Wordless Wednesday

61 years

Today, Steven's grandparents have been married for 61 years. What an amazing accomplishment this is. They have been such a shining example to Steven and I of what a Godly marriage is suppose to be like. They love each other, care for each other, do things for each other because they want to and not because they were told to. They have put God at the center of their marriage and lives. I remember when Steven and I got first got married Grandma told me..."Just because there is snow on the roof, doesn't mean there isn't a fire inside!" I have thought about this a lot throughout my almost 13 years of marriage. I'm thankful for them and their marriage in our lives.

Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!

Congratulations on 61 years! Heres to many more!!!

Happy, happy birthday Steven!!!

Today my husband turns 32.

Here are 32 facts about him.

1.He LOVES Oreo cookies.

2.He has 6 tattoos and would love to get more.

3.He proposed to me when he was 18, and we got married when he was 19.

4.He always wanted to own a Jeep and did for about year, he'll have one again some day.

5.He is madly in love with me :)

6.He has the cutest blond patch of hair in the back of his head.

7.He was attacked by a dog when he was a child and had over 100 stitches to repair his face.

8.He LOVES John MacArthur.

9.He isn't a snuggler, at all...much to my disliking.

10.He's got the most passion of anyone I have ever met.

11.He taught both our boys to swim.

12.He is insanely patient.

13.He has never yelled at me, ever or even raised his voice at me.

14.He has never said a cuss word to me, ever.

15.He lost his dad at the age of 8.

16.He loves our boys more than you can imagine.

17.He loves MMA(mixed martial arts)

18.He's a man of integrity.

19.He graduated Bible college with a Bachelors degree in Senior Pastorial Ministries while working two jobs and a 2 hour daily commute with a wife, a 3 year old and a newborn.

20.He is dedicated and loyal.

21.His dream of becoming a Fire Fighter came true.

22.He wants to own his own company some day.

23.He loves to read.

24.He hates surprises.

25.He is an amazing cook and breakfast is his specialty.

26.He left CA, moved across the country away from everything he knew to make a better life for his family.

27.He LOVES surfing and the ocean.

28.He dreams with me.

29.He has had 7 cars in the 12.5 years we've been married.

30.He was born in New Jersey.

31.He will always trade meals with me if I don't like mine, ALWAYS, no matter what.

32.He has been my rock, my inspiration and my life for the last 13 years. I am extremely proud of the man I married.

Happy birthday Steven. The boys and I love you!

the positive

I always try to find the positive in every situation. This last weekend we had plans to go to the cities to go see The Espinoza's and celebrate baby Steven's 1st birthday, go to Ikea, the Science Museum...well it didn't turn out quite as I had planned.

Although my baby got sick in the van on Friday on the way to the Espinoza's and it sucked...I am so very thankful it happened while the van was stopped and in a Target parking lot. I told my 2 year old nephew when he potty trained Auntie would bring him some big boy undies...so holding true to my word, we stopped at a Target so I could pick him up those said undies and grab a few things. While Ethan and I were in Target, Steven called me to say Abram had thrown up IN THE VAN and to get some wipes and hurry up. I am SO very thankful we weren't in motion and completely helpless when he got sick. I am thankful Ethan and I, who gag very easily weren't IN THE VAN when it happened. I am thankful for my amazing husband who cleaned it up without saying a word while Ethan I went back into Target to buy a new booster seat and get bags to throw the old one away in.

I am also very thankful that The Espinoza's still let us come with a sick child when they have 3 children under 4 years old. We were 20 minutes from their home when this happened and they didn't make us turn back and go home. Abram so badly needed to lay down and rest as he continued to throw up all night. That would have been horrible to be stuck in our van for another 2 hours back home.

Saturday Abram seemed to be on the mend until that afternoon when he threw up mostly all over his daddy but also on their couches and carpet. The positive...it wasn't their NEW couches, the cushion cover removed and cleaned up easily and Steven did it all. Positive...a grocery store in the town over rented carpet cleaners, so while Samantha and I went to rent one, Steven continued to clean up the carpet and wash clothes that got thrown up on.

Positive...we got it all cleaned up, even the van and still celebrated baby Steven's 1st birthday, the kids all went to bed and us parents got to relax, play games and visit until too late.

Sunday morning we woke up and had planned on the Science Museum, instead we packed our family up very quickly and we left. We needed to return the carpet cleaner on our way out of town...as we get to the grocery store in next town over we realize Steven forgot the attachment to the machine so we had to go all the way back and get it, then turn around and go back to the grocery store...positive, it wasn't that far, 20 miles round trip...it could have been a lot farther than it was.

We arrived home after a very nasty drive. The weather turned ugly and the roads were not easy to travel on. We saw a terrible accident about 30 miles from our home...positive, it wasn't us, Steven is a very safe driver and we made it home without any incidents.

Sunday night at about 8:30 Ethan started trowing up...positive, he had it out of both ends unlike Abram, which made it only last about 12 hours for Ethan instead of 3 days like Abrams.

Positive, I was able to stay home with my boys on Monday. Although I had a raging headache I was able to sleep most of the day with Abram, Steven was able to get off work a bit early to come home and help me out and our family slept well last night, no one has thrown up in several hours and we are hopefully on the mend.

So although having the stomach flu go through both our boys wasn't ideal...I was still thankful and able to see the positive in it all. It could have been SO much worse.

Thank you for everyone who kept us in your prayers. I pray that Steven and I have escaped this nasty bug and that the Espinoza's don't get it either.

So today, try and find the positive in your day!

personal project/four people/twelve times/2.11

February had some really warm weather. It was in the 30's and 40's for almost a week. We took advantage of those days and took the kids to a near by ski hill. The 4 of us had never been there and it was a blast! We had such a fun day. We also took the kids to see Gnomeo and Juliet, it was a cute movie.

This month brought a tummy bug to me, pink eye to Steven and a slight cough to Ethan, Abram was the lone survivor. Praising God for nothing more serious.

Steven and I got to attend the annual Ladies Party for the fire department, we enjoyed meeting new people and visiting with old friends.

I am still attending and learning a lot at my weekly Beth Moore Bible study, Wising Up.

Steven is working hard at his fire training classes twice a week as well as work.

Ethan learned to Preamble to the Constitution at school and did a great job with his memory work. He and his daddy built a Valentines robot that was pretty darn cool.

Abram is almost done with gymnastics and can't wait for spring soccer and summer T-ball...and neither can his mama :) He also built a robot with his daddy, but only because his brother had one. Abram's turned out pretty darn cool as well. They have such an awesome daddy!

Overall, February was kind to us. We ALL are looking forward to spring coming. We are already enjoying the longer days and more sunlight. It's about this time every year I wonder why on earth we live in Minnesota and start to look elsewhere for jobs and homes...then I look at summer pictures and my mortgage bill and quickly remember why we stay, year after year.