Posts Tagged ‘wedding’

I Loved You First

Wednesday, March 6th, 2019

We’re 3 days away from the wedding day of our Sweetboy. He’s no longer a boy of course, he’s 28 years old. It’s been a privilege to mother him and to watch him grow up to be who God intended him to be. I’ve spent this last 28 years leaning hard into God on his behalf and this morning, like many other mornings….I thanked God for all the ways He showed me love, gave me direction and protected my relationship with my son. He may be just an ordinary person to the world, but he’s not to me.

He is MY son. I loved him first.

Without planning to this week, we had a few conversations about all that is taking place right now in his life. Marriage is so big! It’s one of the most important decisions we ever make. Choosing a spouse is very special but it’s also extremely difficult. No one goes into that relationship with any intentions of destroying the other or leaving if things get hairy. Most who marry want forever and yet, so many never make it.

I have been praying for Kelsey before she was placed in her mom & dad’s arms.

Parenting is challenging, there’s no way I would’ve ever been a mother worth a hill of beans if I had not buried myself in God’s love first. I knew I had to turn to Him and that I would never be able to love like God but I could surely come very close with his help.

As I watch my son take all these exciting steps and life changes, my #1 prayer is that HE LOVES GOD first and then Kelsey and the family they will someday have together. Why? Because I know a secret.

No one, not one person is ever good enough to make or have the perfect human relationship. We are broken, flawed and rather selfish naturally as people. We get so many things wrong and it’s pretty easy to find fault when you’re feeling jilted or frustrated with the ones you love. Our hearts are fragile and a lot of times wicked. God knew that and He made a perfect way for us through Jesus. Every marriage needs to come with a FORGIVENESS button. We hurt each other (not because we are just jerks) but because we selfishly skip important moments that require forgiveness and mercy.

Many marriages, parent/child & friendship relationships can be destroyed by anger and unforgiveness.

For my own life, I KNOW what I KNOW about navigating life with others. If I don’t clear up wrongs and offer or ask for forgiveness, it will crash and burn.

So, here I am…watching the next big steps of the sweetest boy God could’ve ever given me. He’s ready. He’s found the one. He knows what he has to do and he’s jumping in with both feet. My heart is at peace and I know that Kelsey is a gift from God. Our family is so excited to love her and watch her life unfold as she cares for our son and someday the grandchildren she will mother.

I’ve loved Gavin for so long and I plan to continue (I’m his mom, for goodness sake!) but my new role is riddled with change. Some of it weird and other parts awesome! One thing I can cling to is that God in his powerful and loving wisdom, picked me to love him first. Nothing can change that and because of that high position…. my biggest prayer is that I would not squander the important spot God has placed me in his & Kelsey’s new life together.

May I be a mother & mother-in-law they can trust and one that prays for them daily.

Oh Great God,

Thank you. Thank you for this man I call Sweetboy. You made him and you shared him with me. I am honored to be his mother. Thank you for the beautiful woman you have created just for him. May what I’ve invested into him be useful to this next step in his life. Help me to mother & mother-in-law with grace & goodness throughout all the years to come. I’m so blessed & I owe it all to you, Lord.

Amen

Gavin,
You are so precious to Dad & me. We love you with an everlasting love that no one can take away. We are so thrilled to welcome Kelsey into our family. She is exactly who we’ve been praying for all these years! I know, she was worth the wait!

WE LOVE YOU WE LOVE YOU WE LOVE YOU

Mom & Dad

Showers of Blessing

Monday, February 27th, 2017

I’m in deep with some big firsts. My baby whose only 11 (in my head) was honored with a beautiful Bridal shower this past weekend.

g 2

See what I’m talking about? She’s just a little punkin!

showe r

The truth is that she’s in love with a wonderful young man who has no idea that she is still a baby in our hearts. He just sees the young woman of his dreams and that’s pretty much how it’s supposed to be.

We raise them, watch them grow and learn, invest in them as humans and set them free to start the whole process over again in their own lives.

sho wer 1

When I snapped this photo, I had no idea I was sitting beside the two most amazing young women in my life ALL GROWN UP! This is real life! I’m a mom to women who can do all the things women do. I AM SO PROUD OF THEM! Not only are they beautiful creatures on the outside, they are both unique and incredible people on the inside. My heart beats wildly for all the joy and excitement of their futures.

gates shower

For Gates, she’s inheriting a new family and they’re wonderful people too. Her new “sisters” are a treasure. They love her already and showed her just how much by hosting her very first bridal shower. Gifts and food, meeting new friends and family, fun games and sweet stories…. all of the ways you begin a new life together.

gates shower

This is how it all begins.

8 8 more days until I DO!!!

She Said Yes

Tuesday, December 27th, 2016

a and b

Love cannot be quenched in my family. Why should it? With all that life throws at us, love is the glue that holds us all together.

