this weekend was a good combination of what justin and i needed. a little alone time. some family time. and some great time with friends. some of our dearest friends in the world. weekends do not happen like this all the time. what is funny is that we got in a little argument and i was horribly sick on sunday with a migraine but still...it was so good and so needed.
we are not the best at really connecting and getting back on the same page after we are away from each other for a little bit. 9 days was a long time for us. since we arrived home in the middle of the work week it was hard to get the time in that we knew we wanted and knew we needed.
but this weekend it happened.
first here is ava after she got a hold of my mostly empty iced mocha. a nice little chocolate ring around her face. come on that's precious.
on friday night i had some jmu girls over on friday to see our house, paint nails, and a look at our wedding video. i have not watched it in a while and i could not believe how young we looked. my long hair. so innocent in so many ways. not having the faintest idea what our future would hold. what a reminder it was to me that who you choose. the one person you choose to spend your life with is essential. in countless ways. but it struck me while reliving our wedding day through that video how important it is to be with someone that you know will or you hope will rise to the occasion in how they will handle, cope, and work through the pain, struggles, and heartache. it is "easy" to be married when things are just simple and happy and fun. but what about when it is hard or when you are forced to walk down a foreign scary road...not because you chose it but because it chose you.
our vows. wow they hit me hard. i got a giant lump in my throat..
in sickness and in healing we repeated to one another.
what occurred to me is that we did not say the more traditional...in sickness and in health. but instead healing and healing we did and healing we are.
the girls stayed with ava and we headed to a late night movie. we like movies. it is a little annoying when you spend $20 and the movie is not that good. we saw Ides of March. it was good. but not great.
saturday we got up. put on leggings and sweatshirts. not justin but us girls. i seem to dress ava like i do although i do not mean to at all. it just happens. we headed to panera. drank coffee and ate pastry's.
played in the backyard and ran around. ava napped. justin read. i did a craft i found on pinterest.
found some fabric pieces from my craft bin. cut the sizes needed. rolled them. hot glued them. added some buttons. nothing fancy. but it was easy and i think it's pretty cute.
then we headed to rockbridge (a young life camp). one of our most favorite places on earth. we are now only an hour from camp which is so great. it was a beautiful drive but a little too sunny for ava.
this drive needed to happen. justin and i were able to share our hearts. really talk about what is going on and how we are doing with everything in our life. the move, new job, new relationships, new responsibilities, new work, insecurities, fears, frustrations, joys, our future. i appreciate my husband's honesty so much. it was good to get on the same page.
the few hours we spent at rockbridge were such a gift. seriously. i love it there. i love it there. i love it.
cliff you did incredible. laura you are adorable pregnant. can't wait to find out if ava is right about there being a little boy inside your tummy.
we deeply love so many of you who were there. both from our new town harrisonburg and sweet sweet chesapeake. we are thankful to be in your lives. whether near or far. even though far is sometimes hard. thank you for how much you all love ava. you know who you are. i wonder if she has any idea how loved she is?
mostly there is nothing like being in a room full of hundreds and hundreds of high school students who are given the chance. if they choose. to move from death to life.
now it's monday...let the week begin.
we are not the best at really connecting and getting back on the same page after we are away from each other for a little bit. 9 days was a long time for us. since we arrived home in the middle of the work week it was hard to get the time in that we knew we wanted and knew we needed.
but this weekend it happened.
first here is ava after she got a hold of my mostly empty iced mocha. a nice little chocolate ring around her face. come on that's precious.
on friday night i had some jmu girls over on friday to see our house, paint nails, and a look at our wedding video. i have not watched it in a while and i could not believe how young we looked. my long hair. so innocent in so many ways. not having the faintest idea what our future would hold. what a reminder it was to me that who you choose. the one person you choose to spend your life with is essential. in countless ways. but it struck me while reliving our wedding day through that video how important it is to be with someone that you know will or you hope will rise to the occasion in how they will handle, cope, and work through the pain, struggles, and heartache. it is "easy" to be married when things are just simple and happy and fun. but what about when it is hard or when you are forced to walk down a foreign scary road...not because you chose it but because it chose you.
our vows. wow they hit me hard. i got a giant lump in my throat..
in sickness and in healing we repeated to one another.
what occurred to me is that we did not say the more traditional...in sickness and in health. but instead healing and healing we did and healing we are.
i choose you. i will always choose you. picture taken circa 2008.
the girls stayed with ava and we headed to a late night movie. we like movies. it is a little annoying when you spend $20 and the movie is not that good. we saw Ides of March. it was good. but not great.
saturday we got up. put on leggings and sweatshirts. not justin but us girls. i seem to dress ava like i do although i do not mean to at all. it just happens. we headed to panera. drank coffee and ate pastry's.
played in the backyard and ran around. ava napped. justin read. i did a craft i found on pinterest.
then we headed to rockbridge (a young life camp). one of our most favorite places on earth. we are now only an hour from camp which is so great. it was a beautiful drive but a little too sunny for ava.
the few hours we spent at rockbridge were such a gift. seriously. i love it there. i love it there. i love it.
cliff you did incredible. laura you are adorable pregnant. can't wait to find out if ava is right about there being a little boy inside your tummy.
we deeply love so many of you who were there. both from our new town harrisonburg and sweet sweet chesapeake. we are thankful to be in your lives. whether near or far. even though far is sometimes hard. thank you for how much you all love ava. you know who you are. i wonder if she has any idea how loved she is?
mostly there is nothing like being in a room full of hundreds and hundreds of high school students who are given the chance. if they choose. to move from death to life.
now it's monday...let the week begin.
Brooke said that she enjoyed talking with you in Rockbridge. So glad you are able to go visit when they are at camp. It really means a lot to the kids.
ReplyDeleteYay for good weekends, being on the same page, mochas, pastries, playin outside, crafty projects:), good road talks, sunny days, time spent being present with those who really matter:) & to a life long commitment that u would never change, & do all over again in a heartbeat!
ReplyDeleteLove your crafty project...I do believe I recognize every piece of fabric on that cake. Have touched lots of those. Glad you found time to "play & create." You know how much I love doing that.
ReplyDeleteLove to my honey,
Mom
OOPS..."Christmas Tree"...Must have been a typo: Cake-Christmas Tree, almost the same.:)
ReplyDeleteMom