Saturday, November 11, 2023

Here's to 15

I was trying to be really clever and fill in all the number blanks but I'm stuck so here's what I have come up with the some fun numbers for the 15 years we've been married

One of the two anniversary date crashers

15 years of marriage

14 times the dishwasher is run in a week

13 loads of laundry done a week

12 flowers given every special occasion 

11 Kibbe Party of 11

10

9 olive shoots

8

7 girls

6 different cars (and another van on the way)

5 different church locales - but finally no more moving!

4

3

2 boys 

1 set of twins


'Crown them with Glory and Honor O Lord'
 

November 1 we celebrated being married for 15 years. Sometimes it feels like forever and other times it seems like we just got married. When I think back on that day it was such a great day. When I think back on all the years it has been such a great time. I definitely wouldn't want any other life even with all the crazy adventures and ups and downs we have had. I am a much better person for it. Marriage is sanctifying and all these little people that are the result of it are part of the sanctification process for us. We have learned so much and come so far. It is hard to imagine what the next 15 years will look like but I am quite sure it will be great. 

A few other thoughts and pics.

Friday, November 3, 2023

September 2023

Just catching up a bit


We kicked off the month of September with an open water swim that got delayed because of weather and then canceled due to thunder (while some of the swimmers were still swimming) so that was reeeaaalllly fun)


H and J befriended some kids at the park who shared their juice jugs with them and they couldn't have been happier. Its strange reliving some of the stuff I used to do with the bigs or the middles with the littles. 


I've been plotting a rework of our photo wall. I have since spaced out the pics a bit to give them a little elbow room but it remains a work in progress and there are never enough black and gold frames to go around


H is super into dipping her food - even if it is sour cream. 


The Gs are still going strong at work and have even starting stretching a longer nap in the mornings which I very much appreciate. Yes their shirts say I'm the Favorite. I've been accused of only holding my favorite : ) 


Sometimes, some kids can express parental emotions better than the parents themselves 


H had all my feelings locked in her facial expressions the afternoon the van was towed - I think she was just scared of the tow truck but she and I were tracking


One Thursday afternoon I whip into the driveway after hearing a weird noise as we drove down our street. I sat in the front seat texting but then knew we were toast when E announced - ummmm Mama I think you need to see this. 

I hop out to find fluid pouring out of the front underside of the van. I hustle everyone out since I didn’t know what it was. Well come to find out it was coolant and a week and a thousand dollars later the van was back. Transporting 11 people around in two cars for a week gave us even greater appreciation of le Van. Also, we have the exact same van on order because this one is fast approaching the 150K mile mark. More on how we came to that decision later. 


Six month old twins. I love them and I am so grateful they are ours


J helped me make his bday cake and I let him lick the beaters and he proceeded to dip them back into the batter... but I couldn't be mad at him. Also on his bday week we realized that if you are painting with OIL based paint you CANNOT use your oven (unless you want your food to taste like gasoline or propane). Fun Fact


He is FOUR! He loves everything outside. He is not a huge fan of playing soccer but he will stand on the field. He is a very early riser. He is probably the most perceptive kid - he notices where we are when we are driving and if we take a different way. Trains, trucks and machines make his day


For he bday he really wanted a lawn mower - like a real one. We talked him down to a wheel barrow which he loves to fill up with leaves and dirt and yard trash and dump it. Also he has conned A into giving him and C wheel barrow rides.