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!

Daddy's Time Off =)

Vacations are great. Sometimes home vacations are simply the best. Sonny took a few days off and we have just been cooped up in our home enjoying time as a family. It's been amazing. No makeup needed. Jammies all day. Tangled and Brave re-runs. Lots of coffee because it's freezing! The kids have loved having so much time to play with Daddy and learn things that Mommy obviously cannot teach them (I can only do a hand stand for about 2 seconds and I certainly cannot walk on my hands!). We have loved this Christmas break! Thank you Jesus for family time!

 Zoee was upset about something but I'm not sure what it was...

Kisses for Daddy...

She will never be allowed to date... EVER!

Fun times with Daddy!

Her painted nails make her look so grown up!

Daddy teaching the kids how to do a walking hand-stand...

Seeing Santa & learning about Saint Nicholas...

I know there are many differing views regarding "Santa." Do we teach our kids about him or not? If your kids enjoy Santa, does it take the focus off of Jesus? All of these thoughts have been pondered in our household and we came to a conclusion that we think still keeps the emphasis on Christ's birth while still letting the kids enjoy seeing Santa. For us, we like the origin of the "spirit" behind Santa. The tradition began in honor of a 3rd century Christian named Nicholas who was known for being generous, standing firm in his faith, being persecuted, and loving children.

History of Nicholas

 What a great role model. I love learning about Christians whose lives were lived in obedience to Christ. For us, this season is about celebrating the birth of the Savior and it is about us trying to live the lives that He desires for us to live. We want our children to grow up knowing that "things" are not what we are living for. This season is about giving to others as Christ gave His life so that we might be brought back to God. 

With all of that said, it was a family tradition when I was a child to go take pictures with Santa. As a mom now, I enjoy letting the kids get dressed up and take sweet pictures together. It has been our new family tradition to meet my mom at a mall during the Christmas season to see Santa and have a day with Mimi. The kids love it. They enjoy seeing this jolly guy dressed up who wants to give them little toys. They like the lights and the fake "snow." We use it as an opportunity to tell them about Nicholas who gave to others. During this season we try to go through our house and find toys that the kids can give to others who do not have any. It really is a great opportunity to teach our children about living lives of obedience to the Lord and about having a giving spirit. 

Here are some pictures from our visit with Santa and day with Mimi =)

Our sweet friends also came this year and though Kinley wasn't too thrilled with Santa, we were able to get a few pictures that I think turned out cute...

Mimi took the kids to ride the carousal...

It was a fun and very tiring day! We saw Santa, played at the playplace at the mall, rode the mall train, went on the carousal... so much fun!! I am thankful for my sweet mom who enjoys making special moments with her grandbabies =) and for our sweet friends who we love getting to do life with.

Ecclesiastes 3: Enjoy...

Life is so short. We hear that all the time but do we really let it affect our lives? Lately I have been reading Ecclesiastes and it has been both encouraging and convicting. Being reminded that riches and "things" are just temporal and that getting "too much" is vain... this has been sobering. How often do we live lives that are constantly longing for more? How often do we dwell on things that we do not have instead of enjoying the things that we do have? I know that I am guilty of this. I am thankful to be reminded to stop and enjoy. By God's sweet mercy I have an incredible best friend (who also happens to be my husband =) ) two sweet and crazy kids, and wonderfully supportive and helpful family and friends. I am so thankful.

"I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor- it is the gift of God."

~Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Here is our family on a "family date" to La Madeleines. We rarely take the kids "out" to eat so this was a special treat for them. To my surprise, Zoee would NOT eat even ONE bite of the chocolate cake that we got for them to share but ate 3 pieces of bread and lots of Daddy's brocoli!! That's my girl!! =)

We sure are getting braver with them. We went to Santa's Wonderland in College Station )way out of our comfort zone!). The kids enjoyed it, especially the bus ride from the parking lot to the Wonderland (seriously... they LOVED the bus ride) and the hayride. It was really crowded though and after about an hour and 1/2, we were all ready to call it a night. The lights were incredible!

Just hanging out at home... making a FAMILY TOWER!! Gotta love a creative Daddy who manages to satisfy both of his kiddos who want to be on Daddy's shoulders at the same time!!

Looking at themselves and cracking up in the mirror!

These pictures are from Sonny's phone from a while back but I thought they were great... Ash jumping on the hay at Great-Grandma Howard's...

We finally got rid of the pacifiers the other day and it was a little difficult for this little girl. She loved her paci so much but we really thought it was time to say good-bye to them. She is doing great now. Man she loved those things!

Almost NINE years of marriage and still "dating." Love getting time to sit, enjoy great food and time with my best friend/husband. Thank you Jesus for marriage!

Sonny took the kids in the backyard to play one morning while they were still in their jammies. He took these sweet pictures of the kids. They really do love one another so much. They do fight sometimes but for the most part, they love playing together. =)

Can't keep up!!

The kids are just growing so fast and I don't feel like I can even keep up with uploading pictures. Christmas season is here... our tree is up... the kids love looking at Christmas lights and admiring the tree that they helped decorate. Our family tree tradition is to put up the tree while watching Elf. I love this tradition! The kids got to help put the ornaments up and they did a pretty good job. I just can't believe how big they are. They play together pretty well MOST of the time. Right now they are playing  with flashlights in Asher's room and have been getting along great. Asher is really taking well to the big brother role. He likes being Zoee's protector and that is so sweet to watch. Zoee is growing into quite a passionate toddler. She LOVES people SO much but she is also very "passionate" when she doesn't get her way. We are working on that! It has been neat to see how different the two of them are- the Lord is just so amazing in how He forms each individual in such special and unique ways. Here are some pictures to show what's been going on here...

Getting out all of our Christmas decorations...

Watching Elf and helping Daddy "fluff" the tree =)

Playing outside in the "Texas Winter" weather...

Thanksgiving Day pictures outside my parent's house... "smile for CANDY!!"

Thanksgiving Day... Wharton Style!! B-Dad and Great Grandma Howard had a huge dirt pile that the kids played in for about 4 hours!! We loved getting to watch them have fun with their cousins...

Caden, Brenna, Colton & Asher all playing... The most common phrase was "help me.. I'm stuck"- then the other kids would come to the rescue!

Asher and Caden...

Caden and Zoee...