9th Anniversary!!

January 3, 2004

I can't believe that it has been NINE years since Sonny and I got married. We are so incredibly thankful to have been able to spend so many years together growing and learning. The first few years of our marriage were very difficult: we did not have local, consistant fellowship/accountability and we were working through different sins that were brought into our marriage. The Lord was so incredibly sweet to us though, and continued to show us that we could NOT do this marriage without His Spirit's help. We tried so hard to be enough for each other but without depending on the Spirit and walking in fellowship with Him, our marriage would not contain the life and joy and peace and intimacy that the Lord wanted us to experience. Though those years were so tough, they taught us our incredible need for the Lord and helped us both to learn to cling to Him and love as we have been loved by Jesus. We were both convicted that in order for us to have a wonderful marriage, we would have to walk in selflessness as Jesus did. True joy in marriage comes when you try to "out-do" each other in showing love and when you really view yourself as your spouses biggest fan. If you are not their biggest source of tangible encouragement, you will set your marriage up for so many stumbling blocks. I realized that as Sonny's wife, I am called to be his biggest encourager and the one who provides for him a place of peace and rest in our home where he can be genuine and feel constant, unconditional love. Though this is still something I have to work on daily, it was such a wonderful revelation to know that this is my number one calling from the Lord.

Last week we were able to have 2 days of anniversary celebration while the kids were with our parents. We were able to relax, go to the gym, eat great food (Ruggles Green and Arturos), use our Christmas gift cards, see a movie (Promised Land), and just enjoy each others company. It was wonderful! Here are a few pictures...

Lunch at Ruggles Green... awesome burgers!!

Our hotel had really cool wallpaper in the halls... we stayed in City Center at Hotel Serello...

 Very awesome room that overlooked city center...

 proof that we used almost all of our Christmas gift cards!!

Dinner at our FAVORITE Italian Restaurant: Arturos in Uptown Park. We sit at the same booth every time- (table 41) and always get the Ravioli de Arturos... Yummy!!

Thank you so much to the Cherry's and Bemis' for watching our crazy kids for us! We love you guys so much and are so so so thankful that our kids get to have such wonderful grandparents that love being involved in their lives. You all are a blessing!