Celebrating 18 Years

Earlier this month, my worn engagement band finally broke.  As I closely examined it, I was surprised at just how thin it had gotten.

I was also struck at how unusual it is that my marriage has outlasted my solid gold ring.

Today I'm so very grateful to be celebrating 18 incredible years of marriage (we also had 4 years of dating before that).  I'm also so very confused as to how this could be, since in my head I've been 18 years old for a long time.

Eighteen things I love about Shaun, in no particular order:

1. He trusts God completely.
2. He is even "more better" when no one is watching and doesn't do things for show.
3. He listens well.
4. Not only is he smart (legendarily so), he is wise in all his ways
5. He doesn't waste any teachable moments with our children.
6. He is even-tempered...I've never heard him yell (except, on occasion when he is competing in a sport)
7. He is supportive with the things I want to pursue and takes a genuine interest
8. When he has the kids, I never have to leave a word of instruction for him...he knows all the routines as well as I do
9. He has a good name (and he shared it with me...I love being "Shaun's wife"!)
10. He can only do things with excellence...he knows no other way
11. Sometimes he looks at me with fresh eyes, as if he's just seeing me for the first time.
12. He is a hard worker
13. He's just the right height...I fit right under his chin when we hug
14. I trust him and have never known him to lie in any color...white, black or gray
15. He enjoys spoiling me
16. He is generous with his time and his money and has a servant's heart
17. He shields and shelters me
18. He has stayed with me these 18 years and continues to whisper promises of forever

Bonus: He still picks me flowers from the yard.

I love the lines
 "But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin 

Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down 
And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found "

Well I was nineteen  eighteen you were twenty-one  twenty-two
The year we got engaged 
And everyone said we were much to young (except our parents)
But we did it anyway 
We got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road 
We said our vows and took the leap now 15  18 years ago  

Well I do are the two most famous last words 
The beginning of the end 
But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin 
Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down 
And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found 

Chorus: 
And we're dancing in the minefields 
We're sailing in the storms 
And this is harder than we dreamed 
But I believe that's what the promise is for 
That's what the promise is for 

Bridge: 
So when I lose my way, find me 
When I loose love's chains, bind me 
At the end of all my faith 
to the end of all my days 
when I forget my name, remind me 

Cause we bear the light of the son of man 
So there's nothing left to fear 
So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands 
Till the shadows disappear 
Cause he promised not to leave us 
And his promises are true 
So in the face of all this chaos baby 
I can dance with you 

Chorus: 
So lets go dancing in the minefields 
Lets go sailing in the storms 
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields 
And kicking down the doors 
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields 
And sailing in the storms 
Oh this is harder than we dreamed 
But I believe that's what the promise is for 
That's what the promise is for

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

One of the things I love about having kids is that even the smallest things are BIG and FUN!  When my dad invited us to go to a Triple-A baseball game with them, we thought the kids would just love the experience (maybe their daddy a little, too).

What a perfect night for baseball and thanks to our General Admission seats, the kids had lots of room to play.

Z brought his glove and was fully prepared to catch a home run ball.  His chance came early in the game.  The ball was hit into the stands, bounced off one of the top bleachers and landed back down on the platform.

He dashed over there and ended up in a pile much like you'd see on the 1-yard line of a rushing play.  After some scuffling, who should emerge from the pile but our very own Z.  See him there in the "B" hat?

 He held it up victoriously as he ran toward us and we could not have been prouder! :)  Shaun was extra excited because it'd been hit by Lars Andersen, who has played with the Red Sox some of the season.

 Someone's attempt at a group shot.

 Everyone payed close attention...

 ...and we ate only healthy food.

 At the end of the game (which they won...I think :) there was a fireworks show.  Not everyone was thrilled about that though.  Aiden was so worried about the loud noise that Pop and Kiki ended up taking him to the car.

 The show was exceptional and the evening was a success!

So on that day Moses took an oath and made a promise to me. He said, 'The land your feet have walked on will be your share. It will be the share of your children forever. That's because you have followed the Lord my God with your whole heart.

Joshua 14:9

Birthday Bashing

Saturday was a beautiful day to celebrate the second quarter birthdays in my family.  We met for brunch but then ended up hanging out until church time.  My sister Amy had everything all set up to make it an extra special day.

The cousins were happy to see each other....doesn't matter if its been two weeks or a day...its always a happy reunion.

The ever-aging '06 Club.

One of my very favorite things is taking pictures of kids + water.  These are some of my favorites.

The adults were staying a safe distance from the sprinkler. :)

Aiden spent most of the afternoon finding work to do.

Here's the 8 of them, representing April, May and June.

My brother, the family hero.  So thankful, especially today, for the sacrifices he has made in serving our country.  Thank you, Major Tim for your service!

The big hit of the day was this large-enough-to-accomodate-our-large-crew bouncy house.

The pictures from the outside were lame, so the kids allowed me in and showed off their tricks.

We are not without our fair share of drama, still I feel so very blessed that we can all be together enjoying an afternoon.

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

Proverbs 27:10