Happy Anniversary Chief

June 29, 1985, was the day that we promised before God and our family and friends to love each other for the rest of our lives.

23 years ago today, wow, it seems like a lifetime ago and then again, it seems like only yesterday. There have been many ups and downs in our marriage, but one thing remains true, we have continued to love each other with reckless abandon and live life to the fullest. What changes 23 years has brought us, spiritually, personally and physically. We have grown in our faith and our relationship with the Father by leaps and bounds. We have grown as individuals and as a couple, I love Pat more today that I ever did the day we married. It's amazing how love grows like that. 23 years ago, I didn't know that I could love someone like that, I can't wait to see what the next 23 years bring. :) Oh yeah, and we're in our 40's now, so if you are there, you know all about the changes physically. A wrinkle or two here, a pound or so there! But I must say, it all gets better with age.

Pat, you are the love of my life. Thank you for being my husband and my best friend. You're the one that I share my hopes and my dreams, my struggles and my frustrations, and my victories and my excitement with. We just get each other. Who would have ever though that we would be beginning again with a second family, traveling the world (COME HOME!), and still enjoying every minute that we're together (okay, most every minute).

Sometimes we argue, disagree and we always think that the other one is at fault, but one thing's for sure, we always love. I can't wait until you are back home with us, I've missed you terribly. Happy Anniversary Baby, I love you with all my heart.

Fun Creations

I am ramping up my sewing business and have several things in the works. My dear friend Terri sent me this precious design that she found on a websites list of free designs. It's a new technique that I had never tried and oh, it turned out so cute. I LOVE it.

Let me know what you think, especially all you lurkers that never comment!

Thanks Angie!

My old friend Angie, well, she's not old because she is my age and that is certainly not old, just reminded me in her comment that I failed to post the link to Alison's site for the rest of the pics. So, if you check the post below, it now has the link.

Thanks Angie, my really YOUNG friend who has been my friend for A LOT of years.

Annual Red Thread Picture

I had the bright idea of taking or having Jadyn's picture taken for Pat's Father's day gift with the "red thread" in her hand. The picture at the top of this blog is the one that I took from last year.

This year, I took her to have Alison take the picture for me, but as you have already read, she acted like a total barbarian. It was quite the fiasco. Oh well, it's really a beautiful picture of our very beautiful girl. The picture looked beautiful framed in a black frame with a large white mat. Here is the picture so you can see it. So, what do you think???


And yes, I made the dress.

He's Baaack!!!

Finally, after 6 months Seth has returned to the good ole U S of A. It is wonderful to have 3 of my children back on the same continent. We've still got one or two missing, but they will come in time. By that time, Seth will probably be somewhere in Southeast Asia again.

It was a great homecoming and I think he is really enjoying being home. After picking him up at the airport, next stop was Cracker Barrel. He decided on the Sunrise Sampler, by the way. We enjoyed burgers on the grill followed by cherry cobbler and ice cream. It was a very good day. I am very relieved to have him back safe and sound and am so thankful for God's protection over his trip and travels. Here are a few pictures from the day. Thank you all for your continued support to be me and Seth. He was so encouraged by your comments on his blog and I am so grateful for all the prayers on our behalf. God has done such a work in Seth's life. I am continually amazed by him. He came home so mature! I guess it was all the weird foods, it'll make a man out of you!

Thanks again for loving on my boy. Continue to pray for him and his journey as he begins school, work and has a full plate.

Happy Father's Day

I couldn't let the day go by without saying Happy Father's Day to all you Dad's. My Dad is celebrating today with his earthly Father and his heavenly Father and I miss him very much. He was a great Dad and he and I had a very special relationship, I was the baby you know! Dad's are very special, especially to daughters. I am thankful that Pat now has a daughter to share that special father/daughter relationship. Thank you God for blessing me with such a wonderful Dad and thank you Pat for being the Father of my children. I love you.

Happy Friday the 13th

I just don't put much stock in the whole Friday the 13th thing, but the title seems to fit.

Today has been quite the interesting day. I took Jadyn this morning to have some pictures done with my friend Alison. Well, let me just tell you, it was a disaster. I just hope and pray that we have a good one or two. Jadyn behaved like a barbarian, she is truly a descendant of Ghengis Khan. I have found out that I have very little tolerance for that nonsense too. Leslie and Addie met us over there and maybe, just maybe, Alison got a couple of pics that were worth her time. Addie was great, a real ham for the camera. She is a natural. So, we'll wait anxiously to see what sort of pictures we have. According to Alison, every one's photo shoot was a little on the sour side. Maybe there is a full moon? Or, maybe it's just Friday the 13th!

Any ways, happy day!

Picture of the Week

Feeling a little sentimental today, so I thought that I would show you a picture of our sweet girl, before she came home with us. We were blessed to have MANY pictures of Jadyn while she was still in the orphanage. We were very fortunate to get these, alot of families don't get anything except 2-3 referral pictures. So, here is baby J.



What a difference! I've got many others that I will share as time goes by.

Have a great Friday!

Our Little Nudist

We CANNOT keep Jadyn's clothes on her. Every time I turn around, she
is butt naked! It is absolutely driving me nuts. I dressed her 4
(FOUR!) times yesterday morning. She strips down and goes on about
what ever she was doing. Yesterday, she was sitting in a chair at her
kitchen "cooking", naked. I explained the dangers of cooking naked,
it will always get you more than you bargained for! ;)

Now, she has learned to take her shorts and diaper off and put her
shorts back on. Imagine our surprise when we "discover" that she has
on no diaper. Nice.

Since she has learned the art of removing her clothes and putting them
back on, she also changes clothes quite often. The combinations of
clothing is quite the sight sometimes, but I don't know what I am
going to do with her. I hope that this is not a glimpse of things to
come! Oooh, that's scary!