Silence

They say it’s golden.

And there are definitely moments where I believe this is true. 

Like at night when three precious children are sweetly tucked in to their beds – teeth brushed, prayers spoken, songs sung, books read…

And the house becomes so still.  The sounds of the day echo off of the walls. 

And silence is golden here for short bursts of time.

There is no pressure here.  No amount of blog posts that I must write in a months time. 

So there are moments of silence where I just choose to enjoy life.

And then so much life happens and the urge arises to begin documenting it again!  So let the noise commence!

(I can rock those glasses don’t you think?  Compliments of the eye Dr.  They were my best friend for 24 hours)

I guess the biggest news of late is that a week ago yesterday I had Lasik eye surgery.  Goodbye glasses after 26 years! 

It is crazy still to try and get used to the fact that I don’t have to reach for my glasses first thing in the morning, or pop my contacts out before bed.  I’m loving it and feeling fantastic! 

The procedure itself was not fun.  I really didn’t like it.  I thought it wouldn’t be any big deal – because dude, I’ve had babies – but it wasn’t cool.  I won’t go in to any more detail in case someone reading this is considering the surgery!  Truth is though it lasts only minutes and it is done and you can see!  I sat up from the operating chair and could (blurrily) read the time on the clock across the room!  The few hours after the procedure were rough.  My eyes were so sensitive to light and would not stop watering like crazy.  I was able to fall asleep pretty hard and slept for three hours straight.  When I woke up from the nap I could see perfectly and all the pain and burning was gone!  Ever since that afternoon I have had no problems and things are looking (haha) great!

 

The boys were very interested in having a breaking of the glasses ceremony.  They were already doing a pretty good job on their own of that, but the boys certainly helped!  Goodbye spectacles!

Beyond that we’ve just been moving!  Chris has been gone to CA for a conference this entire past week – and so I was Mom 24/7, which is a job if I’ve ever had one.

We’ve spent time outside (eating dessert)

Davene, here I used your trick and it worked!!

Ethan will be returning home in a few hours after spending a couple of days alone with his Grandpa and Grandma.  My parents have decided to start taking one grandchild at a time every now and then and just soaking them up individually.  It is so great for my boys, but also a great gift to my parents I think too!  Ethan and Grayson have talked both nights on the phone and have to catch up on everything the other has been doing, even down to whether or not they ate dinner inside or outside and if they had chocolate pudding or vanilla pudding at Ama and Bapa’s house!

I am headed out this afternoon to pick up Chris at the airport and head to a cousin’s wedding.  Then Sunday we celebrate another cousin who is getting married next month with a couples shower!  Next week we’re excited because family starts arriving!  We will have many members of Chris’s dear family visiting starting Wednesday and going until the 12th.  Then we have just a few short days in between until our precious MawMaw comes for two weeks!  We can’t wait!

And now we’re all caught up.  We’ll see how long the silence lasts this time!

A Day At The Park

Another summer day, another picnic. 

(Probably the most attractive picture of me ever taken doncha think?)

I think we eat lunch at home about once a week during the summer. It is just too beautiful outside to sit at the kitchen table!

My sons.  With skinned up knees.  Those poor little knees never have a chance to heal! As soon as they do the boys fall again and the process starts over.  Boys + summer = banged up skin I’m figuring out.

(Ethan left, Grayson right)

What more do you need beyond a river and some sticks?  Oh, and in this picture they are poking a dead fish. I had no idea until after I snapped the picture and Grayson asked me, “Mommy, why isn’t that fish swimming very much?”

This is Adelyn’s new scared face.  I melt from the cuteness. (She wanted us all to do it in the pic above)

Charmer. 

Can I just share one more story in relation to this peach?  Last night her and I made a grocery run together.  We were waiting at the check out line and all the sudden I notice this puddle on the floor under our cart.  I had put some laundry detergent on the bottom and thought for sure it was leaking.  I started inspecting the bottle and it too was all wet.  I was checking it over for a leak until Adelyn pipes in, “Pee-pee Mommy.”  She started lifting up her dress and sure enough – she was soaked.  It was one of those moments where you’re just not sure where to begin.  I had some wipes in my purse, so I was able to clean the floor and the detergent bottle. I finished our purchase and changed Adelyn in the car.  As a parent you just never know what’s going to happen in any given day.  I like the spontaneity. 

