he loves me, he loves me...

He loves me, he loves me...

He loves me, he loves me...

I am counting my blessings... after too long of being sick and crabby and hard to live with... that I know he loves me.  He loves the woman I was when we began our life together, the beautiful mess of a woman I am today, and yes, the woman God is still creating me to be.  It is a promise I thank God for everyday.

a standing ovation...

He said yes to me Friday morning, but as the afternoon wore on, the sun slid behind the clouds.  Sometimes I am really good at denial and will push my case for a maybe-clear-sky right up to the end... but just looking at those clouds, I knew I had to admit defeat.  Instead of sunset at the beach, I decided we could just stay home, but he put his foot down and whisked me off for Mexican food and a margarita.  Before dinner even arrived, as if I still had any bargaining chips left, I put my own foot down... but Sunday, okay?

My soul craves the beach.  The air. The light.
The rolling waves that drown out the noise in my head, the chaos of my thoughts, the rambling, constant to-do list that I can't stop adding to.  It makes me free to wander, to take time to seek the small and humble gifts that are placed in my path. I feel small and unimportant in the best kind of way... for this hour, or two, I don't need to make a decision, or think about a single thing.  And if I look down, and find I am soaked to the knees in salty surf, I laugh into the breeze.

Eric is the best finder-of-heart-shaped-treasure... but as I stroll and seek, I find three.  Three.  Camden asks why you would need three hearts, and starts rambling on about science and the havoc it would create.  Again laughter tumbles from me... I don't need three hearts, but I love that God put three hearts in my path tonight. Yes, unimportant and loved beyond measure, all at once.

When the sun falls low, and I hear the park ranger interrupting the ocean's song with his atv, I know it is almost time to go, and I am pulled from my chair, almost impatient to watch the sun sink and kiss the beach goodnight.  I look down the shore and realize I am not the only one standing.  Not the only one who couldn't even bear to sit on the edge of her seat waiting for what was to come.  And when you know that Monday is the only thing beyond the horizon, it seems just right to give this last glimpse of the weekend a standing ovation.

sunday photos...

What a treat it was to finally put my feet in the sand last week!  The sea foamed up at the shore and we joked about it being Florida snow.  It was a beautiful night... golden sun beginning to set, a just-right breeze, and a soul satisfied with sea and sand.

When my chair is in within feet of the surf, and my toes are dug deep in the sand, I am a very happy girl!  Add in the sunset, and the guys I love, and it is the perfect ending to a beautiful day.

This photo didn't come out as great as I wanted it too... the reflection line creating the symmetry... but pretend you can see it, okay?

Blanket in progress...pink Shasta daisies.  As I stitch, I pray a hope-filled prayer.  I'm not quite sure how big the blanket will be... but I know that God knows, and that He will let me know.

I'm always posting pictures of alligators we see along the trails... so I thought this sand-alligator we came across at the beach might make you giggle.  It sure made me giggle, especially his sprite -cap eyes!!

Linking up to Ashley's Scavenger Hunt Sunday!
Next week's list: Unusual Crop, Details, On the Ground, Blooper (or a shot where things didn’t go as planned), Color.

thirty years ago...

Thirty years ago, before I knew I could spill my whole mess before God, He gave our family a miracle.  I did not know Him well enough, personally, to know that He can make all things beautiful for His good... that He loves us more than we can imagine.  Thirty years ago, He took two young girls and a very young Mom, broken from divorce, and restored their life in the gift of Bob.

We dressed our best.
Wool blazers. Plaid skirts. Bouquets of roses.  Smiles...wide.
And our broken family was healed before a Justice of the Peace... in the presence of God.
{And being included on a honeymoon to Disney World didn't hurt!}

I think we loved Bob from the first... maybe it was how he brought our Mom back to life, or maybe his silly stories, or the way he trudged uphill and down, pulling giggling girls in a garden cart... or that every Friday, there was a bouquet of fresh flowers in a vase.  But what I didn't know?  I didn't know he would spoil my Mom to the point of no return.  I laugh when she stops in front of a door, waiting for it to be opened for her, forgetting that Bob isn't with us to do the honors.  And I love that she might have forgotten how to pump gas, or that her idea of grocery shopping has become rattling off a few items as he heads out the door to Publix. I certainly didn't know, didn't dream, she would have the opportunity to see far more of the world than you can see walking around EPCOT.  Europe, Australia... Africa.

These last thirty years are something I am thankful for every day.
I love that my Mom is spoiled... and I love that Bob has given her the world, and so much more.  To be witness to the life they have created, to be a part of it, is such a privilege...and knowing there are a few more adventures right around the bend?  It brings me so much joy.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Bob... I love you both so very much.