Day 172 of 365

If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere. Marilyn Monroe

Show us your life (How you met your husband)

Today at Kelly's Korner is another addition of "Show us your life." Today's topic how you met your husband. Now this is a favorite topic of mine so I decided to join in!

Ben and I met in Pensacola, Florida. My life was in a big upheaval when I met him. I was determined to make MAJOR changes and not repeat past mistakes. That being said, I was not looking for a relationship at the time.

I could tell from the start that there was something different about Ben but I chose to ignore what God was trying to show me & push through on my own "plans." When I finally "let go and Let God" take over......WOW!

Ben and I met at concert in the park. I was still in a relationship & Ben was interested in one of my friends. We ran into each other a couple of times over the next few months. Enough so that I was comfortable one night to ask him to pretend to be my boyfriend to get someone to leave me alone.
He said, "why don't you just tell him about your BF?"
"Because I don't have one!" I said.
Later that night, he found me again and asked me to come out with them on the boat the next day.......and well the rest is history.
Ok, ok you didn't really think that I would leave it like that did you?
We spent A LOT of time together and HOURS each night talking on the phone. (Even though Ben should have been studying at the time!) I decided (and by I, I mean that God finally smacked me up side the head to show me what a wonderful man I was dating) to stay with him instead of moving as I had planned.
We were married 5 months after we started dating and a bare 8 months after we met. Our parents have short dating histories too. (I think that it is in the genes!)
Here we are over 6 years of marriage later.....
Many happy moments, some sad, some insane, and of course Many bumps, twists, and turns in the road BUT we are working it together, enjoy each other, and most importantly still love one another!
All of these pictures are from the time when we were dating. Hope you enjoy!
check out Kelly at

Happy Friday!

And...here we go!

1. Where are my passion flower seeds? (I know that I put them in a safe place now I just need to find them!)
2. If wishes were horses then watch out for the stampede at my house!
3. I'd like to see Sesame Street Live when it comes to Cherry Point, NC next month.
4. When I was a teen, I thought that adults were so old & wrong. (Now I wish that I would have listened a little better!)
5. One of my mother's favorite sayings was ??????
6. I'd have a hard time doing without my blackberry (now that I have it.)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Baylen's birthday party & friday night fellowship, tomorrow my plans include the Beth Moore simulcast! (I can't wait ladies!!!) and Sunday, I want to have a play date with Roni & her kids!


1. What was the first car you owned? My hand-me down Subaru from my parents!
2. What song are you embarrassed to know the lyrics to? "Barbie Girl"
3. Have you ever had stitches? Both times after giving birth
4. What was your first job? I worked at Trim Tree Nursery. It was manual labor and I have no idea what I was thinking when I took that job!
5. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character? Oscar the grouch :-)

Friday Flashback

About 7 months pregnant with Kendall in 2006.

I am working on making a DVD of pictures and videos for her & found this!

For more Friday Photo Flashbach check out Alicia at

Day 171 of 365

Marcel Proust:
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

Too Dang funny not to share!

Week 24 of 52 (Yuma, Arizona)

For more of the mom's behind the camera, check out Carin at http://wyomingbarnetts.blogspot.com

This past weekend, I went to Yuma to visit my husband and check it out as a possible duty station. We had a lot of fun so I thought that I would share some of those memories!

Hiking in the foothills. This cross looked so much bigger from the bottom!

With my handsome hubby
Lunch at Famous Dave's with some old (not in age) friends

With Monica after dinner at DaBoyz & before the comedian and local band

Erin and I

Claire and I

What a great time!!

Day 170 of 365

James M. Barrie:
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.

Catching-Up

Monday Mugs......

The theme was collages....I couldn't resist this one!
Check out http://oswaldcuties.blogspot.com/ for more Monday Mugs.


__________________________

Kendall

Due date / Actual birthday -You were due on July 11, 2006. God knew that mommy couldn't take much more North Carolina heat or Daddy being gone! You were born on June 30, 2006 at 3 pm.
Birth Statistics - 6 lbs & 13 oz, 18 3/4 inches long - For such a tiny little girl, you surely created a rough way to get into this world! Ask me about it sometime!
Age of first overnight trip - Well Daddy was in Iraq at the time and mommy didn't feel all that adventurous so let's see....I think you were 11 weeks old. It was shortly after daddy returned. We went to High Point, NC, to get furniture for our new home. You were a champ & won both of our hearts over for your good behavior!
Age and Month you began to walk - You took your first steps at your 1st birthday party. It wasn't until you were close to 13 months until you were confident enough to do it all on your own!
Date you started school - You started pre-school this past year on September 8, 2009. I cannot believe that you are so big already! You talked so much about going to "big girl school." And haven't stopped since then :-)

Isaac

Due date / Actual birthday - You were due on September 18, 2008. God really has a sense of humor keeping mommy pregnant through the entire NC summer! You made your grand appearance on September 7, 2008 at 7:11 am. (Grammy Heider's birthday!) You had a beautiful, calm delivery compared to sissy & Daddy got to be there!

