Five Years

Five years ago today I married the man of my dreams.

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Honestly, it feels like just yesterday I woke up and got ready to walk down the aisle. I received this from W that morning:

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He made me a music box and in it placed that note. My heart just melted. And it still does, each and every morning when he kisses me goodbye and tells me I'm beautiful. I know he believes it and says it as a truth. I am my beloved's and he is mine. 

These first five years have been so much more than I could imagine them to be. Not to say we are perfect because in fact we are far from that but I never imagined the beginning of our marriage would be filled with such fun. Yes, we have had our share of arguments but each one has been laced with a lesson. A valuable lesson that has helped us become a better spouse to each other. I am still learning what it means to respect my husband the way he needs it and to not read into his actions as much that cause me to feel unloved. I know above all else that he loves me, he loves me more than I can imagine. He loves me with the love only Christ provides.

I am daily grateful for the heart W has to serve the Lord. That he makes God the top priority in his life, in our marriage, and in our family. Nothing is sweeter than that in a marriage. Nothing is more beautiful to see than my husband reading the Word to our son or singing songs of praise to our Lord over our son. Melts my heart to see my man teaching our little man how to love the Lord with all your heart. 

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When we said our "I do's" Wade tried to say them for me...this picture is of us laughing at that. He was already finishing my words for me. Little did I know he would daily make me crack up belly laugh. And he often finishes my thoughts for me when I lack the words. 

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Wade is my rock. He is my best friend. He is always by my side through the beautiful and the ugly, and boy can I be ugly. I am so thankful God has given me this man as my forever love. He causes me to wake up and want to know the Lord more so that I can be the best version of myself for him. I praise God for him and his strength and his leadership over me. I admire you babe for all you do to make our life the best life! Thank you.

Cake for breakfast

This is what I woke up to...

A from scratch chocolate orange cake made by my handsome man!  He has never made a cake from scratch before but wanted to make one for me this year for my birthday. This girl couldn't be happier. The only problem is I don't want to wait to eat it. Maybe I will have just one tiny little piece for breakfast, after all it is my birthday. I'll be sure to let you all know how it is, but judging from the batter and the samples I stole last night it is delicious...even complete with a chocolate ganache layer in the middle. ::swooning:: 

Here is how LB entertained himself while daddy baked away...

Yes that is him playing with our recyclables. He loves to pull them out of the bag and throw them on the floor. Guess he is quite ready to give them up ;)

Family Shots

My amazingly talented bff shot some family pictures for us while we were in KC. It was so fun to walk to the park with her super cute family and then spend some time hanging out while she snapped pictures. Loved it! Here are a few of my favorites. Don't steal them as I don't know how to watermark and stealing is bad. 

 Daddy was tryin to be serious

Love this one..note the stick in LB's mouth ;)

Family slide

LB is a ham

And one more of me with their super cute lil girl!

This was the most fun photo shoot I have ever had. Thanks, Amanda! I also want to say that LB did awesome considering right before we came out he fell and cut his lip open and was bleeding everywhere. He is such a trooper. 

LB with C's dad sharing her teether after he cut his mouth open.

May

I love May, and not just because it is my birthday month although I am sure that plays a huge role in it.

I love that everything begins to bloom in May and that it also is the month of awesome thunderstorms. 

It is the month when bbqs are beginning to happen everywhere and sunkissed cheeks are appearing.

It is the month when you start to notice everyone smiling as they pass you on the street and children begin riding their bikes again.

May also brings with it the smell of beautiful flowers and bees buzzing about.
Even in my allergic state to everything outside I cannot help but get out and take in the smells of this month.
I love that in May everything turns green and God bring forth an array of colors for us to enjoy.
Our strawberries are beginning to bloom.

Our flowers have popped up everywhere.

Beautiful arrays of purple and yellow.

The strong winds of spring showing its power.

The color of pink popping up in our flower bed.

Dandelions dotting the grass.

And of course my two handsomes hanging out in the branches.

I love May for all these reasons and so many more. Thank you God for your loving kindness and revealing your beauty to us through nature.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

The Beaker Story

I don't even know how to follow up that post from Wade. He really is hilarious. Originally he wanted to do an entire post about bacteria and his over the top love for it. I told him he had to ease you all into that. Seriously, that man could talk for hours about bacteria and then explain to you how great our God is based on science. Love it.

Okay so do you all want to hear the story about how he asked me to be his girlfriend?  Well here it is since  you asked and all ;) And in case you were wondering, yes it does involve a little science lesson, hints the beaker story title.

We had been friends for a while and were in the same Christian community, Ichthus. We also were both involved in a life group and we were going to start leading one. Well, the leaders didn't want us to be leading one together because they weren't sure if we were dating or not and didn't want us leading a group then breaking up in the middle of it. So in the middle of the meeting one of the female leaders burst out "So are you two official yet or what?" I think I turned about 10 shades of red in front of the group because in fact everyone in that room knew how I felt about Wade, except of course Wade. Worst part was we rode together and that was the most awkward car ride home of my entire life. I think I even asked him to pull over so I could walk the rest of the way home in the pouring rain. Seriously, he spoke nothing of the awkwardness of the meeting but instead asked me about the weather.  The weather really?! 

So I get home and burst into one of my roommates, Kassie, room and share with her what happened. And told her if he didn't ask me out very soon I was done waiting on him and I was just going to put myself out there. Ha, like I really would've "put myself out there" for someone else. Well Kassie, just happened to be on AIM, remember when we all used that all the time?! Ha! Anyways she shared with Wade how upset I was. He ended up getting on later and asking me if I would go to sonic with him. I told him I'd think about it then immediately typed of course. ;) I thought if I really did think about it he wouldn't ever ask me out!

Okay, so now onto how he asked me out, we have dubbed this part the beaker story. We were at sonic drinking our limeades, I know so romantic right? He then begins to tell me "God is like a beaker, and you and I are the reactants. The girl the other night well, she was like a catalyst. See, you and I were put in the beaker but the reaction was happening too slowly. So, God had to add a catalyst and now the reaction is happening real fast and well we are here tonight to find out the product of that reaction." Seriously y'all he said that to me! I should have known from then on my whole life would revolve around science analogies. Obviously, though that analogy worked. He did also say the sweetest thing that made me know he was the man I was going to marry. He said "Kelley, God has made me to fight for you but I can't do that unless you let me" I couldn't say no to that and thus we began dating and now are married with a baby :) 

Here is a picture of us from when we got engaged. We look so young, right?