one of my favorite days, ever

In love we escape from our self into one another.  C.S. Lewis


Rich and I were married on this beautiful very day, long ago.  I was contemplating "18 years" this morning and thinking of what has changed in our relationship during our life together.  One of the more important changes has been in my own heart.  For many years I struggled to make our marriage what "I" wanted it to be...in my mind, my desires and the advice I read in books or articles was "right" and what he was doing was "wrong".  I wish I had understood then that the pride I held in my heart (of believing that I had all the answers) was what was doing the most damage in our marriage. 

Namely, my main issue was that I believed he was working too much and over-committing himself.  Such a little thing when there are so many men who truly are terrible; wife abusers, womanizers, Rich is none of these!  He is a good, generous Christian man who happens to have a highly involved work (which provides wonderfully for our big family.)  There is so much peace in simply living life and accepting it for what it is.  Accepting HIM for who he is.

I have no regrets, just joy in knowing that each ordinary day is special because it is what God has given.  I'm glad I was married at 19, and even more glad that with maturity comes contentment and rest.  There is still so much to learn.  God is good and I love being married.  I am thankful for my hard-working, good natured husband who provides so well for our family.  The children adore their Dad.

Rich couldn't take our anniversary-day off (he is romantic and usually does) so he took Friday off and we decided to spend the morning driving along the back roads ..... our destination was a farm store about an hour away that sold fresh, quality dairy products  (I'm laughing b/c it sounds SO unromantic) but with the intentions of stopping when we saw anything that looked interesting. 

First stop?  STARBUCKS and we took our adorable boy and girl in with us for treats.  Sarah chose a pretzel  and Seth ate the frosting off the top of his "morning bun".  Rich got his typical coffee with caramel syrup and I got my new favorite Starbucks coffee:  blonde roast.  Finally a regular cup of coffee from starbucks that's not so strong it stings my teeth, the blond roast is just right.

 

We loved the drive.  We talked and talked and got all caught up.  Oh it was wonderful.  I took pictures out the window as we went along.  The morning was bright and sunny.

a lovely brick church

church on a hill

beautiful church

a sign that made me smile

we also stopped at a park

seth and sarah were thrilled with the fountain

 

the gardens were so pretty

seth took this one!

morning glories

back in the truck, and I see another pretty church

I've eaten thousands of pizzas with this man.

I had really wanted to visit an independent book seller and WE FOUND ONE!!!  This used bookstore was quaint, in an old brick factory building with wood floors, tall windows, and operated by an older gentleman, wise and kind.

I couldn't believe this Sherlock Holmes book display!  Grace would have been astounded, she's a big fan.

interesting little booklets

Me, with Seth and Sarah

 

We bought a stack of books; two origami books for our son David's birthday, a book each for S and S.  I found a George Mueller biography and a CS Lewis anthology.  Rich found several Bible Study books, too.

After a stop at a consignment shop where I got two pairs of cool shoes, we made our way to the diary goods store for fresh milk, butter, cheese, and award-winning sour cream.

We each got an ice cream to enjoy.

We arrived back home just in time to get David and Caleb off the bus.  We've had a nice weekend and later today I am meeting Rich at work for lunch and a kiss.

Happy Monday, friends! 


Love is always ready to deny itself, to give, sacrifice, just in the measure of its sincerity and intensity. Perfect love is perfect self-forgetfulness. Hence where there is love in a home, unselfishness is the law. Each forgets self and lives for others.  J.R. Miller


PS. My friend Bridgette sent me the dress for Sarah Joy.  (Thank you, B!  I hope you liked seeing her in it!  xoxo)




18 years

 

 

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~soulemama

"warm september brings the fruit"

 

This is how the morning began; with the sun coming up from behind the trees to burn the fog away.

 

Later on, Seth, Sarah, and I went for a walk in the cool woods.

 

 

 

Right away we found a patch of pretty purple wildflowers.

 

This is the mature flower; it never opens up.  One time I saw a bumblebee pushing into one to get the pollen, it's little legs were sticking straight out.

 

This is an Autumn Olive Berry bush, although it is a very invasive plant that is growing everywhere, I recently discovered that the berries are edible and quite nutritious.  So now I eat them as we walk.

 

They start out sour in the mouth, but the middles are sweet.  There is one seed, which I spit out.

 

An upside down mushroom, just the way I found it.

 

It was all their idea to take along baggies of snacks. 

They had a picnic.

 

We found a spot that had many empty hickory nut shells lying around.

 

A chipmunk village?

If you truly love nature

you will find beauty everywhere.

Vincent Van Gogh

 

 



i just want to explore

 

“I am rich today with autumn’s gold.”

— Gladys Harp

 

Just when I was remarking to the children that we hadn't seen a toad, I almost stepped on one.  Seth picked it up, he said he was good at catching them.

Seth brought the toad home.

 

 

 

I went to get the mail and noticed......

 

 

.....so many beautiful wild grapes growing in the trees that I......

 

 

......picked some and made homemade wild grape jam during naptime!

Pectin was unnecessary; I simply followed the recipe in my canning cookbook.

8 cups of grapes, cleaned up and boiled down

with 6 cups of sugar until it got thick enough.

Then processed in jars for 10 minutes.

*pure and simple with grapes from the side of the road*

 

There was enough left over to try on buttered toast.

SCRUMPTIOUS!