Lots of Laughter

Holding Caroline for the first time (not sure why its so blurry)

Holding Claire for the first time

Our first Anniversary in 2003

Happy Birthday Love-welcome to your "mid-30's!"

So 5:30 pm is my favorite time of the day...quite ironic considering its the most chaotic time in our home. However in the midst of fixing dinner, entertaining the girls, phone ALWAYS rings during this hour and just being ready for the day to be done-the most magical thing happens like clock work every day.

The garage door opens and the sweetest sounds of 'daddddddddyyyy' start to fill our space. There are smiles, arms reaching, voices squeaking, and 2 girls latching, grasping, and grabbing for whatever 'daddy' they can fight for.

Bags, lunch boxes, coats, coffee mugs-whatever-hits the floor and its the most priceless picture I could ask for. He loves them deep. He loves me deep. He is the one God gave me and I am thankful!!!

The days are long, the work is busy, the world pulling from every direction but for that moment in time the world stops and its nothing but pure love and joy.

I patiently wait my turn for a kiss, hug, body bump or whatever quick second of contact I might get as two littles are permanently attached to his body.

He is the best daddy ever (except for mine of course :). His love for them is pure, it is real and it is meaningful. He wants them to know him, love him, & want him to be a part of their story. He is amazing at equal opportunity-which is sometimes an unreachable goal. His heart is big for them. He is patient, calm, smart in his teachings, quick on his feet and seems to get the best love from both of them each and every time.

I can vividly remember March 1995 and on our first date at Mac & Bobs I spilled my drink-but my heart was full that night and my stomach had butterflies-I. WAS. IN. LOVE. I remember every car ride home from school or cheerleading practice (pretty sure I wasn't even supposed to be doing that). I can remember the day he left for college. I can remember the only one path our cars knew between Radford and Charlotte on 77. I can remember the evening of August 31, 2001 when he asked me to love him forever and always. I remember one year later to that very day when we both said 'I do.' I remember EVERY moment of our honeymoon! I remember starting our married life together in the unknown: moving to Richmond, our first anniversary, moving to Charlotte and buying our first home, job changes, making friends, finding a church family, adding Gabby to our family, having THAT conversation in a playful but serious way when we decided we were ready to start our family. Losing something that was more precious to us and changed our lives forever. Grieving together. Rejoicing together that we were going to give it a second try. March 23, 2008 when Claire came into our world. Saying goodbye to our dog-the one that started it all! Deciding together that the world was calling and needed him to make a difference....him leaving me and a one year old for 20 weeks. Moving to Knoxville. July 14, 2010 when Caroline came into our world. October 16, 2011 when we lost something we didn't even know we had. And every other small and momentous event for the past 16 years and 8 months.

So for 17 birthdays I have celebrated one man-the love of my life-but this year I am more thankful than ever that he is my life, he is my husband and we walk this side of Heaven together-forever.

Happy Birthday to the one for me! I Love You!!!

PS You really aren't old.....yet!!