing however, is we did not plan for such a thing (no spare tube or pump) so there was not much he could do but walk alongside me!  Ha!!!! After walking about a mile back towards Breckenridge and 80 passersby later, this really nice couple (Gail and Dave from CA) stopped and asked if they could give us a spare tube.   They were so cool – Thank you God – we chatted while Dave and Kip fixed my tire.  We offered to buy them dinner and they declined.  THAT is how the world should be!!! That is exactly what my honey has done several time for others and it always makes us happy to see that others will do the same. 

Once the tire was good to go, we headed on our merry way back to Breckenridge.  It was a rather perfect ending to what could have been a real bummer.  I got to ride with my precious husband along Blue River, the water crystal clear and the colors of the leaves radiated in the sunlight.  It really was a lot of fun to be back on my bike.

After lunch and a quick rest, we met up for ice cream dinner at Cold Stone Creamery.  We had never been there before (strange huh?).  It was a very memorable treat.  We topped the night off with a nice walk back to our Inn and played a game.

I am so glad that we were able to join our friends in celebrating their anniversary by making it a double celebration in honor of marriage & friendship.

I do not mean to be redundant or annoying, but sometimes something is in your face and you just can’t help but appreciate it. This week it happens to be witnessing the love our family has for each other and how well we know each other. I cannot say that ‘gift giving/receiving” is my main love language….but I sure do love it!

My dear sweet husband had me anticipating a surprise for about two weeks. I thought I was gonna bust. I think he tells me that he has ordered something for me just to torture me. I have to say that it was totally worth the wait.

This filled my cup. To have someone truly know you and love you so much that they search out something they know you want but wouldn’t get for yourself. You see, I love organizational tools, but all of the ones that I love are so pricey that I rarely indulge myself. I also love that my stamping corner is in the main living area. However, that can also be a challenge because it is our main living area. I try very hard to keep it neat but sometimes that just doesn’t happen. My desire was to bring in a bit of functional decor to the shelves. My surprise accomplished just that. Kip sought out some decorative boxes I had my eye on for this area and I have to say it looks so much neater.

The best years of our marriage began, not surprisingly, once we welcomed our God into our marriage. Is it always perfect? Absolutely not, but we now have all of the tools we need to make it through all of the difficult times.

Valentines Day has always been a fun day for us before kids and since. It is not an extravagant day by any means but in the past 18 years or so, they have always been very meaningful. This year, like many others was low key, dinner and rented a movie. This year my parents blessed us with watching our precious children overnight. I am grateful to them for giving us this chance to re-connect and nurture our marriage.

All of this was affirmed in our hearts tonight after we watched “Fireproof”. What a great movie to watch on this Valentines eve. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend it.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
—Ephesians 5:22-33

Today is a very special day for Kip and I. Fifteen years ago today, we went before God and committed ourselves to each other. It is hard for us to believe that it was really 15 years ago. Time does fly when you are having fun.

What a precious and delicate thing; Marriage.

We have surely had our difficult times (who doesn’t) but we are truly blessed. I pray that our Father in Heaven will continue to bless our marriage and family.

The thought of one person knowing me so well; it is so daunting and yet so very cool. I look forward to 50 more years of marriage with my wonderful husband.

I have to tell you, I remember my parents 15th wedding anniversary. I loved making their day so special for them. What an honor it was to be able to celebrate the love & commitment of two people. It is such an honor for me to have my own family and to be able to celebrate in the same way a love and commitment that is so rare in today’s world.

Thank you for blessing my life KAR, I love you so very much!

~ Yours Forever ~

I am so thankful for you. I am sorry that your birthday always gets a little less hoopla these days.  You are so incredibly precious to us.

The other life lesson that I have always believed in but has completely been confirmed since becoming a parent. Is that God designed families as a mother, father and children for a reason. (Duh to us, but what is wrong with the rest of the world?). I know there are things that Kip is teaching our kids, especially our son, things that I could never teach him. I am so grateful that my kids have a wonderful father. A father who isn’t afraid to get down and play with them, wrestle with them, run with them and teach them. Where am I going with this? Let me tell you.

