Anniversary

Seven years ago today, I married. I married the man that I dreamed of. The man who would love me forever. Not because I am an amazing wife who fulfills his every need, but because he made that commitment to me and to God.

Today, I feel like the most blessed girl in all the land, because "I have found the one my soul loves"...Song of Solomon 3:4. I have found the one that God himself chose for me long before we were ever born.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. I feel so blessed and I long for others to feel the same way.

God has grown our marriage. He has helped each of us die to ourselves to put the other first. We still stumble with this, but we know that with God's grace and mercy, we dig deep and love as He has loved us. I pray that He will continue to make our marriage holy so that we may experience more of what He intended marriage to be when He joined Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I pray that He will protect our marriage and show us ways to honor, respect and love one another so that we may be excellent examples for our children.

We know that God created marriage between a man and a woman. He wanted to give us an earthly picture of the great love that Christ has for His church...His followers. We can only get a glimpse of that love here on earth and I pray that our marriage is a glimpse of that love for those whom we come into contact with.

I want so badly to be the wife that Brent dreamed of and to fulfill his every desire. I know that because I am a fallen woman, I can not. I am so grateful that Brent is a follower of Christ and that he is tender and forgiving with me and my fumbles as his wife.

As I learn what it is that God intended as He designed me as a woman, being the wife that I was intended to be is easier. God's way is best...He's God. Its so simple, its hard to believe. I am amazed at His design for marriage and I am so grateful that He gave Adam his Eve.

I am humbled that Brent chose me as his wife...out of all the girls out there, he chose me. He is a wonderful husband whom I respect greatly. His commitment to me I do not take lightly as I know it is something to be treasured. I do not want to take it for granted, nor abuse it. I know that by keeping my eyes focused on my Jesus, my marriage will be strengthened. That is want I want.

Brent is a loving, compassionate father and he is a crazy good provider for our family. As I see him grow into the man God is making him, I am in awe. I can't wait to know this man after 50 years of marriage...I'll be 79 and he'll be 76. I hope we get to experience that. What a celebration that will be.

Thank you for an amazing seven years, Brent. Thank you for Henry, Harry and Ruby. You are the love of my life. I truly do feel lucky. But I know that luck has had nothing to do with it.

2 year portraits

We got a new camera in December. I LOVE it. Its a DSLR and it takes great pictures. I love pictures and have spent a small fortune having portraits done, ordering them, framing them, putting them in albums...you know, all that goes along with photographing your life. I can say that now I am just mostly digitally storing them and though I do miss thumbing through albums, but there is no way that I could keep that up. The shear volume of photographs would push us into the streets.

With the new camera, came a compromise. With the exception of special family photographs, we are now going to do our own photo shoots. I by no means am a professional photographer, but I have to say that this camera makes me much better than I was! Its been quite fun playing photographer and I am learning some things as I go. It would be fun to take a class and maybe I will!

I did take my sister in laws engagement photos and they turned out great. It does help that I had beautiful people to photograph and they were willing to participate! The morning that I took their photos, I prayed that God would let my camera capture what it is they have together. He delivered and honored my request. They are beautiful. Here is an example...

I've been playing around with editing the photos I take as well and that is so much fun. However, I can't figure out how to get the edited photos onto this blog! Still have some learning to do. So, until I do I'll just have to post the original unedited. Wanted to share some of the ones from Harry's 2 year portraits...we took these on a walking path by our house. I love them. I took over one hundred, but only shared a few....count your blessings!

nc visit

We had an amazing visit to NC recently. We went down to introduce Ruby to our extended families and to give my mom a surprise birthday party. We were there for about 3 weeks and it still never seems long enough. We are so blessed to have families that love to host us for so long and who love being with us. At least they act like it!

We got to attend an engagement party for my beautiful sister in law and her fiance, Shane. It was so much fun to be there and to be a part of the celebration. We are so thrilled for them as they begin their life together. The wedding is in August and we CAN NOT WAIT! Brent couldn't be with us, and I know he wanted to be, badly! That's the hardest part of living away. Not being there for many big and little events in the lives of our families. Birthday parties,, engagements, family barbecues...and the little things to. Soccer games, school plays, baby sitting opportunities for my nephews...how we miss out!

Here, Poppa is fishing with all of his boys...it was the day after mama's birthday party and we were just hanging out by the lake at their house. The kids loved getting that special time with Poppa, but I think he enjoyed it the most.

These boys love each other like you wouldn't believe. Henry adores Hunter and it is evident in the way he follows him around. He mentions Hunter almost everyday, wondering what he might be doing. Its so sweet. When people ask how old Henry is, his reply is this " I am 4, but my cousin is 6." They get along so well and love to be together.

Harry and Owen will play together too. However, they really just follow their big brothers' around! They both just turned 2, and are only 2 weeks apart! Its so funny how similar their personalities are...funny, mischievous, tender and energetic. They are a sight together. I see years of fun ahead for those two.

Ruby of course enjoyed her trip to NC too. So much of our families made special trips over to meet her. She is one loved little girl...and the first little girl born to my side in 18 years! We had 8 little boys in a row!

Hunter and Owen were very sweet to her and Owen in particular couldn't get enough of her. He loved holding her and thought her "toes" were the best. He has the SWEETEST little voice and I love to hear him talk.

