{ Celebrating You }

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Happy 30th Birthday David, from the girl who like the song says...loves you more than she has ever found a way to say to you.

( Remembering May 17th, 2003 )

It didn't take more than a couple minutes of quiet observation to decide that this cute blonde guy, with the killer smile was 100% crush-worthy. And in the following weeks after rubbing shoulders with him and his family a little more, and hearing his Mom and sisters absolutely rave about him, I realized he was more than crush material. I watched him fill the role of the man of the house, as the oldest boy of 11 kids after his Dad lost the use of his arms to ALS. He was this amazing 18 year old guy with stellar character. The kind of guy you can totally picture being the father of your children. I am not sure how it is that we girls can go from having a crush on a guy one minute, to seeing him as the potential father of our children the next ? One of life's great mysteries, I guess.
So I was a girl in-love with a boy, a common, everyday sort of occurrence I know, but he was the guy who I measured all other men by, a hero of a man, my hero. Secretly. I said nothing about this to anyone, except for my parents and eventually a couple of my closest girlfriends. It took him a little longer to catch on. Lets say, four years. But in God's perfect timing, and after four years of hoping, wishing, agonizing and I do mean agonizing. After four years of praying for him and waiting, he noticed me. And we became really good friends. Over the summer we had some really meaningful heart to heart talks and shared some very sweet moments. He called me late the night on my birthday and was I ever surprised to realized the guy on the other line was not infact my brother. Not long after that, he called to ask my Dad if it was okay to call me on the phone. My Dad pretty much put him on the spot and said, hey, I am not going to risk my daughters heart at your expense so you better think this through and if your serious then you can absolutely call her... I overheard my Dad's end of that conversation and was crushed, thinking that after a talk like that he would certainly be scared away and that would be the end of our friendship. Looking back I am so thankful my Dad stood up for me like that and basically got the ball rolling by challenging him to man up and figure out where exactly he was at with us. A couple weeks and 20 minutes later, after totally beating around the bush in another phone conversation he very nervously said to me " I'd like to get to know you better, if that's alright with you? " I am sure he could hear my heart racing when I replied " Yes, I'd like that."
Just over a month later David asked me to marry him. I was over the moon. And literally unable to come back down to earth in the months following, leading up to our wedding.

I don't think I will ever get over my amazement of how God can take two people right where they are, as long as their hearts are turned toward Him, mistakes and all and in His good grace, redeems their lives and together turns their story into something better than a fairytale.

Being married to David, I would have to say is my personal definition of heaven on earth and still even after, no especially after 6 years, even though life and children often come before romance, life with you continues to be a truly, goose-bump inducing experience.

I am so thankful that I didn't fall in love with anyone short of a man who has a heart after God and is willing to on a daily basis puts the needs of others before his own. Every day, since I felt the first tinge of butterflies for him at age sixteen, I have told myself...he should be too good to be true. This should be too good to be true. All of it.

But the impossible happened.

Happy Anniversary, Babe. Thank you for the last six amazing years. I am so excited for the next six, no sixty . I love you.

"Come grow old along with me,

the best is yet to be. "

Robert Browning

{ Project: Redeem-a-Home }

So we bought a house over the weekend.

A house that was being auctioned off, just inside the courthouse steps...

While I sat in the car with the kids praying so hard for God's will in all of it, remembering how I had told David an hour before something to the effect of " I want this house..." then later thinking it through and getting scared, not having been able to walk through it, and realizing how dangerous it could be for me to want something that might not be God's best. Asking that He would please control and bless the outcome.

All David had to say is: " one dollar more." and it was ours.

I will never forget the phone call from him, the one where he said, " well, I bought you a house." Both of us sweating, shaking grinning and in shock.

I squeal and hurt his ears I am sure, when he told me the amount he had to pay and how it was so much less than we thought we might have to give for it.

We were flying high. And so beyond thankful.

