happy anniversary!

today is our 7th wedding anniversary! and while i can't say that it has all been wedded bliss, i can't imagine another man more suited to my needs than brian. and i can only hope that he feels the same way. this past year has been full of ups and downs. moving back to dallas, living with my mom for 5 weeks, buying a new house, selling our old one, having a baby, and brian changing jobs, all within 5 weeks, has been pretty hard. having my husband work from home has been much different than i thought! it has been so great in some ways- he's been flexible, so helpful, and has bonded with the kids- it has also been a great test to our relationship. i wish i was a better writer so i could convey the feelings flowing through my mind. but the bottom line is that i love my husband. he is everything that i am not. he stretches me. he supports me. he loves me. he takes care of me. he apologizes when he is wrong. he doesn't gloat when he is right.
and right now i miss him! he left today to speak at a youth camp in east texas. so we celebrated our anniversary early- on friday night. my mom was wonderful to come stay with the kids for the night. we went to sundance square in fort worth and had dinner at razzoos after we checked in to the hilton. it was so good since we haven't been there in years!

after dinner i had bought tickets to see an improv comedy group called 4 day weekend. we headed over to the show, and the first 15 minutes was so funny. but then the tide turned, and the subject matter got so perverted and offensive that we couldn't stay. talk about a potential night ruiner. we were so frustrated- last time we went to see the group, it was good (but that was about 8 years ago). when you anticipate something for so long, and then to have it not turn out is hard!

after that, we went to barnes and nobles, and read for a little while, then we were going to go to a late movie, but we couldn't agree on which one (i wanted to see get smart, he wanted to see indiana jones 4). so we ended up just going back to our room and going to bed. (unfortunately, my "monthly friend" decided to come that weekend:() anyways. the next day was better. we slept in, went and had breakfast at a pancake house in fort worth. then we drove around, and were going to go to the omni, but it is closed for remodeling, so we just ended up going to the paint horse gift show (country folk selling their boots, saddles, and other cowboy gear). then we went to the mall and walked around before heading home.

marriage is such an incredible thing. i've heard before that maybe it is for our holiness than our happiness, and although i am happy, i am finding it to be more and more true. i have had to be, and am still, learning about God through the trials of marriage. i tend to be a little dependent on my husband, and while he is pretty dependable, he is human! and i can't trust him with all the areas of my life. God is the only one who can do that. i am still struggling with this one- but as i have friends whose trials are harder than mine, i am struck with thankfulness. that He is faithful to still work with me, even though i am stubborn, a crybaby, and and downright disobedient too. even though most days i am kicking and screaming, i am slowly but surely learning how to navigate this thing called life. with God's help, of course.

SHE'S ONE!!

her wonderful entrance into the world at 12:13 pm on june 20, 2007!!





i can't believe my baby is one! friday was her birthday, and we had a "small" get together for her birthday. just my family and brian's family was a crowd, and we added a few church friends to make a huge party! we rented a bounce house (i thought it would be a great idea. it wasn't) it was sooo hot, and we had trouble getting the thing to inflate. these summer parties are going to have to either be inside somewhere, or involve water of some kind!! anyways, we all enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs, and a cake from costco (yum!). everyone ended up having a good time, even though we were packed in like sardines!!

kenzie and her daddy

aunt stacy's new 'do

cousin logan

cousin aubren
trying to keep the house up!

presents! zach, mommy, kenzie, julian, madison, molly

what is this?

waiting patiently for cake...
look mommy!

something funny must have happened!

first taste of her cake.
she was so clean! must neater than her siblings.
what is on my hands?

happy fathers day baby!

i just had to post something about the most wonderful father, the kind of father that father's day was created for. my husband brian!! well, we all know that words and writing is not my gifting, but i will do the best that i can to honor him and love him on this special day! brian is really the most patient person. he has never raised his voice to me and is a optimist in every sense of the word. his children love him so much- he is their favorite person to play with!! he plays outside with them, teaches them drums, plays guitar and makes up songs with them, says prayers with them at night, gets up in the morning and helps me change diapers and feed them, not to mention all the work he does to provide for our family! he even watches the kids for me while i grocery shop. on family days he takes us to do fun things like movies, the zoo, the dallas aquarium, bowling, the arcade, barnes and nobles, out to eat, picnics, state fairs, shopping, mall (carousel and play place), and is always being creative and trying to find fun new things to do. another of the things that he does that i love is date audrey. they take oreos over to barnes and noble, and eat cookies and drink water, while she tells him about her day/week. then they go read books, and it is audrey's highlight of her week! we all just adore him, and have enjoyed the last year with him as he has worked from home!! i love you baby, and hope that you have a great father's day.

here we are at one of our really fun dates- he took me to a stars game! it was our first time in the american airlines center. it was so fun.

a couple of pictures from the state fair last year- his favorite part (of course) was the new cars. audrey and zach had fun sitting in cars with him- he is definitely passing on his love of cars and motorcycles!he also took audrey and zach on the ferris wheel. i was (and always have been) too scared to go on it, so i stayed below with the baby.

audrey and zach are already able to play a simple beat on the drums! and we are starting early with makenzie. the drums are a favorite!on one of our family days, he took us to an imax movie- sea creatures. it was a little intense, so the kids didn't last long. but it was a good idea!