A rainy day

"I saw two ships come sailing in on a rainy day in the Spring time . . ."

Partners in Crime

Today for the first time ever Anna rode with her brother in the play car grocery cart at the commissary, and it opened a whole new world to me. She loved it; Pete loved it, and I loved it too! I've always kept her in her infant carrier until today (no wonder my arm always goes numb after I've been shopping). Today she was like a cage bird set free. Waving and laughing and enjoying the view. Her brother loved the company! He had a new little person to entertain and to laugh at all of his antics. Those two are two peas in a pod. Pete's first question to me when he wakes up is usually where's Anna. If Anna wakes up before Peter and I take her to get Peter, she'll start squealing before we can even get in the door.

I love watching this chemistry play out before my very eyes . . . these two little people becoming the best of friends . . . because it reminds me of one of my best friends growing up: my older brother, Eric. Erin, the oldest, was busy at school being our role model and blazing the trail for us (he, to this day is one of my greatest heros, mentors and friends but we'll save that for a future blog), but Eric and I were inseperable for a different reason. I was his shadow, partner in crime, and little buddy. He helped me escape from pre-school during naptime to go swing on the swings, and he got me out of Sunday school at Glen Eyrie to make a fort in the woods. He taught me how to fly (too bad that incident ended up at the ER) and how to catch frogs in the creek at Grandpa's farm. His friends were my friends and my friends were his friends (although sometimes my friends were my friends so they could be his friends:)... Yes I treasure the memories with Eric and that's why I thank God for this time to savor with Peter and Anna because I'm reliving those precious moments through them.

Scrubs, Slippers, and Mochas

I'll never forget one of the first mornings I saw him there at staff devotions at Spring Canyon. He was sitting in his scrubs and slippers sipping on a mocha he just whipped up before devos. I looked over at that rugged young man and thought to myself. That man is gonna be sipping on mochas in those scrubs and slippers in my living room someday, cause he's gonna be mine... 7 years later that man sits in my living room every Saturday morning sipping on mochas in those same ol' scrubs and slippers and I treasure every minute of it cause he's mine!

I've told of how I love Peter and Anna and related their little adventures. I've talked of my garden and my newfound passion for that. But now I want to tell you about my handsome genius; the man behind it all: the kids, the house, the yard, the dreams, the answer to my prayers. He's quiet, so not everyone gets to see the sides I get to see. That's why I thought I'd shine a little light on this wonderful man I get to call "my husband."

1. He's the most grounded person I have ever met. His faith in God is anchored in truth. It's a steady walk that he has with the Lord. He's loyal. His convictions run deep. There's no swaying him to do a thing he doesn't absolutely feel one hundred percent about. He marches to the tune of his own drum, and opinion polls mean nothing to him. One of his most used phrases is "keep it real" and that's just what he does. He's solid as a rock


2. He puts one hundred percent into whatever he's doing. There's no half hearted anything. He works hard at work and is respected for it, and plays hard at home and his kids love him for it! He's a awesome husband, father and pilot because he puts everything he has on the line.


3. I love his mind. He loves to learn and he loves to read. He's a genius, but he keeps it simple. I love that he's kind of an enigma. You never can quite figure him out. He's a man of few words, but that works out great cause I got plenty for the both of us:).
   
4. I love adventures with him. He's totally versed in everything about the outdoors from climbing to camping, so I feel safe doing anything with him. He's always thinking ten steps ahead with hot water on the ready for hot cocoa and soup, and a sleeping system that makes it cozier on a camping trip in the wilderness than in my own bed at home.


5. He totally enjoys life to the fullest. It makes it easy to feel like a kid when I'm with him, because he's always seizing the moment. Another favorite quote of his is "you can sleep when you're dead." He stretches his hours into the night just to cram everything into his day that he possibly can.


6. He's mastered the art of mocha making, and I can always count on one on a Saturday morning.


7. He is totally handsome! I love his strong weathered hands, dark skin and his deep blue eyes.


8. He's the only person I know who will have me laughing days after he says something. It must be the combination of the above that make him all the funnier. I love watching him watch "America's funniest home videos" because he laughs hysterically every time he watches it, and I don't mean little chuckles: I mean all out belly laughter! And I love his laugh.


9. He does the dishes, cooks dinners, changes diapers, cleans toilets and serves beside me. He doesn't hesitate to roll up his sleeves and help, and he doesn't expect a thing in return. He's a servant leader and there's nobody in this world that I'd rather be married to than him!

Roots

This little town I live in is growing on me. There was a time when I complained about the lack of culture and the smell of pig farms (okay maybe last week), but I'm starting to love this place! It all started when I started planning my gardens. The more I plant the more I notice the little things around me that I love so much. I love those alfalfa fields I pass on my way to the grocery store . . . I love my friends here. Their husbands have the same long hours (or worse) than mine does, giving us plenty of time for playdates, coffee, projects, planting and shared experiences. . . and I love the Mennonite store out in the country with the creaky screen door that slams shut behind you where I can buy my milk in glass jars . . .

I always dreamed of living on a farm. The idea of sharing all three meals with Dan, sitting on the front porch together, watching the sun go down on the fields we planted, working the land and enjoying the fruit of our labor, but Dan reminded me the other day that a farmer's life is one of the hardest: with early morning wake ups and late nights changing water. It's stressful when your life depends on the crops and weather. But here I have the best of both worlds. I have a life out in the country, with a husband who gets a paycheck, most Saturdays off, and lots of leave (when they actually let him take it). They say to "bloom where you're planted." I'm blooming so fast that these roots are getting deep!