Date night

 

Six and a half years

Marriage don'ts

To get a little insight on your marriage, type the word, "don't," into the messenger thread you have with your spouse. When I type it to John the word "forget," immediately pops up. When John says it to me, the first word that comes up is "worry."
"Don't forget."
"Don't worry."
Sums us up quite well! 

Looking back

Looking at this (very young) version of me you wouldn't know it, but I was struggling with anxiety and depression wondering if the Lord would ever answer my prayers for a husband, a home, a family. What you also wouldn't have known? Those grapes I was picking were turned into wine that a few months later, we drank at my engagement party and on our honeymoon! 🍷🍷
This encouraged my heart this morning as I thought about things I am anxious about today, and reminded me that the Lord is in control, and we never know what He will do, or how quickly he can change circumstances. 
#sevenyearsago
#hithertohastheLordhelpedus 
#theLordwillgivewhatisgood "I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds."
#psalm771112

Date night

Coffee date

Six years in Wisconsin

Six years ago today I packed up and left South Carolina for Wisconsin! "Whither thou goest I will go, though to a country I never saw....yet with thee every road shall be pleasant....."Where thou lodgest I will lodge, though it be in a cottage, nay, though it be no better a lodging than Jacob had when he had the stones for his pillow. Where thou settest up thy staff I will set up mine, be it where it may." #matthewhenryquotes 
#ruth116

Wedding video

Sixth engagement anniversary

Six years ago today we got engaged at Starbucks, so after finishing up the snow removal, John asked me if I wanted to go on a coffee date over nap time. Unlike me, he is not afraid of snowy roads! We made our way to Point where we found out Starbucks was CLOSED! 😢😂 So we drove down the street to McDonald's and got coffee there. #happysixyearanniversarytous 🤣☕ Then we drove home.....John was like, "Why are you nervous? You can sort of see the road some of the time." The snowbanks were crazy high as you can see from the full size truck window. 😮 #anniversaryadventure #itwillbeafunnymemory #starbucksfailedus #celebratingspringlikeaneskimo #blizzardofapril2018

Marriage

This right here is the key to marriage -
#yesdear #whateveryousaydear 
#youknowbestdear 🤣

Yup.

I'm not really a big Gilmore girl fan, but this was LOL.

Faithful

I've never been someone to make a lot of resolutions, or choose a word of the year, but seeing a million and one posts on the topic got me thinking. Because I think through everything...at length. It can be exhausting, but also no spur of the moment decisions regrets.Last year I made one resolution which was to read more and I definitely kept it, and enjoyed keeping it .
So after reflection, in 2018 my goal is to be faithful in the  sphere and place God has put me.
To be a faithful Christian, to be diligent in reading and praying. To look for Christ on every page.

To be a good wife to John and prioritize our marriage, and to make our home a comfortable, peaceful place.
To be a good mother, love my kids, be patient with them, give them my time without begrudging it, be firm when called for, but always acting in love.

To be diligent in my homeschooling responsibilities, which happens to be my scariest job .
To not compare myself to other moms, not stress, and to be wise in resting, and planning quiet times.
Most of all to look to the Lord and remember He is always faithful, even when I am sick, and things are hard, when I mess up, that I will remember where to look, and where to find help in my constant needs.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”  

Hebrews 10:23

Five and a half years

I made this cute little 6 inch cheesecake to celebrate our five and a half years anniversary. #anyexcuseforcheesecake #5andahalfyearslater #thankful

Shopping date

On the first yucky, snowy Saturday in November John took me shopping so I didn't have to drive in it.

Date night

We finally used our anniversary gift card!

Fifth Anniversary!

Today I am thankful for the blessing of five years of marriage to John!

Those of you who were my Facebook friends five years ago know that I was pretty into keeping track of just how long it was till John and I would see each other again, and then once we were engaged, how long it was till our wedding. So on our fifth anniversary  I had to share this 😍😃💏. I'm so thankful for these years, months, weeks, days, minutes, and seconds together!

Dressed up for a date. I'm wearing my wedding day bracelet, and wedding dress necklace,

All ready to go out!

We did some van window shopping.

And went to an awesome candy store that had so many yummy free samples. John got me some amazing turtle fudge, plus we got some seconds to share, and...

....this to stash for the Duke's birthday!

Yes, we did look at guns....for a few minutes.

We requested the KJV booth 😅😃🤣

The looks I get when I try to tell John what he should order, lol 😅.

We shared a HUGE steak....and brought home enough for the next night's dinner, lol.


Our selfie skills seem to be lacking!

To end with - some of my favorite Matthew Henry quotes that we used in our wedding program five years ago -

"That the woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.

"Providence sometimes wonderfully directs those that by faith and prayer seek direction from heaven in the choice of suitable yoke-fellows: happy marriages those are likely to be that are made in the fear of God; and these, we are sure, are made in heaven.

"This is now bone of  my bone. Now I have what I wanted....a help meet for me." God's gifts to us are to be received with a humble thankful acknowledgment of his wisdom in suiting them to us, and his favor in bestowing them on us"

"God, as her Father, brought the woman to the man, as his second self, and a help-meet for him. When he had made her, he did not leave her to her own disposal; no, she was his child, and she must not marry without his consent. Those are likely to settle to their comfort who by faith and prayer, and a humble dependence upon providence, put themselves under a divine conduct. That wife that is of God's making by special grace, and of God's bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a help-meet for a man."