A dozen things I remember...

Thursday afternoon I received a surprise delivery. The UPS man pulled up. Caleb said, "I hope it's for me." And I said, "I hope it's for me." The delivery man got out and had in his hands a box from Proflowers. Inside were a dozen multi-colored roses. The card said there was one for each year I've been his Valentine. I was so excited. Soon after that my Valentine got home from work. He said he thought they were coming on Friday. It was so sweet and such a sweet surprise!

I've had my very special Valentine for 12 years. He asked me if I could believe it has been that long and really, I can't! On February 13, 1998 he gave me a card he had made and asked me to be his Valentine. I'm so glad I said yes. :)

So today I'm remembering. I'm remembering a dozen things that have happened in the past 12 years since I said yes.

1. Remember giving me a Valentine in the Bean during lunch. You must have been nervous! It had the poem in it about the value of a smile. It made me smile again to read it the other day.

2. Remember not being sure you'd be able to come back to ACU yet God made a way and you were there every year and finished your degree there. I was so proud of your hard work and determination through those years. It really was inspiring to see you work so diligently in pursuit of your dream.

3. Remember on December 2, 2000 when you surprised me with a marriage proposal (which I will say I was expecting at some time, yet not at that time!) What a great surprise! I loved it!

4. Remember when people asked us where we would live or how we would make it when we got married. We didn't know all the answers but found out God did!

5. Remember our perfect, beautiful wedding ceremony, those delicious chocolate covered strawberries at our reception, leaving without shoes on, and our wonderful honeymoon together (and getting sunburned!).

6. Remember when God provided my first teaching job for me in a district that was closing schools at the time and said they weren't hiring.

7. Remember the excitement we felt when we found out we were expecting our first child only to go through a miscarriage a few weeks later. You were such a rock for me of love and support during that painful time filled with questions, sadness, hurt, doubts, and fears.

8. Remember when God gave us good news (just when we needed it) of a new job for you, one for a position that you really specifically hadn't even applied.

9. Remember how we watched our home being built and we'd drive out most days to see the progress that was made. We have so many special memories here in this home.

10. Remember on that wonderful day in August when the doctor said "It's a boy!" Our lives have never been the same! Parenting has been an amazing learning process with you. You've supported me in countless ways, and I appreciate that more than words can say. Seeing you with our son brings me great joy as well. You are such a great daddy.

11. Remember how we helped each other through the painful times, including sicknesses and the deaths of our loved ones. Having each other to lean on helped so much. I know there will be other times of pain and sadness through the years, but I know we count on each other.

12. Remember, always remember that God has a plan, His timing is perfect, I am proud of you always, and you are the best.

It's wonderful to remember (and kind of hard to stop because I keep remembering more things) and be reminded of all the ways God has been there for us through every thing we've been through together. Thank you for so many wonderful memories. Happy Valentine's Day to my sweet wonderful amazing forever Valentine! I love you...

Have a day of blessings!

Another surprise!

Look at this cute little Precious Moments figurine (the boy holding the football) Caleb and I received as a surprise today from a blogging friend. It is called "I'm a Possibility." Thank you! This was such a surprise!

My sweet husband!

I meant to originally include this in my Thankful Thursday yesterday but forgot and this really deserves it's own post anyway. ;)

Last Thursday I heard a knock at the door. Caleb said it was the UPS man. I was surprised because I couldn't think what delivery I had coming. The white envelope had my name with a return address of JA. I opened to find a small pink box with this inside. It is the August birthstone (peridot). It is so simple and beautiful! You can stack them to wear side-by-side or wear them one at a time. My cousin has this ring so that is where I got the idea.

Also there was a card from my husband that said "Just because I love you."

Isn't that sweet! We looked at the remembrance rings when we went on a trip since we don't have a store here. He worked with my Mom to figure out my ring size for sure and then ordered it to surprise me last week.

It makes me smile to see it on my hand. Thank you sweetie! You are the best!
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"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." I John 4:7

Marriage Monday: The Surprise of Christian Marriage

Want this button?

Today is Marriage Monday! I've really enjoyed participating in this monthly gathering over at the blog Chyrsalis. You can visit other participants or link up over at Lynn's today.

Here is today's topic: Fire up your keyboard and tell us something that really rocked your world after you got married. Was it a blessing? Or a disappointment? Was it something you were completely unprepared for? Tell us how you handle the unexpected in your relationship.

