12 years!!

Today, Jon and I have been married for 12 years!! Woohoo!

England, baby!

Jon and I returned from England on Tuesday, where we attended the NewFrontiers leaders conference and then had a few days of sightseeing in the London/Kent area. We had a fabulous time, took lots of pictures, and ate some really great food!

Independence Day

Today is my favorite holiday. I'm pretty patriotic, so that really comes as no suprise. July 4th is usually spent enjoying my family and friends, and remembering those who have paid the price to enable me to live in such freedom. Even with all that is seemingly "wrong" with our country these days, it is still a land of enormous freedom, and a land of amazing possibility. So tonight, I will remember what has been paid in the price for freedom, and I will rejoice that I am able to take part in it.

Gabe and guitars

Jon was goofing off the other night with a guitar he's borrowing from a friend, and Gabe sat down with him to learn a few tricks. In this rockin' pick, he's learning a power chord. What better way to start him out?

Running.....

I recently started running. Call it a health kick, call it insanity, call it what you will. I found a program that takes you from the couch to running a 5K race in just 9 weeks, and I'm doing pretty well so far. I am halfway through week 4, so I guess that makes me at the halfway point of the program. I'm running because it is something I need to do. Not because I take my stress to the treadmill and run it off there, but because physically, I need to do something, and running gives me a sense of accomplishment. So that's it. I run because I can. And so far, even on the hard days, I'm liking it.

Beth's New Bike!

Bethany won a new bike! Yay!!

For Tricia

I've been faithfully following Nate's blog, which you can read here. Nate and Tricia have a beautiful miracle girl named Gwyneth Rose. Their story is an amazing one of love and faith. I encourage you to check it out. This blog is in response to one of Nate's posts.

Dear Tricia:
You don't know me, but I pray for you and your family everyday. Here are some things I can't wait for you to experiece with your darling Gwyneth Rose:
--the first time you have to try to get gum out of her hair (use peanut butter)
--the first (and hopefully last) time she cuts her own hair and you have to try to salvage what is left
--when you have to clean up after her stomach virus at 2:30 in the morning
Okay, so these are obviously not the most love-evoking images, but you will laugh about them later. Now for the ones that make you go, "Awwww."
--the first time she tells you, "You are the bestest mommy ever!"
--the first time you make Christmas cookies together (and the many years after that)
--the first time you try to dye Easter eggs
--when you see her walking towards you on unsteady baby-legs, with her face lit up with the smile that she only gives to you, the one that says, "That's my mommy, and I love her!!!"

I hope this makes you smile, Tricia, and I pray for your continued healing so that you can enjoy these things with your precious girl...and Nate, too.
Blessings,
Becca