11 Years!

I can't just let our anniversary go by without at least mentioning that this is our day!  As I told the girls, "It's Mommy and Daddy's marriage birthday."  I don't have a picture or anything special to report but today we have officially made it eleven years in this our union between a man and a woman.  This one seems big to me.  Somehow eleven years is a really, really long time but ten went by without a second glance, (as did 1 - 7), but for some reason eight hit me like a ton of bricks, just like eleven is doing to me today.  I remember at eight just walking around amazed that we could be married for eight whole years.  I was flabbergasted.  Now it's eleven's turn.  I can't believe what a huge chunk of time that is!

Anyway, M had to work today and since he leaves before 6am and gets home just before 8pm, I have yet to see him.  I have, however, prepared some double fudge brownies and purchased some wine which we will consume while we have our one hour together after he gets home.  It will be a nice little celebration and I look forward to it.  The biggest bonus of not being hugely sentimental is that schedules like M's don't really bother us.  We've been married long enough that we've been poor together and we've had plenty.  We've had times of freedom and times without.  And through all the good and all the bad, we have learned to take what we can get and not focus on what is missing but on what we do have right in front of us.  And what we have is A LOT!  

Speaking of hubby, he just walked through the door. Sorry I don't have time to get more mushy ushy on you but I've gotta take all I can get!  God Bless!!

Cousins

Hanging out with family last weekend...

This is J's "bugman" outfit and insects...

Can you see Em's outfit?  I let her pick it out.  She picks what she wants to wear regardless of how it looks together.  Hallelujah!  At least one of my girls is just like her Mama!

I was watching the girls play tonight and honestly just teared up. When I see them play like this, crazy and fun, as equals, my heart breaks in joy. We were so close to it never being like this. In fact, it shouldn't be like this. But God is good and He has been gracious to us. He has healed Emily and allowed her to play with her sister.

Sometimes I ask God why He didn't let me see one of these days during the dark times...it would have made dealing with the fear, the unknowns and all the doubts so much easier. But in the end I think that would have eliminated faith and what is this whole journey but a test of faith, hope beyond hope and the joy of realizing it was never unfounded?!

Praise God!

Rest of Road Trip w J

For the rest of our little road trip, we spent a little time at the beach and lots of time at Mo's house...

Running from the waves...

Some of us went swimming...the only way to get in when it is freezing is to run until you fall...

Little guy wanted in, but her wasn't allowed.

Nope, I have nothing to say about this...

Watching TV

Y lost another tooth this week...

Trapping the cat for petting time...

It was a good trip and we had a lot of fun.  K thanked God for the trampoline at least three times in her prayers for the next several days.  :)

Road Trip

Well, the time has come for J and I to start taking road trips.  So, for our first trip we headed out to my brother and Mo's place. Our first destination was the Santa Barbara Zoo.

We actually arrived early so the kids got to wait patiently for the zoo to open.

Since the classic shot at the zoo is the backsides of people, here are a few for you. :) Running around with four kids and two adults is totally doable and actually very fun...even this close in age..but our big strollers would have been more than useful on this day!!  (Couldn't fit them and the kids all in my car.  With four giant car seats we were packed in like sardines without them! These cars seat 7 but not including luggage.  What's the point?).

J told us to turn around...so we did.

I see three gorillas.  This spot has the plexiglass right at the same level as the animals and we were there right when the gorilla came walking up to the glass.  You should have seen Emily freak out.  First she just backed up a little, then she was behind my leg and soon she was trying to climb up me as fast as she could.  It was so cute.  She was pretty scared but a good sport about it.  I never realized that without depth perception, she probably can't see the plexiglass between her and the giant gorilla walking straight toward her.  She makes me laugh and I take the hugs however I can get them.  :)

Giant dinosaur eggs.

The sledding hill.

This is K giving me her spider face...she is climbing on one of those giant rope spider webs.

Can you see the similarities between this...

...and this?  We don't call her our little monkey for no reason.

IDK what's going on here.

Awww, buddies.

Well, we had several other stops on our journey that I will share later.  Hope your day is stupendous!  God Bless!