13 Years!

Just found this 3-week-old post waiting to be edited and published...going to post it as-is, just to keep things moving :)

I'm on vacation! I'm sitting with my new computer in my lap (my anniversary gift from Tim--yahoo!) lounging on the couch at the "beach". It's lovely. We are taking a week off to celebrate our 13th Anniversary!

We are having such a great time. We work in the mornings--that is, Tim works on work and I work on hobbies--and we both take pleasure in the quiet of our little condo and of accomplishing something. He is so energized by his job, and I'm thrilled to get to work on projects that I never have the time to do.

We have laid in the sun a little, and taken walks. Yesterday we went exploring around town, looking for antique shops and places to buy goodies for the kids. We wound up at a local place for dinner, somewhere that a shop owner recommend. It was lots of fun.

Mom and Dad got in last week to help with the kids while we are on our trip. Dad always talks like he's going to golf a lot, but I've noticed he's addicted to household projects. It's such a blessing to have help with all our unfinished projects and neglected repairs. Mom seems determined to show me up, and is not only doing grandma duty, but is schooling the kids, keeping up the house, and making curtains for the kitchen. Mom and Dad: We love you and are so thankful for you!!!!!

The Best 10 Years of My Life...

...have been spent with this guy.


It all started 10 years ago, right here with our first kiss...

...and we've been kissing ever since. In 10 years, he hasn't once missed giving me a kiss before he leaves for the day--that's something that really blesses me!

So, we celebrated our 10 year anniversary this month! As I was thinking about these last 10 years, and how blessed I am through Tim, I remembered some verses from Joel that I had memorized back when I was single...

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten...You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed...Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed."

Now, I didn't ever have any crops that locusts ate, and I know this verse was for the Israelites, but I did have some hurts. Some hurts I brought on myself, and others God permitted me to encounter. During a season of my college years, God really worked on me...healing my heart. Those verses about being repaid gave me encouragement.

And now? I could never have imagined how wonderful my life could be...what bliss there could be in marriage...what joy there could be in a husband. God has indeed repaid me, and I praise him!

Tim is the most patient, kind, fun man I know. Plus, he's a hunk. I'm SO blessed to be his wife!

One of the things I love best about Tim is that he loves what I love (reading, watching movies, and working with my hands) but he also draws me into fun things that I wouldn't naturally do.

For instance, I like the outdoors, but I enjoy it just as much from inside as I do from out...yet here we are on our 5th anniversary...


And, I like to eat, but I'd just as soon let someone else cook than do it myself. But, Tim makes it fun! He loves to cook, and is really good at it.


Plus, he looks really fine in ladies sunglasses...(and isn't afraid to wear them!)


He is my best friend, and I love spending every day of my life with him.

Here's the 2 pictures we took of us on our 10 year trip...




At least we took those!!

On our trip we did a fair amount of reminiscing, talking, reading, and relaxing. It was great.

And now here we are...back to normal life. Wonderwoman has gone home (along with Super Grandpa). Normal life can be crazy, but it has its fine moments, too. Last night we cooked out, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I loved looking out my kitchen window while we were getting ready...


We did a lot of work on the patio while WW was here, and it paid off.

(Yes, the kids are in their pajamas. They wore them ALL DAY. Good grief. They LOVED it!)

Evenings like that make normal life wonderful!

As cheesy as it may be, I have to say:

Tim, I love you! I'm so thankful that you married me, and that I can trust you to stick with me 'til the end. You are my hero. Happy Anniversary.