but once a year...

you get to celebrate such a day...

a special day between a husband and a wife

Yesterday was our 8th anniversary

July 13th...

as {duh} by now you all probably realize our love for the number 13

Just wanted to wish my husband a Happy Anniversary...

This was our first anniversary apart

which is just a stinker...

for anyone

I know people celebrate it apart quite often

and any way you look at it

it is always special and better to celebrate it together

it was also the same day my sister and nephews left to go back home

so I decided to celebrate our anniversary by celebrating our family that we have created together

the girls and I spent the day together

a rough start in the morning

led to quite a great day with the girls...

we went out to an early dinner...like really early dinner

a trip to the store

and came home to relax together

seeing the girls have so much fun at dinner with just me and them was the best part of the day

even though Bobby wasn't there with us

I was able to spend the time with our children
our girls

I laughed on more than one occasion because of their silliness

and did things a little backwards throughout the day

the house stayed extra messy since I was too lazy to straighten it up

and I got annoyed with their whininess because they are overtired from last week's visit
I don't blame them honestly about their whininess...I feel tired too:)

then of course the girls made me smile all over again

and had a late {before} bed snack together 
our left over dinner from earlier

I saw them get excited as I told them it was bunk night in Momma's bed

and see Madison excited as I showed her on the Deadliest Catch show ~ the crabs

because she ate her first crab legs over the weekend

and loved them...

Happy Anniversary Bobby....

as things always aren't perfect

but it is us together

our laughter, 

and our love

that always carry us through

{a tiny bit of a sneek peak in this picture...}

Dear my beloved...

I had no knowledge it were to be true...

It didn't even cross my mind to look for you...

Until dawn arrived I was as happy as can be...

That is...until you were no longer with me...

Honestly and truly written by yours truly ~ Martha {applause}....just kidding everyone...no applause...please don't get the wrong idea about that...but I haven't written anything in such awhile that literally just came out like that...{silly I make myself laugh}

This morning couldn't be better...that is until I stepped out of the shower and touched my neckline...and found my sweet beloved not in its place...

My Beloved...my past, present, and future necklace...

Given to me by my wonderful hubby on our anniversary...I love this gift...it has meaning...it was given in love...

...It makes my heart go a little pitter patter... {sorry my pics aren't the clearest of all...couldn't seem to figure that out today}

A smile it always gives me...

It is a necklace to me that I have never taken off except occassionally to wear a different one...and I have been excellent about it always staying in my room...even my hubby noticed I have been great about it... {a little background...sometimes I misplace things which is why my wonderful hubby got me a jewerly box}

...but he knows I never take it off...and oh this morning...it was gone...and not in my favorite spot...around my neck...

it is something I always touch when I am out of the shower...a little habit...routine {I am good at routine}...and when I went to touch it this morning...nope...not there...my beloved was gone...

I am 100% sure it fell off because I never took it off...I just didn't know where it fell off...yesterday I had a meeting in the morning and was at home for the remainder of the day...so I knew it could only be in our home...it was just a matter of where...and I knew that whenever it fell off...that one of my beloved kiddos had to have picked it up...and I won't name any names {a-hem...my youngest} loves to play with it when it is around my neck...

A quick little scurry around the house...and no time to find it before an engagement this morning. In between a few things this morning...I stopped at home as I had to get something for a friend anyway...and looked into my little girl's rooms...and YEP...found it in the youngest...the pendant at least...the necklace is missing in action...but at least I had the important part...don't get me wrong...it's not like I can throw around money and just replace everything...but I would rather have found the pendant than not my beloved at all...I have faith I will find that necklace chain today...after all it can't be far...

See Hayley has found a new love for necklaces... I remember Madison going through this stage at about this age when my other "beloved"...my wedding ring...miraculously vanished...hmmm....thankful and happy my beloved {necklace} is now in safe keeping...I can rest assured I will give my hubby a big fat hug and "smooch-a-rue" when he arrives home tonight...just to remind him how much it means to me...my beloved necklace...

Happy Friday you all...I'm starting to feel the excitement...the wait is almost over...it is almost here...I plan to do some posts there...so enjoy your day...

...Oh and this picture of my oldest beloved...taken yesterday...but the picture is how I feel at the moment since my beloved has been found...so happy and giddy... Oh and I must say again...my dear beloved...I am so thankful I found you! Have a wonderful weekend...Blessings to you!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life...my sweetheart...my partner...my friend...my love!

Today Bobby and I have been married 7 years but 14 years ago (we still can't decide if it is techincally 14 or 15...15 in September it will be) we met...my love and we both knew it right then...although at our age it honestly started off with a BIG crush...turned into a GREAT friendship...and a DEEP and STRONG love after that. It is funny because a couple of the people who follow my blog knew us from the beginning...that is just crazy and neat all at the same time:).

As a side note...my pictures are NOT downloading...UGH! But I do have two neat ones I love...

Perhaps this post is shorter than I would like it to be just because of time and as one of my presents...he did take the day off today and made sure he wasn't traveling today...just for me!