Birth Statistics - 8 lbs & 14 oz, 19 3/4 inches long - You were so very big espeically your hands!
Age of first overnight trip - Let's see....you were about 11 weeks old too! Same as sissy. We went to Aunt Jen and Uncle Josh's house near Philadelphia for Thanksgiving. Poor little man all you got that year was your breastmilk!
Age and Month you began to walk - You were 11.5 months old when you first started walking! You have been my crazy little man ever since!
Date you started school This won't be for awhile thank goodness! Mommy can't believe how fast you have grown up already!

For more "For my kids....." check out Alison at http://johnstonfamily519.blogspot.com

Wordful Wednesday (Tooting Benny's horn)

Let me tell you a little bit about my husband.....he is WAY over the top with giving gifts. (Not just to me but to everyone!) He has always been super thoughtful & generous. When we were dating, he was always surprising me with gifts, gestures, and the little things. While he is still incrdibly romantic, life, work, kids, etc does cramp his style a little bit now.

We recently started doing our study "The 10 minute marriage principle" with a few of our good friends here in NC. We were playing a game called "winning at marriage." We had to come up with our spouses idea of the dream date. Needless to say, I think that we all had a good laugh at what the other half thought was our "dream date." Regardless of what the date is, I think that we all agreed that we need to spend more time "dating" our spouse. So Ben being my very giving, super thoughtful, & generous husband went way over the top again!

Ben surprised me in our hotel room with all of this on Friday night.....

Chocolate covered strawberries

Rose petals on the bed
roses.....
champagne
And then tried to pass it off that the hotel provided it!
What a wonderful hubby indeed!
Thanks Benny!

For More wordful Wednesdays check out
http://sevenclowncircus.com/

Wordless Wednesday

Day 169 of 365

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.


Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Day 168 of 365

Marc Estrin:
Kindness trumps greed: it asks for sharing. Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love. Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one learns.

Day 167 of 365

Kahlil Gibran:
Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.

Day 166 of 365

Jean Jacques Rousseau:
There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend.

News and New things

I am having a blast here in Yuma, Arizona. It is so nice to spend time with my hubby without the kiddos & of course meet up with some old friends. (One good thing about the military is that you seem to have friends wherever you go!) I am super excited to say that my newest purchase (FINALLY! After much saving of money) is waiting at home for me to play with on Tuesday! I have to say I am super pumped to work with my new camera!

We have also reached a decision about our future orders for the Marine Corps. I won't go into it until we have it finalized but I just want y'all to be in prayer that this is indeed God's will & that everything that needs to occur will occur.

I can't wait to get back and read everyone's blogs! I have been missing the bloggy world but not enough to stop exloring Yuma to catch up on my reading! See you all soon!!

Have a blessed week!

Day 165 of 365

Albert Schweitzer:
To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.

Day 164 of 365

John F. Kennedy
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Friday!!

And...here we go!

1. I'd like my flights to be on time and smooth today.
2. One of my most favorite romantic memories is a toss up between when Ben first said I love you and when he proposed.
3. Last night, I had ham, corn casserole, beans, mashed potatoes and cookies for dinner.
4. Sorry for the scheduled posts but I am going to be enjoying my hubby for a few days!
5. Can we drop it now?
6. One of my worst temptations is eating too much; chocolate is so hard to resist!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to wrapping my arms around my husband for the first time in about a month, tomorrow my plans include not sure yet! and Sunday, I want to explore Yuma!

______________________

1. What words do you use on your blog/online that you don't use in real life? LOL, JK,IDK, BTW
2. Do you still write checks? when I can't use my debit card
3. Who was your favorite President and why? Not really sure....I don't pay much attention to poltics. I can tell you that it is not the current one by any means!
4. Are you a yeller? unfortunately yes....what woman who has a husband and children isn't?!
5. Have you ever dumpster dived? Yes. Ben introduced me to this concept. We have so much construction around us that throw away ALOT of good wood. Ben has used so much of it for many projects around the house!

Yuma here I come!

Not that I am excited or anything but I leave this morning to go see my hubby in Yuma, Arizona! See you all soon blog world!