Early Anniversary Surprise!

Saturday was busy, not only did we have Evie's first shower, but my hubby surprised me with an early anniversary gift - flowers!  He got me some beautiful tulips because he knows I'm not so much a 'dozen roses' kind of girl.  I tell ya' folks, I've got a keeper!

Oh! My Heart!

After a morning out, I came home to find this!  Oh my heart just about burst!

Helping Daddy

Ebenezer LOVES helping Daddy with projects!  Chris is great about finding creative jobs for him to do so they can work alongside each other.  When they were assembling Evie's new crib (a huge blessing!  White, drop-side,  beautiful and FREE!) Eb kept track of wrenches and bolts, and even tried putting a few together for Chris!  It fills my heart to bursting to see my boys working together!

Yep. He Loves Me!

While nursing Eb last night I got a picture text and message saying Chris was making a pit stop - the picture was the sign over Gigi's Cupcakes!!!!  I might be addicted to this place!  He brought me home two of my favorites that I always have a hard time deciding between - Miss Princess and Strawberry Shortcake!  Oh how my hubby know how to make me happy after a long week!

Growing world...

With Eb's new skill at walking it has opened a whole new bunch of opportunities  of things he can do!  His current favorite is walking outside!  Before he started walking outside he really didn't want to hold anyone's hand, with the uneven ground outside however he now welcomes the help.  He loves walking and exploring, especially at Grandma's where there are so many critters to check out!  We got to have a little cookout for Dad before he headed out on his mission trip and it was a beautiful day to be outside.

I don't brag on my hubby enough...

After a full day at his internship Chris came home and entertained Eb so I could make us dinner. After playing with our boy he took him to get ready for bed. As I was gathering things for nursing/bed time ritual I could hear him singing silly, made up on the spot songs to entertain Eb (my heart just melted). Then it was time to snuggle and read stories with Daddy (Eb Loves this time with his Daddy every night and has trouble getting to sleep on days when Chris works late). Did I mention he also brought me home doughnuts?

I am so thankful for a husband who values both Eb and I. Who is working hard to finish his degree so he can provide for us. Who doesn't complain about the dirty dishes and laundry I often don't get to, and instead rolls up his sleeves to help me get the house clean. Who spends his Saturday afternoons chopping wood to feed our stove. Who gets up early with Eb to give me an extra hour of sleep in the morning. Who isn't afraid of stinky diapers. Who is willing to have a little lower standard of living so that I can stay home with our children. Who remembers what kind of doughnuts his pregnant wife is craving :)

For all of these reasons, and so many more, I am eternally grateful to have Chris as my husband.

Flowers from my Hubby!

One of my favorite combinations is tulips and roses! I love the contrasting colors and textures you can achieve with them. Tulips also make me think of spring, gentle warmth and beauty. I've also been itching to use my case and mug from Boonesburough die ages and this was tge perfect excuse! Ahhh, flower bliss thanks to my thoughtful husband!

Anniversary update

 This is terribly overdue but I wanted to post about our fun anniversary date! About a week after our anniversary Chris took me to paint pottery in Madison! This is something I've wanted to do for a long time but never had the chance and Chris was wonderful enough to treat me with it!

Our color inspiration.

Chris gave me a budget and then let me pick our piece - it took a little while... Okay a long time! My only defense is that there were so many fun pieces and ideas to choose from! We finally settled on a big salad bowl and wanted to use a kind of paint they called chunky with some drippy glaze overtop. I was so excited!

The paint had a base bluish color with little gravel like pieces, which they explained exploded in the firing process to reveal different colors. The glaze made the paint drippy wherever they touched. We used an iron looking color on the bottom for the blue to drip over. It sounds really complicated but the whole process was pretty straight forward and we were only working with three paints.

Don't mock my smock or I'll clean your clock!

Ebenezer did great! Chris and I took turns holding/playing with him and he talked almost the whole time. He loved the ceiling fans and squealed at them whenever he caught sight of them, he even nursed and napped a little while! While one of us had Eb the other worked on the bowl. It took longer than we expected because everything but the glaze needed three coats and you needed to blow dry between each coat. It was still fun though!

The first coat!

Once we finished it was so hard to leave our bowl there and wait for the week it would take to fire and transform into a beautiful, useable piece - but it was worth the wait!

I love that we now have a fun, tangible memory for this anniversary!