There are so many reasons why I love my husband...if you all remember a couple of months ago - I started tags for him...remember when...well I transitioned to the "I love you because" which he will get everyday for a year...so I decided to share "some" of the ones that I have given him thus far...

I love you because...

you love going to church with me and taking the girls too

you don't shave when you are home because you know I love that...that scruffy look:)

you ordered dinner for us one night while you were out of town...sigh of relief...

you are a terrific father to our girls

you surprised me with the bookshelves I had been wanting

you work hard at your job and good at what you do

when I was overtired you helped me get ready one day

you downloaded the "I'm Yours" song and e-mailed it to me

you have gorgeous blue eyes:)

you like to stop at the gas station with me on the weekends to get a soda sometimes...our little treat

you went to my work conference with me

you still take my breath away when I see you...especially when you have been gone

you make me know what love is...(maybe a cliche saying but really true)

you bought me the hibiscus trees that remind me of our honeymoon...it is not just a gift when you do those things because when you travel I can look at them and think of you often

you always forgive me for my mistakes

you supported with nursing the girls for as long as I did

you help me in my business by doing the health fair part of business

you let me hold Maximus the entire time because you knew I couldn't let him go the whole time

you listened to me one day and sent me flowers to cheer me up

you sometimes whisper nice things to me

you went to get us breakfast one weekend day

you bring me coffee in the mornings you are home...I just cannot make it like you...

you married me of anyone

you took me on one of my favorite dates thus far...a day at the wineries

when you are home you take over bathtime with the girls for me

you tell me I am a good mother to our girls

you are the love of my life!

you know what I like better than me with almost everything

you hold my hand at church

you care about your siblings and make a point to stay in touch even though distance in miles separate you

sorry folks...I just have to share this one...I really like summertime when you wear shorts...

you watch shows with me you are not necessarily fond of...

you painted the loft one day, and I didn't even have to ask you

you took off to get our family car fixed before you went out of town

you let me go back to sleep when I didn't feel well one morning

your calming face and smile

you love to snuggle up close with me

you love to do simple things with me like sitting on the front porch and enjoy one another's company and conversation

you walk with me together in what is known as life

you told me you are very much "in love" with me as well as love me deeper than that

you are so comfortable around anyone in my family

you called to check with me on my drive home from Illinois when I was having trouble staying awake

you surprised me with a "gossip" magazine to give me some R&R time...yes I do read those every once in awhile...and the crosswords in them are definitely fun too

you still flirt with me

I miss you when you spend time away doing things with your brother...friends...but I really love to see you come back home excited about what you did and anxious to tell me about it

it is comforting when I get to wake up beside you

you took my hand to see the fireworks from our backyard since I missed them on the actual 4th of July

you remind me of things I forget about...I honestly forget about a lot of things...from my childhood to fun times...I don't know why that is...but you just give me a quick recall to help me remember those details I love to hear

you believe in the power of prayer

you let me use your razor when I need a new one or I forgot mine

when I replace the toilet paper on the roll you get irritated that I put it on "backwards" or "upside down"...I don't even know other than you end up changing it:)

you made our wedding day perfect with you...us writing our own vows...love...and so much fun!

you are always the first person I want to share things with

you tell me countless times to not put "big items" in the trash can...but I still do...and you just change it...or I don't fill it up enough before I change it:)

Those are just a FEW of my favorite things I love about you...I have over 250 more to do until the year is ended. I love Bobby for so many more deeper, sillier, and funnier reasons than even listed...well and more personal too...we are married...but Bobby was the one of the ones who sat by me in high school when I tore both of my ACL's and cried when I missed my "love and passion" at the time...soccer...it took a toll on my confidence and spirit that now I see peaking back out...to be honest I didn't want to exactly share that but this next point is just why I did...but you believed in me to come back better and stronger than before BOTH times...and I did...and you would make frequent trips to see me in college when we missed one another...you stood by my side when I completely broke down about the fertility issues we went through...and when we were told by our first doctor there was nothing they could do...if I couldn't get pregnant we would never have children...well you know more than most people that no one tells me "NEVER" and gets away with it...because we know that with faith...hope...love we can do anything...it never mattered to us how we would have children but we took the path God led us to...we obviously have our family now because we found our doctor who believed us, believed in himself, and had the knowledge and insight to know exactly what was "wrong" with me even in our first consultation...I don't share those things to say all the difficult things I or we have been through...but I share them because Bobby's and I's love is so beautiful, strong, and connected, and we know that we took our vows through everything...the most fun of memories to the ones that are challenging too...I love my husband...his love is why I work hard at what I do...he makes me laugh...smile...and acts silly with me to just be silly...he still tries to tickle me...and laughs when I give him wet willies...we have so much fun together...yet we challenge one another at the same time...I love that about him...

Happy Anniversary my love...the one who is ALWAYS by my side...the one who is my BEST friend...who makes me laugh...and who I share EVERYTHING with! I love you!...And this post out turned out to not be just what I wanted...and not short at all:)

...And to top it off...today is a day full of surprises he says...I've not been surprised before so I am SUPER excited! Can't wait! I'm a very lucky girl today...a morning with my family and an afternoon and evening with my husband...thanks to my parents for watching the girls:)

Love, Martha