10 years of marriage.

Earlier this year I was gifted a book by a very dear friend of mine.  The book is Delight-full, 31 Days to a Happier Baby...And Wholehearted Motherhood.  It is a lovely book written by a really busy and joyful mom.  She has eight children and writes about simple and practical ways to add joy and delight to your parenting journey.

One particular chapter she tells a story about her wedding dress.  As I read it though, I could clearly in detail imagine exactly what happened because just two years ago I experienced the exact same thing.  spoiler alert: This might give away this particular chapter, but it is still worth the read.

She tells the story of her daughter discovering and opening her wedding dress that had been so carefully and meticulously wrapped and sealed.  And then her daughter opening her wedding dress, taking it out, and putting it on and joyfully exclaiming about how beautiful she was.  This is exact situation happened to us when Am was about 4 years old.  For years I had gotten the box out and we had looked at the dress through the window, and then we would put the box away again.  And one day I heard a happy exclamation of pure delight when my little girl said "Mommy!  Come Look!!"  I ran upstairs, curious as to what had her so happy and I - flipped my lid.

My face fell, my expressions did not mimic my daughters.  As joy emanated from her depths anger was boiling up from mine.  "Amariss! What are you doing???!?!?"  I exclaimed.  And the rest is history.  I gave her a punishment totally unfitting of the crime of wearing my wedding dress.  I was angry for way too long.

The precious box my dress had been stored in was demolished, and my wedding dress had no special home until my daughters were grown.

But when I read this strikingly similar story in Kate's book, I found a new perspective.  I've long since gotten over the wearing of my wedding dress, but my dress is still special to me and I want it to be special to my girls.  Kate tells us in her book of what she decided to do when her daughter opened up her wedding dress.  I wish my reaction had been similar.

Kate and her husband decided to make wearing Mommy's wedding dress a special occasion.  Every year, on their anniversary, they get out Kate's dress and the girls get to put it on and play in it.

I realized that my girls will probably out grow me by the time they are 12 (bless their sweet Daddy), so keeping my wedding dress for them until they are adults is an unrealistic idea.  I remember fitting my mom's wedding dress when I was 15 and modeling it for a mother-daughter night at church.  It was so incredibly fun.

So we have decided to pick up the Collins' tradition of wearing Mommy's wedding dress on our anniversary.

Today, my husband and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage.  I am so thankful for the man I married.  I think back through all we have been through in the last 10 years, and I cannot believe the ways we have changed.  I am so thankful that we have grown together through all of it and not apart.  I am so thankful that at the end of everyday when we curl up together, exhausted, that we feel each others love.  I am so thankful that when I woke up from anesthesia from my surgery a few weeks ago I couldn't stop crying because "I just love Aaron so much!" (yep.  that's what I woke up saying)  I am so thankful that Aaron has taken the role of priest of our home very seriously, and that he seeks God in every decision he makes.  I am so thankful that he challenges me and encourages me.  He is an incredibly outgoing man, and his love for people is something I need to learn.  He is confident and gracious.  I am so thankful that I married him.

This morning I had the girls try on my wedding dress.  They were so beautiful and they had so much fun!

If you think the "soft" around her is a special added effect, you can think again.
This is what happens when you have a toddler.  Need to clean the camera lens again!
Z - 2 yrs old

She thought this was an amazing experience. She posed perfectly.
Am - 6 yrs old

10 years with the love of my life.  So very thankful that God has blessed us with these two beautiful babes, I can't wait to see what the rest of our lives will look like.

The Men In My Life

A few days ago a good friend of mine posted a campaign on Facebook to uplift the good men in our lives.  I haven't yet updated any of my status's to reflect how much I support her campaign.  I thought about doing so, but I just have so many things to say that I thought I'd compile it into a blog post instead.




The first man I ever met was my Dad.  He is an incredible guy, and if you've met him - you know exactly what I'm saying.  Hard worker to the core, loves Jesus with everything in him and cares deeply about the people in his life.  This year he and my mom celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, and he is more in love with her every day and it is evident to everyone around him.  He is helpful to his neighbors and friends and loves to encourage people.  My dad never yelled at us but was firm and raised us diligently to love God and honor him.  He is an incredible man. I could go on for hours.





The next men I met in my life and truly love are my older brothers.  And of course when I met them they were just 5 and 3 but my mom tells me often the things they used to say over me.  The first story I hear often is when I was just a baby laying in my crib and my brothers leaned over and asked mom "When do we get to play with her?"  and another story about my brothers saying "We'll have to pray that she grows up to ask Jesus into her heart."  I have incredible older brothers.  They were very protective over me growing up and although we were siblings and had our moments they were brief and our house was full of much love.  These guys have grown up to be husbands who love their wives and it is evident when you meet them.  I'm sure they are more fiercely protective over their wives and children than they were over me.  I love spending time with them and being around them because they are loving and kind and hard workers.  Just like my dad.






And then there is my husband - He is amazing.  I truly got the cream of the crop with this one.  I have a husband who loves God with all that is within him and loves his family.  He cares about the spiritual health of our family and will pray with me every morning before leaving for work, even when I'm sleeping and don't realize he did (he sometimes tells me the funny things I say during these non-awake times).  He works hard to come home and spend time with us, because being with his family is what he enjoys most.  He is respected and liked by his coworkers and everyone who has met him loves him.  He is always joyful and always loving.  He thinks the best of people and does not judge them.  He makes me feel taken care of, loved, appreciated and valued.  He sees our children as the precious gifts that they are and he strives to raise them in a way that honors God.  My husband puts others needs above his own and when he tells you he will pray for you, he will, passionately.  He is genuine and honest (seriously, he will not tell a lie or cheat at any game.) He is a blessing to those around him chooses not to over commit so that he can diligently follow through on his commitments.  He takes his job as the leader of our home very seriously, and ensures that all the members of his home are taken care of and loved.  We are truly blessed to have this man.




There are so many other characteristics I could say about these men in my life, but this short summary will have to do for now.  I am so thankful for the unique role they have played in my life and for the blessing I have been given to have a loving father, brothers, and husband.  I do not take these gifts for granted.

I love you guys!