Here I am with my brother, JP, and sister in law, Tara. I just want to take a minute and PRAISE GOD for them and for the work He has done in our lives. He is a God of new beginnings, of reversal of destinies and the One who works it all out! They are so precious to me and I love them and so glad that we are in the same family! They love those two boys of theirs more than life itself and I just love seeing that love play out in their daily lives.

They are SO BUSY! JP works an ever changing, demanding schedule that keeps his internal clock working overtime! I don't know how he keeps up! But he does and is always ready and willing to step up wherever something needs to be done. Tara is SUPERMOM! She is a teacher at the local church preschool and is very good at what she does. The kids and parents ADORE her. I know this, because I see them post it on her Facebook page every day! She also coaches soccer and baseball, is the go to babysitter for many friends, party host, and I think she's even about to start playing ball herself! Talk about energy! I look forward to when we get to spend more time together.

Here is the entire Hancock family...Traders included. We had a wonderful time celebrating moms' 60th birthday. We think she was pretty surprised. Surely, she had some idea that we were doing something, but didn't know the details. She'll never tell. So many of her friends and family came to celebrate her life and it was a blessing to us all. Family came that we've not seen in years and I think that meant the most of all.

Thanks to our hosts and for all of the help that we had while we were there. Brent is so good to us and while I know he misses us like crazy while we are there, he knows how important it is to me that our kids spend time with our families. Its important to him too since he pays for us to go!

Can't wait to be there again, visiting and making memories.

our funny man turns 2!

Here he is...the funny guy, the life of the party, the one who can turn any situation into a fun one. He just cracks us up. He knows he's funny too. He tries to make us laugh and I love that about him. I can see him being the one to cheer his friends up, the one who can laugh at himself and make others comfortable...

I am taking a cue from Beth Moore and starting birthday letters to my children. I will keep those private and include them in their baby books. I hope that I can convey all to them that they mean to me at each year in their lives. I pray that it will be a blessing to them in their adult years to know how much they were treasured as children.

We celebrated Harry's 2nd birthday at home with 3 of his friends...Keegan and Caroline Dosek and Steven Joseph. The theme of the party was Mickey Mouse, of course, and they had a blast! We themed the party around a mickey book we have about having a picnic with your friends. We had the same menu as in the book....mouska dogs (nitrate/nitrate fee, of course!) , corn on the cob, fruit salad, cake and ice cream!

We brought all of our mickey mouse toys, books, blankets and stuffed animals down to the party and had fun mickey ears for all the kids to wear. In true fashion, they wore them for about 2minutes and then were on to better things...like chasing each other around with light sabers. I love how boys play!

For his birthday, we gave him a new guitar so that he, henry and daddy all have their own for their sessions of guitar hero. He love it and dances the whole time he's playing it. In fact, Harry dances EVERYTIME he hears music. A commercial, the radio, even the rhythm of the breast pump sends him into a routine. I tell ya, he's a riot! He also got some new books and lots of bubble blowing paraphernalia.

It was a fun, low key easy birthday party. Thanks to Brent for cooking all of the food and even sending plates home with our guests! What a dad. Happy 2nd Birthday Harry! You are truly a blessing to our family and a lover of life! Can't wait to see what God has in store for you!

Ruby's 2nd month

Ha! Well, since Ruby is now 3months old, it seems fitting that I should do her 2month old post! Hey...I am getting it done and I want to have it documented! I so wish I was the blogger like so many of my friends, but hence...I am not. I shall try and do my best.

Ruby is a wonderful baby and she is doing very well in her 2 months of life here on earth. She is definitely into a routine as far as eating goes and still likes to partake every 3 hours or so. Every once in a while she would push it to 4 hours. She started smiling at 6 weeks and she does the cutest thing! When she first sees you and is about to smile, she kind of squeezes her eyes shut and then opens them with the biggest smile. It just melts my heart! It's her own little wink! Her brothers are still captivated by her and I am so blessed by that. I hope it continues.
here, she's just done her wink and smile...
here, holding hands with grammy...
and here, in my arms...I love this picture...and I love you, ruby!

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday this year. I love Easter...probably even more than Christmas. I love that it is the celebration of the most amazing thing that has ever happened in the entire universe. I love that in His providence, God placed it on the calendar at the time of year when things are coming to life again on earth...the grass is beginning to grow, new leaves are appearing on the trees and flowers are budding like crazy. It isn't lost on me that the season of new life (spring) is accutely timed around Easter.

I am so grateful for my new life in Christ and that my old life has passed away. I am a new creation in Christ and my heavenly Father is making me more like Him every day...what a miracle that is!

We woke up early Sunday morning and got dressed even before we came downstairs...an attempt to be ready for church before we got into the Easter baskets, and it worked. We all

made it downstairs at the same time to dig into the loot. We don't do much in the way of Easter baskets. The boys know that they come from us, not the Easter Bunny. Yes, we do Santa...and I have to be honest, it is hard for me!

Have you seen the advertisement for the toothpaste holder that sticks to your mirror? Well, Henry has wanted that silly thing since the first time he saw it. He eyed it one day in Target and thought it was the best thing ever...well, that is what he got in his basket along with some chocoloate shaped race cars and some gum and other junk. Harry, our performer, got a new microphone that make his voice echo and also the chocolateand gum.. Ruby of course got a new purple sun dress!

We also had a neighborhood egg hunt, which was lots of fun. It was so nice to be outside enjoying time with the people in our hood. The weather is warming!

I hope that your Easter was a wonderful reminder of the new life that is possible with Jesus as your Savior.