*I’m not in love with our new blog header – but was ready for something different and just didn’t have a picture that I really wanted to put in there yet.  I want to make some major changes to this blog – but time is a factor and I just can’t find much of it to use on things like that. 

Eleven

This is the two of us in Alaska – the place we met.  We were on a hike when this picture was taken. So young.  I was so smitten.

June 30, 2001

Just a little giddy

On the beach in Nassau

Hiking along the French coast

Virginia Beach 2004

Morning in Erque, France

5 year anniversary

Mount Rushmore (Newly pregnant with two babes here and was exhausted the entire trip!)

Becoming parents

Vacationing together.

11 years later. This was taken the other night at dinner. A dear friend came over to watch the kids so Chris and I could sneak out for sushi and then follow up with dinner and wine on the patio of an Italian restaurant nearby.  It was a lovely evening.

What a day to celebrate, to remember, to reflect on this marriage.

Chris and I both commented the other day that we feel like our marriage is the strongest it has ever been.  That’s a nice place to be.

When we think back to the 22 year old man and woman that married each other in that small non-air-conditioned church in Appleton, Minnesota we are struck by just how much we have grown and learned since that day. 

There were many things about marriage that neither of us were prepared for or anticipating.  There have been some awesome highs and some pretty devastating lows along the way – but here we stand today.

Not growing complacent, but gaining an appreciation and an understanding of just what it means to truly love each other – to truly think outside of ourselves and our selfish desires – and to keep the lines of communication open.

Lately, after we put the kids to bed, Chris and I sit on our four season porch, open up all the windows, and just talk as we watch the moon come out.  I love that time of day.  On the mornings when we’re home together we head there with our cup of coffee and watch the day unfolding.  There is nothing in the world I love more than just talking with my husband.

In honor of him, and in the effort of slowing down and really appreciating this man God has given me – here is my top 11 things I love about Chris:

1. His incredible work ethic.  He works hard for our family – not just at his job, but also here at home.  He is most certainly not a couch potato.

2. His spontaneous goofy side.  He has embarrassed me countless times throughout the years.  He has no filter and thinks the most inappropriate things are funny.  Like the time we had a few more than 10 items in our basket and Chris urged us to use the fast lane anyhow.  We get up there and he loudly starts saying things like, “Beth – I told you we had more than 10 things!”  Then he looks at the cashier and says, “I’m sorry sir.  I told her we had more than ten things and shouldn’t have come to your line, but she insisted.”  Then he just looks at me and shakes his head. 

3. His talents.  This man is uber talented.  Cooking, construction, computers…Almost to the point where I wonder just what it is that this man can’t do! 

4. His love for family.  He is an incredible father.  That has been awesome to watch.  He truly delights in his children and loves spending time with them.

5. His attention to the details.  This trait has also driven me batty over the years, but the way he analyzes everything, I have found, can also be an incredible strength.

6. His support of me.  He was the one who pushed me to return to college when we met.  He believed in me and still does to this day.

7. His mind for budgeting.  When we first married Chris and I had no clue about money management.  We would cheer at the end of every month if we had a few dollars remaining in our checkbook.  About 7 years ago Chris stumbled upon Dave Ramsey and the way that we view money has changed entirely.  I am thankful for the peace this new way of handling our finances has brought in to our home.

8. His sense of humor.  It’ll catch you off guard.  He’s witty and has this dry sense of humor that just makes me laugh.

9. The way that he loves me.

10. The way he treats my family and his own.  He realizes the importance of family, particularly our parents, and loves mine as if they were his own. 

11. His convictions.  Chris is not the kind of man who is going to waiver just because the crowd is doing so.  He knows what he believes and he is not afraid to stand up for those rights. 

Happy 11 years babe. Moving on to 12.

5.