The next day we drove up to the house with nervous excitement to see it for the very first time. Our hearts took a dive after seeing the condition it was in.

It was worse than we had hoped.

There was an air of devastation about the house, as we surveyed the sad remnants of the lives that had been there before us.

I cannot begin to describe either the condition the previous owners left the house in or the amount of stuff they left behind.

It was overwhelming .

We began to doubt ourselves and wondered if we had made a huge mistake.

Until we prayed over this house asking that the Lord would cleanse it and fill it with His presence.

Then we started envisioning what it could be...and began to see it finished instead of it's current state of desolation .

Sure it's going to be a lot, a lot of work but we are young and strong and able.

And it's going to make the process all that more rewarding in the end.

The positives started stacking up fast:

We are 3 1/2 instead of 7 hours away from our families, 1 1/2 instead of 5 1/2 hours away from our best friends and only 15 min from this precious friend's door step.

We met and already know that we like the next door neighbors...and they were so encouraging.

There are three gorgeous parks within walking distance of our house...

I have always wanted to live in a neighborhood where the houses were old and restored.

We are now going to have room for more family and friends and there is nothing I love more than having people in our home and the promise of laughter filled rooms, and cooking up dinner for them. My philosophy is " the more the merrier. " Praying so hard that Jesus love will be felt within the walls of our home.

So every day our excitement grows.

re·demp·tion - n.

1. The act of redeeming or the condition of having been redeemed.

2. Recovery of something pawned or mortgaged.

3. Deliverance upon payment of ransom; rescue.

4. Christianity Salvation from sin through Jesus's sacrifice.

And that, dear ones is what Project Redeem-a-Home is all about.

{ down pour }

The days are going by painfully fast.

Jack will be two entire weeks old tomorrow.

If only there was a button I could push that would allow the the days go by in slow motion.

He is already growing like a little weed, has a ferocious little appetite and weighed in the other night at 9 lbs 3 oz.

I was surprised and blessed beyond words by the little shower that a bunch of you dear blogging ladies threw for me. Can't begin to tell you how cared for and cherished all your precious words and amazing handmade gifts left us feeling. Gosh, but you ladies are good at loving.

Oh and we sold our house.

That was no small miracle let me tell you.

Signed on it last Friday, just minutes before we left out the door for David's brother's wedding in ID. which was beautiful, and wonderful and oh so amazing that we were able to be there.

The inspection was yesterday and everything checked out great.

We are going this afternoon to start our house hunt.

Our closing date is June 9 th, barely over three weeks from now.

Our heads are spinning and hearts are overwhelmed by God's unfailing faithfulness.

So much more to tell you but that will have to wait.

For now, just know that we are drenched in the love and goodness of God.

And even though we have no idea where all this is going, we are holding on for dear life to the only One who does. Praying each one of you are experiencing a similar down pour of grace in your beautiful lives.

peas porridge in the pot...

six. days. old.

Spending our days snuggling and cuddling and flirting, and falling a little, okay a lot more in love with him each day...thanks to David's angel of a sister Deborah, who came from ID this week to take care of us, watch Anniebelle's and make sure Jack and I were all rested up for the big trip this weekend to Daniel ( David's brother ) and Anna's wedding. Which is a small dream come true, compared to the one that I am holding in my arms. But still... a lot of people have worked and hoped and loved and prayed us through the last couple weeks. David and I don't know how we could have done it with out. Well maybe we could have but if we had, I am pretty sure it would have been, minus all this bliss.

My heart is full to bursting.

" I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,the praises of the Lord,according to all that the Lord has granted us,and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion,according to the abundance of his steadfast love." - Isaiah 63:7

{ overflowing }

Look at the precious little thing we found in our May Day basket this year.

( pause project playlist before hitting play )

Our very own sweet little bundle of boy:

Jack Dawson

Born May 1st, 2009, 2:21 p.m.

weighing in at 8 lbs. 5 oz.

and 21 inches long

And my word, is he ever sweet!