Finding Romance and Joy in the Everyday of Marriage!

I stood at the front door one night and my teen-age daughter burst into laughter as I started clapping and squealing with excitement when I saw my husband pull in the driveway from work! Lol! Yes, I still get butterflies every time I see that man of mine and I also love embarrassing my children! Haha! It was another good opportunity to show my daughter what true love really is and not just what is portrayed on television love stories.

This is real life. Finding romance and joy in the everyday....

After 25 years of marriage Matt and I still cherish every second of our time together! Would we love regular date nights with a quiet dinner and moonlit walk? ABSOLUTELY! But with 2 busy jobs (one that takes him out of the country quite a bit), 3 children, and all the responsibilities of housework, bill paying and other grown-up responsibilities ...we don't always get THOSE dates. Lol! We have learned to get creative in our dating and keep that romantic spark! 😉

One afternoon we spent a romantic date at our local grocery store, shopping together up and down the aisles for our family as we sipped our peppermint white chocolate mochas that we purchased from the McDonald's drive-thru.

Now if that doesn't say "love and romance" than I don't know what does! Haha! 😍

In all honesty, it doesn't matter what we are doing. It can be the hurried moments where we high-five each other for making it through another day of life together or it can also be the spontaneous moments of a slow dance in the kitchen as we block out the world around us. Spending time with my amazing husband of over 25 years still brings a smile to my face and warmth to my heart.

True love isn't always roses, candlelit dinners, or romantic kisses with soft music playing in the background. It isn't always played out like a Hollywood romance on the big screen with a huge dramatic ending that leaves you feeling all nostalgic and teary-eyed.

True love is sticking together through the real life everyday moments that are often messy and unromantic, thorns and all, with dinners that frequently come from the drive-thru and the only music playing as you finally get a moment to steal a kiss is the sound of a child yelling, "gross". True love is extending grace and forgiveness through disappointments, holding hands as you read scripture together and pray for guidance to navigate parenting and life, encouraging each other through the daily routine that can be daunting at times, seeing true beauty even through expanding waistlines, receding hairlines, & wrinkled faces and recognizing each other as masterpieces from God.

True love is going through over 25 years of marriage contained of victories and heartaches and realizing that if you had it to do all over again...you wouldn't change a thing! 

Thank you, precious Lord, for the gift of my husband and the blessing of our marriage! We may not have it all together but our love is true...and it's real...and centered on YOU! All glory and honor are YOURS! 

A Thankful Heart and a Sweet Soul!

I walked into that little pharmacy the other day where I have frequented every 3-4 weeks for the past six years. Instead of making a purchase for medication this visit, I carried a bag with a card and just a small token of my sincerest appreciation for the kind soul that has walked a journey with our family for these six years...

God has called me to look back over the last few weeks. To look back on a year that was full of turning points in our family. A year that tested our faith and sent us into the unknown in many areas. A year where trust in God was realized with hearts of utter abandon. A year that will always be etched with markers of spiritual growth out of the hard places. I'm thankful God reminds us of those places. Because, for me, the memory puts on display the picture of faithfulness and steadfastness in a God that loves and carries His children. Remembering where we were spurs us on to continue walking the path God has laid out for us, no matter how rough the terrain can be at times. God is so good!

Six years ago, when the doctors at Chapel Hill informed us, after years of monitoring lab work, ultrasounds, and biopsies, that Caleb was at a point where medication was needed; we began a search for a local pharmacy that could actually get this medication and to see if insurance would cover it. I called all over town and it wasn't available anywhere until one phone call with a sweet angel turned out to be the beginning of a journey together. This sweet angel made sure Caleb's meds were here every 3-4 weeks and went through countless insurance battles with us and our doctor. And just over a year on this medication, Caleb had no indications of the medical condition he was born with. The medication was doing the job and the doctors were astounded and pleased so we trekked on in praise to God! Then just three weeks ago our final insurance appeal was rejected for one form of the medication with new specialty pharmacy regulations in place and we were again at a point of pleading with God over this. Specialty pharmacies we were demanded to use were having trouble getting this form of med and Caleb still could not swallow a tablet (after countless hours of prayer, practicing with Tic-tacs and googling every maneuver possible). So we prayed and worked tirelessly as the last dose of meds were taken and the tablets were set to be in the next day. (Right before we left for vacation😳). They came in on the last delivery of the evening at 7:15 and as Caleb went to take it, we gathered and prayed. He returned to the room with a look of shock and excitement that he did it! We praised the Lord together as He always comes through right on time. (Not my time, mind you, because this momma was tired.😞 Ha!) We have graduated on and he is doing great!

So the other day I tried to express my appreciation to this sweet soul who partnered with us for six solid years and all I could do was cry and say, "Thank you" for all she had done. I won't be calling her every 3-4 weeks but she will always be a special soul to our family. To the countless friends that have prayed with us over the years in this matter, "Thank you" too!! Words could never express our appreciation for those who have continued to be our prayer partners.

God brings people in our lives for seasons and she was there as a hopeful light in a scary season in our family six years ago and continued that same blessing all along the way. We praise God for her!

You may never know the impact you may have on someone else's life. God never crosses our paths with others by coincidence. We like to call them divine appointments. People may come and go and some may stay a lifetime, but always pray to show kindness and love to all and shine the light of Christ wherever you go! Be the blessing!