The Narrow Road of my marriage

Meeting my husband was by the hand of God.
I felt like he was my fairy tale landing smack dab in the middle of my regular life.

Our relationship was like an excerpt right out of a romance novel:
we met
we dated
he made a huge deal out of every holiday and even regular moments
got flowers for no reason
love notes
he proposed..i said yes

we planned
we moved in "our apartment"
we said I DO
we decorated our "home"

He had a dream one night we were having a baby
I called him later that day while he was hunting to tell him he was right!

We decorated a nursery
had a baby girl
bought a house with a backyard
and became a family

It was great! I couldn't have asked for more...It was perfect for me, but it wasn't perfect all the time.
We had our moments when we both probably thought, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

Marriage isn't easy..everyone told me it wouldn't be..but I couldn't imagine it being any less than perfect with my fairy tale man! Once we realized that just because we were in love didn't mean that the world became a perfect place we had to take on a new look into our marriage. We knew there would be ups and downs...but we needed a guideline..a. more narrow road... to keep us on the same page with each other.



So here is our narrow road of our  marriage:



I love you at the end of a phone call is a must - We never know how much time we have left on this Earth so the last thing we say to each other when we leave each other's presence is "I Love You" ...not "love ya" ... "I Love You" ...that isn't something we take lightly...it isnt' slang or just a phrase...it is letting you know that you are loved.
Lately my daughter has been seriously into Rapunzel and there is a part on the movie that she has brought into our home.
Rapunzels mother (Mother Gothel) tells she loves her
Rapunzel says, "I Love You, more"
Mother Gothel replies, "I Love You, most"
Yes, may be a little cheesy...but it's grown on us.

a kiss when you enter and leave the house is a must - same as above..when you leave there is an "I Love You" and a kiss...when you come home there is a welcome kiss...sometimes even if you just run out to get milk.

we do not say divorce...it is not an option. I'm not going to lie..at the beginning of our marriage we did mention divorce. We both were dumbfounded at trying to live happily with one another. We both also quickly realized that divorce was not an option for us. Nothing against anyone who has been or going through a divorce...personally it will not be an option for us.

We respect each other...this is a big one. There is a general definition of respect that we give to each other but we both have certain things that make us feel respected. His different than mine and we are both conscious of what each other needs. The general definition is to honor your spouse...don't talk negatively about your spouse, don't air your marital problem for others to be able to cast judgement, have courtesy towards your spouse. Sometimes it is easy to be more courteous to strangers than our own spouse. He personally feels respected when the house is clean and dinner is made..so I do that. What works in our family may not work in yours and that's OK.  I can already feel my email blowing up saying "You are not a slave to him!" I agree..I am not a slave..I enjoy cleaning house and makign my family dinner to show them I love them. Figure out what your spouse needs to feel respected and do that...for them....to show love.

We have nights to remember...OK OK...I'm not talking about those nights. Some nights my husband and I will just start talking about memories before we go to sleep. I love these night. They are very precious to me. It reminds us both how and why we fell in love with each other

We always refer to each other according to any parenting decision This was hard at first..but it has really made a difference in parenting our daughter. There is no manipulation on her part. She knows that mom and dad are a united front....now don't get me wrong...there are definitely times where I say no cookies before supper then as I look around the corner I see them piled up in the recliner sneaking a cookie.

we sleep in the same bed...every night...cold feet and all.. There is no sleeping on the couch because we are mad at each other. There is no being pushed out of bed by a child...Sometimes Lyla will climb into bed with us in the middle of the night but she will go back to her bed before one of us leaves our bed. That is our bed..she has her bed. We sleep in our bed....together.

Like I said above ...what works in my marriage might be totally opposite of what works in your marriage and that is OK, but I encourage you to sit down with your husband and make a narrow road that you will not stray from. Just list a couple things...and make sure those things are non negotiable.

My husband and I didn't have a formal sit down meeting to write these things out..these are our everyday actions that we both know are important to each other.

Do you have a narrow road in your marriage? What is on your short list?

BMT Graduation Coin Ceremony!!