This morning Kip had to go into work early, he and H already had breakfast together and I was still in bed. Kip asked Hays to wake me up at 7:00 am so I could get them ready for school. A little before 7, my sweet little boy comes in and gently lays next to me to wake me up. When I come down stairs I see that the table was set for me. A bowl, milk, spoon and cereal were laid out for me on top of a place mat and a chair pulled out for me. Without saying a word to boost of the work he had done, he merely asked if he could sit with me while I ate breakfast. At that moment, I could see that the example that his father has set was paying off. From a mothers perspective this is huge, I want my son to treat girls with the love and respect that he has demonstrated towards me.

There are so many joys and responsibilities when raising both boys and girls. It is those precious moments before they are grown that give you hope that they will (be good people) be caring, compassionate and God fearing people and that as parents we will have played a small part in that.

1. I am so grateful that my children have chosen good, respectful friends at school.

2. I am equally grateful that they have had great teachers this year.

3. I am blessed beyond belief for the husband that I have, who loves us and provides for our family.

4. I am blessed that other than a few issues we are all relatively healthy.

5. I am blessed to be sitting here watching my kids play outside with their friends.

6. What a blessing to hear the birds outside chirping.

7. What a blessing to be a mother, as Mother’s Day approaches. I am also blessed that I still have my mom to share it with. (Praying for my dear friend who does not.)

8. I am so blessed by my girlfriends and all that they bring into my life.

9. Oh so blessed to receive the gifts that my children make with their very own little hands.

10. Finally, but most importantly blessed that I am so loved by our Heavenly Father.

Many May Blessings to you!

Well, I had one of those mornings this morning.

It all started last night as we were getting ready for bed. Our ‘letting the dogs out one last time’ routine was the catalyst.

Our neighbors are apparently not home. Their house was dark except for the flood light on the side of their home. As I was trying to get B into the house <he was barking at something outside> I listened and I really thought I heard what sounded like someone walking on rocks back there. But, it was so far back in our yard (or their’s) and so dark, I couldn’t see anything. Nervous, I got the dogs in, locked up and closed the curtains, figuring that if I can’t see it or hear it, it isn’t there?… yeah, apparently I wasn’t convinced of that either.

Around 3:33 AM, B started barking <very unusual in the middle of the night>. My adrenaline started pumping and the monsters sprung into action.

I quieted B down and I checked on the kids. I sat there on the bed — K is already snoring, but I’m wide AWAKE!

I couldn’t hear well enough so I got up and turned the ceiling fan the humidifier off. As I lay there, I heard some noises outside. Was that someone walking out there? STILL? It’s been like FIVE HOURS!!!

Then our wind chimes (actually they are more like wind bells… see photo) in our trees, which normally produce a nice random chime now and again seemed to be GONGING regularly. A rhythm? Was someone in our yard trying to get our attention by this?

What did they want? <Just go away, I want to sleep>.

I looked out the window and of course couldn’t see a thing, but I continued to peer out carefully so “they” couldn’t see me. The wind wasn’t blowing and as I looked out the window the gonging stopped.

I hopped into bed and I made a HUGE mistake by waking my snoring K up to share this elaborate scenerio with him.

He politely stared into space with me for while, while we quietly listened….

….our collective assessment of the situation was that it was a little gusty out there and that for the sake of regaining control of the situation <getting more sleep> it was just God having a little fun with some wind, our chimes and our thoughts.

Go away you little Three AM Monster!!!

When I got up this morning, I almost forgot about that pesky Three AM Monster. That was until my dear hubby called me into another room. He was very subtle when he asked me to go in the front room, away from the kids, as if to tell me something important.

Without bustin’ up at all, he said:

“Hey… come here. I actually heard the chimes doing that rhythm as well, but I didn’t want to alarm you last night. But… when I came downstairs this morning, I looked outside and saw a guy in a dark hooded robe, with a scythe in one hand and the other hand just banging away on our wind bell.”

Full-length video

I don’t quite know if Kip was as convinced as I was but he could tell that I wasn’t going to be able to sleep until I was certain one of them had MY name on it! He promptly called and ordered one after lunch and the next day at lunch it was here!!! The best part is that Kip came home at lunch and put it together for me!!! I just LOVE it.

The nice thing is that the kids can do homework on it, we can use it for puzzles, games and most importantly my crafts!!!

Thank you, my sweet Valentine!