8 Years and Forever

 Yesterday, Luke and I celebrated our 8th anniversary. It's kinda crazy that it's been that long. I pointed out to Luke that 8 years before we got married I was only 14 and he was 16 and then Luke mentioned that 8 years is 1/4 of his life. That's an interesting way of looking at it. I'm sure glad he asked me to be his. Luke is a good man and such a good match for me.

    This past weekend was the Itasca Bluegrass Festival. It conveniently falls right around our anniversary every year and so that is how we celebrate. Buirlen had so much fun this year and got so dirty. Friday night, I put him in pajamas before we headed home and then he was just put straight to bed. However, by Saturday night he needed to be washed. Such fun. I didn't get many pictures but the music was good, we ate fun food, and it was hot!

Ready to go. He really wanted to carry his own chair even though the strap kept slipping. On our way out Friday night, he once again wanted to carry it, but we wanted to move a little quicker. So Luke picked Buirlen up and carried him, chair and all. 

Cousins added to the fun. 

He finally crashed Saturday night during the last bit. 

This gun has been Buirlen's favorite toy lately. He's been sleeping with it at night and it's been taken into the shower on more than one occasion.

These three goofballs.

My lemon tree is doing great I wonder if and when it will start producing.

I realized I have a few little sunflowers along the side of the house that were planted by the birds. 

 We had gyros for supper last week. Buirlen was all about the tzatziki sauce until he hit what I'm assuming was some spicy raw garlic.

Watch out flies we have a pretty cool new fly swatter from Poppy.

Getting the shopping done

Happy Wednesday.

"Every summer has a story."~Unknown

7 Years and Forever

    This week, My Love and I celebrated our 7th anniversary. I was thinking about it, when we got married, I was 22 and these 7 years have kinda flown by. In comparison, 7 years before we got married I was 15 and those years seemed to be much slower. Funny how that works. Regardless of how fast or slow time may move, I am so thankful that I get to do life with Luke. He's a wonderful husband and daddy, provider and friend.

As per usual, we celebrated our anniversary at the Itasca Family Bluegrass Festival. It was fun and Buirlen had a blast. He was quite the brave adventurer and tromped far and wide enjoying music, swings, tractors, and the great unknown...and he got nice and dirty. 

These two...They are already such good friends and it makes me so happy. 

My garden just keeps a growing and recently we've started eating things from it. Such fun. The other night we had collards, broccoli, green beans, and a beat fresh from the garden and I've already got a few packages of broccoli in the freezer. Yay!

I think that if flowers were emotions personified, zinnias would be joy. 

He discovered a perfect little hideout under the beans. He thought it was a pretty neat little place to hang out. 

Fresh produce!

The sunflowers just keep going.

Hmmm....Have you been in the bean patch by chance?

Summer fun 

6 Years and Forever

    My Love and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary this weekend. 6 years, the better part of a decade and some of the very best years of my life. I am so very blessed to call this guy my better half. He helps me to grow and be the best I can be. He does an awesome job taking care of his family and I have so loved watching him be a daddy and love his baby. I am so very glad that our stories intersected and that now and forever our stories go together. He's the best.

      Every summer since we got married, we have attended the Itasca Family Music Festival. The festival conveniently falls right around our anniversary every year and so we celebrate with bluegrass music, food, and friends. I love it.  

Our little music lover clearly excited about his first festival. 

May your week be extraordinary!

"A good marriage isn't something you find; it's something you make, and you have to keep on making it." ~Gary Thomas

5 Years and Forever

This weekend, My Love and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. It is crazy to think about. I know that in the grand scheme of life 5 years is just a moment, and yet it is a milestone non the less. 

     I have been so wonderfully blessed to call Luke mine. He is a strong man of God whose faith is unshakable. He pushes me to be better and has helped me to grow in my own faith. He is a gentleman and treats me better than I deserve. God certainly knows what He's doing, because He couldn't have picked a better person to put in my life. So My Love, here's to 5 years and Forever. I love you.

"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and a man cannot live without love." ~Max Muller

4 Years and Forever

     Today marks 4 years with my Love. This wonderful man has been such a blessing and gift from God to me. He helps me tap into my logical side when I'm going crazy,  he makes me laugh and feel safe, he constantly reminds me that God's word is truth and that I can trust in the One who gave us life. He takes care of me and our home and I can't fathom life without him. Happy Anniversary my Love. Here's to another great year and forever!!!

Three Years and Forever

       Today is my love's and my 3rd anniversary. Three years ago, we were standing on a hill on a hot, Saturday, afternoon making some very important promises to each other. They went something like this:

       Bea, Somebody once told me that I should marry my best friend because that is the relationship you have to work the hardest to keep strong. So, in this beginning of forever, I promise to be your best friend. I promise to be the shoulder to cry on and the hand to hold on sunny walks through the park. I promise to be the arms of protection and the man of God that you need by your side. And, I'm not sure that it will ever be enough time, but I promise to love you forever.

       Luke, today is the beginning of forever for you and I. And as we begin on this adventure, I promise to love you through it all. I promise to be with you through all the ups and downs of life. I want to see the stars with you and walk the miles with you. Someone once said that, “A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.” Luke, I promise that I will always try and be that friend to you. I love you.

     I have been truly blessed by the One who created this life. He put Luke by my side and continues to walk with us. And those words that my love promised me on that day three years ago, he has kept them. He's been there for me through a lot and he has my heart.

 "Loving someone and having them love you back is the most precious thing in the world."
~Nicholas Sparks

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you." ~Elbert Hubbard

Three Years and Forever

       Today is my love's and my 3rd anniversary. Three years ago, we were standing on a hill on a hot, Saturday, afternoon making some very important promises to each other. They went something like this:

       Bea, Somebody once told me that I should marry my best friend because that is the relationship you have to work the hardest to keep strong. So, in this beginning of forever, I promise to be your best friend. I promise to be the shoulder to cry on and the hand to hold on sunny walks through the park. I promise to be the arms of protection and the man of God that you need by your side. And, I'm not sure that it will ever be enough time, but I promise to love you forever.

       Luke, today is the beginning of forever for you and I. And as we begin on this adventure, I promise to love you through it all. I promise to be with you through all the ups and downs of life. I want to see the stars with you and walk the miles with you. Someone once said that, “A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.” Luke, I promise that I will always try and be that friend to you. I love you.

     I have been truly blessed by the One who created this life. He put Luke by my side and continues to walk with us. And those words that my love promised me on that day three years ago, he has kept them. He's been there for me through a lot and he has my heart.

 "Loving someone and having them love you back is the most precious thing in the world."
~Nicholas Sparks

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you." ~Elbert Hubbard