This is the day that Baby girl and I have been waiting on since the start of this new year!!
We have prayed this day would come fast...and it is finally here.

Hotel is booked.
Car is ready.
Bags are packed.

We are off! Yay!

I don't know who is more excited ..me to see my husband...Lyla to see her daddy...or my dad to see his son in law!

My dad was so so proud of Gregg. It warms my heart that my family loves Gregg so much and that Gregg returns that love just as much!

Here is our calendar. The day Gregg left we started marking off our days until we seen him again. I put a smiley face on the day we left to go see him and every day Lyla would put an "X" on that day. We would count how many days we had left..and jump and giggle....We really jumped and giggled when we got down to single digit numbers!!

woo hoo! Here we go! Blanket..Hello Kitty..Coloring book...Snacks! We are ready! A wonderful friend let me borrow her DVD player that straps to the back of your headrest...which was a LIFESAVER! The morning we left I plugged in the DVD player and it blew the fuse..so I had to run around town to buy a fuse..then take it to the shop to get it put in..the super nice guy didn't charge me anything...I was just so ready to get on the road to my husband!

So thankful Uncle Colton decided to ride with us..he was such a great help with me for Lyla. Anytime she needed a drink ..or a snack..or help..he was right there and I could focus on driving. We had a ten hour trip ahead of us to get to Lackland AFB  in San Antonio, TX from Arkansas. I told him that Lyla was napping and that he needed to nap..and I would be OK. So he got a little shut eye..before he hit Dallas..He wanted to wake up and see the big buildings in Dallas.

This is us! Here! At Lackland AFB! OMG! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I can NOT wait to see my husband! I wasn't sad..I had no tears..I just wanted to see him! Here we were at his coin ceremony..which was tremendous! My dad and his friend stayed off base so they were trying to find where I was and I had no idea so I couldn't tell them anything. I was really worried dad was going to miss it.

Colton stayed the night with me and Lyla on base to make sure we were ok.. So sweet I tell ya.. I couldn't ask for a better brother! After the coin ceremony was the first time they released the trainees to their families. I raced down there to find him and it didn't take me long at all to spot him eventhough they seriously all looked the same! Thank God Colton was there to keep me, Lyla, and stroller altogether because I was in a bee line to get my husband! I just grabbed his arm and spun him around and hugged him.

Best hug of my life.

Then I looked up and seen Dad!! Yay! He made it! He said he had to park and walk a mile and a half..but he made it..and he even had tears in his eyes he was so proud! I was so happy to see Gregg I didn't even think to take pictures..I was worried about making him as comfortable as possible as soon as possible. I had him some comfy clothes at the hotel room..I had pizza on order.. and could not wait to get to the hotel room and just be normal!!

Lyla wasn't to sure about Daddy at first after the coin ceremony because he had no hair and his hat was on..but once we got to the hotel room..and realized it was her Daddy and nothing had changed..she quickly had a ton of games for us to play! We jumped on the bed..played...tickled.. laughed...so happy to be a normal family again!

 

 

The only bad thing is that we had to take him back to his dorm at night. So this is us taking him back..I remembered to get a picture then. Even though it is dark I love love love this picture.

I love Lyla in this picture..and doesn't my husband look so handsome in uniform!?

In the mini mall we found Mrs M&M and Lyla wanted her picture with her.

Gotta keep our priorities straight!!

Besides marrying my husband, having my daughter and finding Jesus...this day ranks at the top of my list!
Thank you Jesus for making our days go by fast!
 Thank you Jesus for the WingMom group and all the lovely ladies that I had a pleasure of meeting. Thank you Jesus for keeping me and Lyla safe and sound while my husband went to achieve a dream. I am so blessed.
 Blessed beyond measure.

March iPhone pictures

Do you have a DSLR camera sitting in your closet collecting dust?
I do.

It makes me a little sad but my iPhone camera is so convienent and takes pretty good pictures.
I am always snapping pictures..and I love pictures of every day life. Nothing really posed even though now my daughter has a sixth sense of when I am about to take a picture and she strikes a pose impromptu! Love it!