I have thought about the topic for a few days. I tried to think of what surprised me about marriage and nothing really jumped out at me at first. From the beginning marriage has been such a blessing to me and so much more than I ever expected. One big surprise I have had through the years is something I heard people say before but never understood till I experienced it myself. The surprise: how I continue to love my husband more with each passing day and year. Some moments I just feel so overwhelmed with love for him. I thought we were so in love on our wedding day and couldn't imagine how I could ever love him more than on that day. It has been such a wonderful blessing to feel that love grow through the years. I am so thankful for this love we share in our marriage.

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"In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." Ephesians 5:28

Afternoon surprise

This afternoon it seemed the house got darker as the sun moved behind the clouds. I thought I heard the wind but didn't pay much attention. Then I looked out the window and saw rain! Thank you God for rain! We needed it so much!

Do you know the heaviness of a laundry basket full of soaking wet beach towels? It was a nice "problem" to have though!

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"Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge." Proverbs 23:12

A funny story

Last night as we were putting Caleb to bed my husband asked what I needed. I think he could tell I was tired out. I told him I just needed a bath. Usually I take my shower while Daddy helps Caleb with his. But he was doing some reading last night that he needed to do for his class so I helped Caleb with his bath instead of taking mine.


I went in to our bathroom and found he'd run a bath for me, complete with my folded towels and candles. It was really sweet. I stuck my foot in and the water was scalding hot! The whole thing struck me as funny. I went to the computer and asked if he had some ice cubes to cool down the water. He went and tested it himself and agreed it was a bit hot! He knows I love a hot bath though. I guess I have to be in the water as it feels up and get used to it rather than step into it.


I totally appreciated his thoughtfulness. It was such a cute thing for him to do for me! When I said I just need a bath I was thinking in my head of a cool shower because I had felt hot and sweaty all evening with the humidity and warmer temperatures we had. I guess I should use the right words to convey what I really mean.


It was very sweet of him to prepare the bath for me as a way to relax before bed. I told him I'd have to write about this on my blog!

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"A heart at peace gives life to the body." Proverbs 14:30

Unexpected smile for my day!

I had an unexpected surprise today times two when in was out doing a little shopping. First, I saw one of my former teachers, Mrs. H, and I got to talk to her for a few minutes. I don't know that I've seen her since I graduated. She was always one of my favorites so it was so nice to run into her today. The second surprise was seeing one of my dear friends from high school, Katie. It's been a long time since I saw her as well.


It was odd to run into both of them on the same day. I'd just thought about Katie the other day and wondered if she'd get to be home with her family for Thanksgiving. And in one of the stores I thought of Mrs. H when I saw some angels (which she always collected).
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"The Son is the radiance of God's glory." Hebrews 1:3

My sweet boys!

Yesterday the boys were outside and came in and sat this down beside me. It totally made my day to have such a sweet surprise. It was growing on our rose bush. Thank you for making me smile!

Also, my sweet husband cleaned the bathroom on his day off. That also made me smile!

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"When we allow God the privilege of shaping our lives, we discover new depths of purpose and meaning. What a joyful thought to realize you are a chosen vessel for God--perfectly suited for His use." Joni Eareckson Tada

A fun surprise for me!

Last week JMP told me my Dad had called him at work. This really surprised me and my first thought was something was wrong. Nope! Dad wanted to surprise me with some clothesline poles he made for me. JMP said he might not should tell me, but he figured I'd know something was up when he started digging two holes in the backyard. Later my Dad called and told me he had made them.

Several months ago I decided I would like to have a clothesline. We'd looked in the store but couldn't find anything. I posted an ad on freecycle to see if anyone had any clothesline poles they no longer used. A lady responded and said we could have them if we could get them out of the ground. Well we went and JMP dug and dug and eventually one of the poles broke off. It was cemented in the ground plus had lots of tree roots growing around it. He didn't have the energy that day to get the other one out of the ground, and we haven't made it back over there.

He brought them over Saturday when he came for Caleb's party. I watched them put them in the holes dug earlier in the week by JMP and Caleb. JMP said they are really heavy duty poles. Also, my Dad made them so that we can unscrew them from the ground to take with us if we ever move. Isn't that nifty!

JMP has all the stuff he needs to cement them in the ground and will probably work on it in the evening when it is a bit cooler.

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(I forgot to add this when I was typing it. I knew I was forgetting something but didn't know what it was. Usually I forget the labels!)

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3