From the day she called to tell me about a crush on a guy who came through her drive-thru window at the bank, I knew. This girl of mine who loves deeply and sets her standards high… true love came knocking in the form of an artsy, thoughtful, level-headed handsome guy named Bobby (Robert, to some).

love lo

That first date (coffee at Starbucks) morphed into a four-year courtship filled with ups & downs, twists & turns….and lots of fun exciting moments. So much growing up, growing together and patiently waiting for the right time to take that next step, in love.

It’s been a beautiful journey. As a mother, I’ve enjoyed watching them strategically take every step necessary to get them to this day.

all b eng

What’s better than having a daughter get engaged? How about BOTH DAUGHTERS ENGAGED within a month of one another?

I can’t make this stuff up!

God, you are funny!

the ring

The truth is we are over the moon for our girls. Both have found the one in whom their soul loves and that’s a blessing to us as parents.

Congratulations Alexandria & Bobby! What a joy to share your love with our whole family! Another wedding…..SQUEEEEEEEE!!

It’s Our Day, Again

Friday, September 16th, 2016

It’s September 16th.

The day in 1989 that we did this.

sept 16 89

Who knew we’d still be at it 27 years later?

Oh, I kid. We knew, otherwise….why else would we have plunged into marriage at 22 years old with nothing between us but an old Chevy Cavalier and an S-10 truck?

Kids, we had nothing. Just cars. No house, no furniture, no STUFF and certainly no cellphones!

sept 1689

I’d hop in an old 80’s style limo with you all over again, babe!

Nobody could tell us a thing, we wouldn’t have listened any way. From day one, we’ve bit off more than we could chew and paid triple what anything cost….but we did it our way.

Two head strong first-born leaders – pushing, forcing and insisting on getting the last word. Over & over & over again.

Still, here we are…alive, in love and looking forward to every moment together. That’s real love.

I am so thankful you didn’t kick me to the curb and that I never choked you out and watched your eyes pop out of your head. (sorry for the graphic description of my passion for you)

WE BELONG TOGETHER!!! Two crazies livin’ on love.

I love you. Happy 27th anniversary, true love!

ann 5

Twenty-Two Reasons I Love your Mother (Blog Hijacked by a Loving Husband)

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Twenty – Two Reasons I Love Your Mother

Kids, I thought it would be a nice if I were to share with you a few of the many reasons that I love your mother! I also wanted to share these reasons with those who read her blog.

1. Mom is not pretentious. She may wish she was different in some areas, but she doesn’t pretend to be someone she is not.

2. Your mother is classy, and always has been. It comes to her as naturally as breathing.

3. I love your mom’s ability to be satisfied with less. At times, my inability to provide your mother with the thing many other women owned or enjoyed have been, for me, a rather painful source of regret. Never once in our married life has Mom complained about not having what others had, though she certainly deserved much more.

4. I just love the fact that Mom considers me her best friend! Rightly or wrongly, she hasn’t really pursued other friendships to the degree that other wives usually do.

5. Your Mother is an excellent administrator: I love that about her! She brings a level of organization that keeps everything running smoothly.

6. I love Mom for bringing our son, Gavin into the world; the world is a better place because of him!

7. I love Mom for bringing our daughter, Ally into the world; the world is a better place because of her!

8. I love Mom for bringing our daughter, Gates into the world; the world is a better place because of her!

9. I love your mother for the joy she has brought into my life over the twenty-two years of our marriage. Mom was, indeed, the wife of my youth that Proverbs 5 talks about.

10. I love how your mom is not daunted by large tasks of any kind: whether it’s 15 loads of laundry or painting a living room.

11. Mom has a loyalty to her family that only a mother could possess! It’s easy to love her for that.

12. I love watching your mom retell a story related to our marriage or engagement, or giving advice to people about romance. She allows her love for me to show on her face as she speaks. It can take my breath away.

13. I love your Mother’s eagerness to sit and dream with me about our future.

14. I love how Mom is willing to help me pull out of my periodic times of discouragement and malaise!

15. I love spending time alone with your Mother, I enjoy spending time with her.

16. I really love how your Mom loves spending time with me.

17. I love to see your Mother fully enjoying herself! Interestingly, some of the other qualities (responsibility, industry) that make me love your Mom actually work against her, making it rather difficult for her to stop everything and enjoy life. When Mom does, though, I love being there to see it!

18. I love looking into your Mother’s eyes during those special times of communication and connectedness; there’s nothing more wonderful as oneness of heart, soul, body, and mind!

19. I love your Mom for enjoying hearing me talk to her…

20. I love how your Mother’s care for all of you is like magnetic north—it will remain there, unchanged forever.

21. I love how your Mother will go out of her way to show love to me in a language she doesn’t naturally speak herself. I love how your Mom looks, and smells, and feels,… oohhh,… enough said!? Right Gates??

22. Most of all I love how you Mother loves the Lord with all her heart and has been willing to follow Him no matter where He led her.

Honey, I love you with all my heart. Thank you for a wonderful 22 years!