I haven't posted about Project Life..but it is a great new way to scrapbook all those pictures stuck in your computer. There is really no rhyme or reason to it..just take your pictures..put them in page protectors with pockets that are the exact size of your pictures...write a few notes on a card and slide that in a pocket too ..and BAM! You have a scrapbook!

I love it! I plan to get all my pictures off my computer and off CD's and into a scrapbook that can be looked at.

Anyway. Here is what they call an iPhone Dump...

Here in Arkansas we can have sunshine one day and snow the next..that is what happened on this day! It snowed but the sun was coming out so we wanted to get out there and enjoy it fast. I told Lyla to go throw on some warm clothes and her rain boots...and Wah-Lah! This is what I got..and we made it work! Love this girl!

Love the nights that Uncle Colton sleeps over. Gregg was gone to Basic Training so Colton would like to sleep over sometimes just to help me out and make sure everything was ok. What a great little brother! While Gregg was gone Lyla would sleep with me in my bed..so Uncle Colton opted to sleep in the Rapunzel Princess bed instead of the couch. Priceless Memories!

Here was another crazy day.. sunny..then hail hit. It hailed so much in such a little period of time that it looked like snow...but all that is ice.

Baby girl had a bad earache one night..poor thing. There was nothing I could really do..so we put some ear drops in and laid on a warm washcloth. I sure don't like it when my baby is hurting..I stayed up all night that night. Motherhood is a hard sometimes..but such a blessing.

 

 

I have to get back in my groove of uploading my pictures weekly to keep up with my Project Life. My husband just bought me a new laptop that is ALL MINE ..so I am very excited to start anew!!! 

The duties of an apron

Hello Monday!
First of all if you are reading this I want to say I am so glad you are here. I have really enjoyed blogging...and it is so nice to know that sometimes that I am not talking to myself.

I blog to record memories.
I blog to record pictures.
I blog to remember old times.

Six weeks ago I started a Bible Study with a wonderful group of women to dive deep into Proverbs 31 and really get to know this perfect woman. (Bible Study materials from Courtney at Women Living Well and Good Morning Girls) I knew this could be very depressing or very enjoying. I will admit..there are times where I can feel God thumping me on the head ..and other times where I think "Hey! I already do that!"

I have loved the study...I love the conversation and ideas we have together in our group..It is such a blessing to me!

A couple weeks ago we studied Proverbs 31:17
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. (KJV)

I read and study in many different versions of the Bible...just to get a good feeling of what the verse is saying.

Here is a bit of my study that I posted in my group:

I kind of had a different view of the girdeth her loins.. so bare with me..
When you look up loins..you get Hips..
When I looked up girdeth I got..put a belt on, bind..gird to me sounds like guard...
so out of all this I got .... PUT an APRON on! LOL!
I know I know...probably makes no sense to you..but for me.. my grandma always wore an apron...I remember as a little girl when I wanted to help cook, clean or garden..i put my apron on.. I have a gardening apron that I do wear now..but guess what? I am buying one to cook and clean in! :)

What can I say..I go where the Lord leads me. Whatever that may be! LOL.

It reminded me of a post I did two years ago about the history of an apron. Bare with me I am on an apron kick..

Here is that post two years ago:

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

It had strings perfect for little hands to tug on to get attention

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.


Aprons were useful
they were a tool
they were a duster
they were a tear wiper
they were a blanket
they were memories

I have been called a 28 year old grandma so if that is what you are thinking ..You will not offend me. I take pride in that. I dream of vintage days..where people sat on the porch with tea and gossiped chatted about the other people in town. LOL.

Have a great week!
I am going shopping for an apron!

My humble opinion on Boston and our world

Today is a wonderful day here in small town Arkansas. The weather is beautiful, the birds are singing and you can smell the grass of freshly mowed lawns.

Needless to say "baby girl" and I have spent most of our day outside soaking in all this wonderful day has to offer. When we come inside for a drink or a rest .. I hop on Facebook or Bloglovin to see what is happening in the internet world. Every feed, every post, and picture is praying for Boston. I pray for Boston.