En Gaurde!

The Master at work!

Our colors.

Drying..

Before we left...

All that hard work deserved some dinner!

After a long week we brought home this...

The finished product!
A little more drippy than intended but still cool!

I love where the 'gravels' fell in the middle!

Happy First Father's Day!!!

Technically Chris was a father this time last year but it seems so much more real now that Ebenezer is here and we have a face to go with the role.

I have been so proud to watch Chris jump into this new season of life. I knew he was going to be a wonderful father long ago as I watched him with my brothers and sisters and because he has been such a considerate and loving husband to me, but that hasn't made watching him transition into this role any less fun!

Chris unashamedly squeals, sings, coos, cuddles, pulls funny faces and laughs in delight to entertain his son. He tackles dirty diapers without fear (or gas mask), has mastered all the baby toys and knows just what to do to comfort his Eb. He earnestly and carefully discusses and plans the future with me, thoughtfully considering decisions as simple as what to do about diapers to bigger issues such as vaccines and college. He has patiently waited for me to adjust to this new role called motherhood and picked up the slack around the house as I do so.

I cannot express how proud, delighted and thankful I am to call him my husband and know that he is the father of my son, and hopefully more children to come! Thank you Lord for letting me watch my husband grow more like You as he imitates You in this new role of life!

Six Years...

Six years ago today I married my amazing husband.  A lot has happened since then, not all of it easy, but I wouldn't take back one single day of any of it. 

Over the last six years we have prayed, laughed and grown together.  The passion we felt for each other six years ago hasn't diminshed, but it has changed, matured - like a fine wine it has grown stronger and deepened with time.  The trials we have experienced, trivial though some may have seemed, taught us how to work through issues together, reassured us that we really can depend on one another to be there for better or for worse.

We have shared amazing joys and triumphs over this time, all of which were truely doubled by having a partner who could appriciate what it took to get to that place.

Above all we have experienced God's amazing grace.  I love my husband, but neither of us are perfect.  It is only through accepting God's grace in our own lives, studying Christ's example of forgiveness, sacrifical love and extension of grace that we have made it this far.  As we abide in that grace we are confident that our marriage will thrive 'til death do us part'.

Thank you Lord, for giving me a humble, loving leader!  Give us grace and strength so that we continue to draw closer to you and each other over the next six years!

Beautiful Flowers, Flowers for Me!

Chris surprised me with these lovely sunflowers the week before Mother's Day (I used some of Deborah's apple mint as a filler), and then a few days later he stopped and picked me some honey suckle on his way home! Two of my favorite flowers in the same week! How wonderful is that!?!

My Mother's Day

This year I got to celebrate my first Mother's Day! Chris made it so special by surprising me with a card, out to lunch after church and a great family nap! I can't believe how blessed I am to get to be Ebenezer's mother!

My Sweet Hubby

It has been a crazy week and I simply could not make it without Chris! He has helped me finish entering data, finished up the responsibilities with his work, started packing/painting and kept me fed. To top it all he brought me home some flowers to brighten up our increasingly bare apartment! Did I mention how happy I am that he's mine?

Baby's Room: Some Assembly Required!

We have been working over the last few months getting ready for our new little man, and there has been so much to put together!  This has included doing some major rearranging too!  The best place for Eben's room to ultimately be is what was formerly our guest room/ office.  It will still sort of be our guest room but we needed to move some of our stuff out to fit all of his wonderful gifts!  So our desk has moved into the living/dining area of the apartment along with my sewing machine (for now) and all of our books.  Here is some of the progress and finished products!

First we put together the stroller from Chris' mom!

Pandora really thought the box was for her!

The master carpenter!

Chris got me a sonic blast!

Finished Project!

A more recent project was Eb's dresser/changing table combo!  I am so proud of this piece of furniture because it combines the role of two pieces in one, so it doesn't take up as much of our precious space!

Of course Pandora felt her services were necessary!

Until she got bored...

Once it was finished she though it was the perfect place for her!

Chris did a great job putting this together - it was a lot more involved than I thought it would be!

Once major assembly was finished there was a LOT of organizing and arranging left to do!

Before...

All of Eb's clothes and blankets before laundry and sorting...

Pandora didn't seem to mind the mess!

After!

I love the cross stitching pieces Allison made for us!

We are so excited to show Eb his new room and so blessed with all the gifts that have been showered on us!