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  • Mirror Messages

    We've been doodling on the mirror with dry erase markers!

    This one is a cute message from Joe.

    This one's an inspirational quote I doodled.

    The best ones have been the hangman games we've been playing, but i haven't gotten a picture of any yet, haha!  I came across an even better idea though---shower loves notes--using crayola bathub crayons!!  I love it!!  

     

  • Purple Makes Me Happy

     

     

     

  • #FF0000

     

  • Pentax Pics: Trout Creek

    Remember when we visited Trout Creek?  Well I just now got that roll of film developed! We took turns using the camera, but I think most of these were taken by Joe.  I love how they turned out! Film grain is my favorite.  If you go back to the original post about our day, you can match up some of the pictures I took of Joe taking the pictures that I'm sharing today. I hope that's not too confusing.  Anyway...here we go!

  • Soul Quote

    New favorite quote that has made me think quite a bit..... 

    I love it!

  • Husband Fact: |17|

    #17 He has lots of grease on his elbow.

    Or something like that.

     

    I've never had new pots and pans. We've collected a random assortment of stainless steel ones from Goodwill over the last 4 years. They'd gotten pretty bad though, especially after I burned something in one of them. So Joe decided to see if he could shine them up a bit. Here's the before and after of the one I had burned. I never even knew the bottom of my pots and pans could like shiny pennies!! 

    Here's the whole "set" gleaming.

    I can even see my reflection:

    It's like having a brand new set! Thank you Joe!

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    What are Husband Facts? 
    There are so many things that I love about Joe--and so many ways that he shows love to me.I easily forget some of these little things, so this is my way of recording them.

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  • 9 Moms. And Carousels.

    The day before Mother's Day we went to an amusement park to celebrate two of my brothers' birthdays.  My brothers all ran off straight to the roller coasters. But Mom, Dad, me, Joe, and my sisters wanted to start our adventure off a little slower, so we rode the carousel.  We snapped silly pictures.

    And laughed at dad for feeling queasy.

    I rode a zebra. My mom is on the horse beside me. See her sleeve behind me? haha

    We had a really fun day. Towards the end, my mom and I walked back to the carousel because she wanted to take some pictures of it.  As she stood there snapping away, she paused and asked me if something was wrong.  Of course, there was something that was making my heart heavy, so I cried while telling her all about it.  Then we rode the carousel again, just the two of us. We went round and round, the borderline creepy circus music played, and I kept feeling like I wanted to say something else, something to let her now how much I appreciated her support at a time when I feel completely drained and stretched beyond my capacity.  But I couldn't find any words. So we chatted here and there and I sniffled my way through the whole ride (well, that is until Joe walked up and starting waving and being handsome...then I started giggling again).  I just felt so grateful and humbled.

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    Momma,

    My whole week and weekend have been highlighted by some really rough spots and some really really sweet ones too. All the rough spots came from me worrying and stressing out about life. And all of the sweet spots came from being able to spend time talking, laughing, and crying with you. I'm so glad I live near you. Though sometimes I feel like I miss you even more because I know you're so close and I'm not spending every minute with you. 

    When I was little Mother's Day was so simple.  I'd give you some craft I'd made, or a little poem, or a card that daddy helped us pick out and we'd all sign it.  It was the entire contents of my heart put into a little gift of appreciation and adoration for you. Each year, mother's day has gotten more and more complicated to me.  Because putting the entire contents of my heart in a little gift isn't that simple anymore. I'm gaining more and more understanding about the sacrifices you've made and the things you've suffered to be a good mom, and its overwhelming.
     
    You've shared before that if you had not had nine kids, you wouldn't have even begun to understand how many types of personalities and learning styles there are in different people.  It doesn't just come down to being a good or a bad mom.  It's so much more than that.

    I've started to realize that you've not just been a mom to a family of nine children.  
    You are a mom to nine individual children.  

    Each one of us are so different in how we need to be mothered.  Some of us need more grace and understanding, others more tough love. Some of us need to learn life's lessons the hard way, others need encouragement that we can figure it out on our own if we really try.  Some of us spill over with words and emotions, while others need lots of quiet thinking time to process things. And some of us (okay just me) need to ride carousels to make things all better. I've always thought that being a mother seems like the hardest, most selfless roll in life.  I've often wondered how I would even handle that roll someday.  But the fact that you do it nine different ways, just blows my mind. Thank you for loving and supporting me in the way that I need you to.  And for turning around and doing the same exact things for each of your other kids.  If you had ever tried to mother all of us the same exact way, we'd each be missing something from that relationship.

     
     
    I pictured how we should officially celebrate Mother's Day and I found myself wanting that fairytale moment we've been talking about.  I wanted to buy you flowers, get the perfect card, take you to a nice lunch, go get our hair done together, or something just really nice.  But this whole weekend you helped me sort out my problems.  And today you treated ME (and everyone else) to lunch at a restaurant you didn't pick.  Then we went to sit by the lake at a park that didn't have picnic tables or benches, and while we sat talking in your parked car, with the windows rolled down, in the most unglamorous way, I was overcome with what an intricate heart and soul God has given you to be the momma that you are.  They don't make a card that says all that.
     
    Thank you for being nine moms.
    And for riding carousels with me.
     
     
    Happy Mother's Day

  • The Lake

  • January-April Blessings

    January

    -We celebrated our 4th Anniversary!!!

    -Bekah (my best friend) and Andrew (her new fiancée) came to visit, and it was AWESOME. It was our first time meeting Andrew in person!

    -Jonae (my sister) and Drea (my neice) came to visit. It was our first time meeting Drea in person!

    -Britt (my friend) bought me a pair of cute pink zebra sneakers, just because!

    -We moved into an apartment finally (after 4 months of looking/waiting)

    -My brothers and sister (Keara, John, Andrew, and Jeremiah) helped us move up three flights of stairs into our new place!

    -We got full access to internet and Starbucks again!!

     

    February

    -Starbucks gift card for Valentine's Day from my parents.

    -Free BBQ leftovers from a lunch at Joe's workplace.

    -My mom paid me to do her hair. It was fun.

    -Tax Refund!

    -Joe is okay after the car accident that totalled our only car.

    -Joe had already set up to carpool with a co-worker before the accident even happened.

     

    March 

    -Because our old car was totalled, we got a new car with better gas mileage.

    -I scored my cute pink Matron of Honor dress for $27! (for Bekah's wedding)

    -We got to take a week long vacation to Florida to see the family!!

    -So blessed by the hospitality, cash, and food given to us by family while we were there.

    -Joe's dad gave him some tools and an old briefcase (something that's been on the wishlist for a while)

    -We got to laugh/cry happy tears while joining in on Rebekah (Joe's sister) & Eric's gorgeous/crazy wedding celebration!

    -My (dog loving) family took care of Khloe while we were out of town.  Special thanks to Teara (the one cat lover) who I'm sure gave my kitty tons of playtime and love.

    -We were sent a check from the doctor, explaining that we overpaid by $35 on our last visit.  Bonus!

    -Joe got a Home Depot gift card for his birthday.

     

    April

    -Joe's coworker was fired, making Joe the only driver at work, which gives him more work to do and the opportunity to really prove himself and move up.  (They recently hired someone new, and Joe is training him)

    -Joe was paid for helping a coworker dig out rocks after work a couple times.

    -I got a job as a cashier at a grocery store!

    -Joe got overtime one week this month!

  • Personal Assistant

    Specializing in artisan works...

     ....and makeup application.

    Not sure what we'd do without her help!