As I enjoy the wonderful day with my daughter I almost start to feel guilty because there are many people that aren't enjoying today. I feel scared and pure fear about what this world is going to be like when my daughter gets older. I fear sending her to school without me... or an assault rifle.. I fear about someone breaking in the house...I fear...
And everytime something like this happens..I feel like it justifies my fear.

This morning in my bible study we researched Psalms 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

It seems almost laughable.
Just like the day of Sandy Hook or 9/11 ..how can you rejoice in a day like this?
 


I have come to think, in my humble opinion that this Planet Earth has quickly become Job.
Not Job..not an 8-5 daily office work
But Job as in the perfect man that God allowed Satan to "try" to break and tear down.

"Skin for Skin!" Says Satan in Job 2:4-5 (NIV) "A man will give all he has for his own flesh. But now stretch out your own hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." 

In Job 2:6 God tells Satan (NIV) "Very well, then he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

God let Satan have free reign on Job...to do what he wanted as long as he didn't take his life.

Lately it seem like our Earth has become Job. It seems like God has let Satan have free reign on us....on our flesh and bones. When children are hurt..we all hurt.. we all become mothers and fathers in that moment of time...and we mourn..we cry out and ask "WHY?"

 
But....
If you keep reading in Job 11:13-20 (MSG) it says:
Still if you set your heart on God
and reach out to him
If you scrub your hands of sin
and refuse to entertain evil in your home
You'll be able to face the world unashamed
and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless
You'll forget your troubles
Your world will be washed in sunshine

We have always had tragedy...We will have more.. We will have shootings, bombings, drugs, human trafficking...That will always be apart of this world..because there is an ever going battle between good and evil. I choose not to tell "baby girl" about it.. and I do not let her watch it on TV. I am an avid watcher of Dr Phil and I agree when he says that we shouldn't bring children into adult situations. I believe Boston is an adult situation and I choose to protect my child's innocence for as long as I can.

So while I am struggling over the loss of a community, loss of children, loss of humanity...how do I rejoice in this day that the Lord has made?



I can rejoice that there are helpers like Mr Rogers Mom tells us to look for...
I can rejoice that evil will not overcome
I can rejoice that every time something like this happens..the world seems to look toward Jesus for help.
I Rejoice that Jesus will be there to comfort, heal and give peace to those that need it.

I rejoice in my family
I rejoice in the sunshine!

  Rejoice in this day and be glad in it!

Blog Readers: BlogLovin

I have been so distraught over and demise of Google Reader!!

It was so easy and available to me..I had gotten used to it..We were literally on a first name basis!

But ... that is how my life goes...once I get good and used to something...It slips away! Ugh!

So I have been forced to find a new love:

BlogLovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3324767/?claim=8ybgh2jf9kd">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

I am still getting used to it..but so far so good.
I like that you can "follow" blogs...very easy!

Have you switched over to BlogLovin for your blog reading....or have you found something else?
And if you are on BlogLovin...Please..leave me tips on how you are using it...My OCD would love to categorize my blogs by niche.

Time for Tea



a cheesy text between me and my husband that I will cherish forever

Wow.. where has the time gone!?

I guess I took a non scheduled Bloggy Break. Time to sit down with a cup of tea and catch up!

Life has been so busy lately ..and we are always on our toes wondering when the day is that my husband will leave again for the Air Force. So we have been making every moment count while we have it in front of us! Baby girl is always wondering if dad walks out the door if he is going to come back which has made it hard for either one of us to leave her sight....even for a second. So I put blogging aside for a while to tend to my family.. that is what us mothers do right? But I am super happy happy happy that my blog and you all are still there when I decide to sit down again and spill my thoughts out!

Since the last time I wrote..
*we have celebrated Easter.. at my mother in laws...good time was had by... most
*I was nominated for a blogging award..the Leibster Award..yay!
*had some great homeschooling conversations.. I am praying diligently about this topic
*started two bible studies with Good Morning Girls.. One in the book of Luke and one about the Proverbs 31 woman which I am loving!
*my computer got a virus
*convinced my husband to buy me my own laptop ( getting it this weekend)
*and started a new business with Initials Inc

and I can't wait to catch up on all that wonderful stuff!!
I shall be back!