9 Random Facts for 9 Years!

July 3rd we celebrated God's gift of each other & togetherness for the past nine years! 9 years seems like a very long time. All you folks who have been married much, much longer can now laugh at me. :)

I seem to only update my blog a few times these days, and one of those rare occasions seems to be our anniversary! So here we go! In honor of nine years of bliss ;) here's nine facts about us....

1)  James and I have known each other for 20 years! We met in November of 1992. I was 10 and he was 15. I don't remember our first interaction together. My first recollection of him is of him and his brothers singing a special in the Garland Bible Church Christmas play.

2) in our 9 years we have lived in 6 houses and have moved 5 times. James has also worked at 8 different jobs.

3) I have been pregnant and/or nursing for approx. 7 of our 9 years. That would include the time I carried our two babies we lost.

4) We have had 1 pet (excluding goldfish) in all 9 years. It was a cat named Solomon, who James let me get when we had only been married a couple of months. I used to have a blog for him. ;) When we moved to an apartment my mother kindly took him in :) Just this past month he disappeared from her house. :(

5) We've had 8 or 9 cars in our 9 years. The shortest we have had one is about 2 or 3 weeks. We overheated and ruined one we had just bought on our 1st anniversary (in approx the same spot where we had run out of gas on our wedding night!)

6) James is a night person and Hope is a morning person. Although we both do what we have to do, and even sometimes enjoy it, It's comical how interactive James is at night while Hope can barely keep her eyes open, and then how bubbly and talkative Hope is in the morning while James takes his turn trying to keep his eyes open.

7) We do not fight about the toothpaste or which way the toilet paper goes. We do however have extremely different ideas about the way dishes and laundry should be done. I'm afraid it has a lot to do with the difference in our personalities....one of us tends to be a perfectionist and the other not so much ;)

8) James is extremely patient and kind. I wish I could explain how much he puts up with, and how often he turns  turns a blind eye and chooses to look over so many things I do or say that I shouldn't. He is also willing to speak up and tell me hard things when he believes he should. I am grateful to have someone like him.

9) When we were waiting to get married it seemed like marriage was the end goal. Something we had waited all our lives for, (which IS true! ;) ) and was something to "arrive" at. We see now that it was just the beginning of a whole new chapter of our lives!

Just another day in paradise....

....the kids were playing with water in Emma's room. It seemed like a better option when they decided to do it in the bathroom. Until lunchtime, when I happened to walk in there. The floor was COVERED with water. Three toy tubs sat full of water on the floor, and various toy kitchen things were tossed here and there, also full of water.I can't remember if that was before or after Patrick covered the faucet, sink, handles to the cupboard, doorknob and his shirt with triple paste....oh, and his hands, too.

....I got my shower! No matter that it's almost 10 pm, and the nightgown I put on smells vaguely of spit up and rotten milk.

....Some people have trips to Paris on their "to do" list....ya know "things to do before I die" type of thing. The top priority on mine lately? Shave my legs.

Oh, and yes - the last time I blogged here, I was pregnant. The baby is here! and um, he is four months old. :) We've moved since then, too. Life never stops! Before I know it these four adorable little people will be big people. That will be a bittersweet day. 

 ...but today they are my little darling, funny, wonderful, crazy,busy, LOUD, precious little clan of kiddies. I wuv them.

July 3rd in Review the Last Eight Years!

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July 3rd 2004 ~ we got married! After our wedding we went to Lockheart Gables Bed and Breakfast in Ft. Worth Tx. We ran out of gas on our way back to the B&B later that evening after a trip to town!
July 3rd 2005 ~ 1st anniversary and 4 months preggo with Patrick! We returned to Lockheart Gables, despite our car breaking down in almost the same spot as running out of gas last year!
July 3rd, 2006 ~ 2nd anniversary. Patrick was almost 7 months old. I pumped and we left him with his Gallagher grandparents overnight while we returned to Lockheart Gables.
July 3rd, 2007 ~ 3rd anniversary. Patrick was 19 months old and stayed at our apartment with my parents. We went back to Lockheart Gables. This is the year that a snake joined us in our heart shaped jacuzzi!
July 3rd, 2008 ~ 4th anniversary. Patrick was 2 1/2 and I was 3 months preggo with Nicolas. P stayed with my parents and James' sister, Anna, at our home in Rockwall. I loved this anniversary! We went to the art museum etc., and returned to Lockheart Gables, but tried the Beloved Cottage instead of the Love Nest.
July 3rd, 2009 ~ Married for 5 years! Patrick was 3 1/2 and Nicolas was almost 6 months old. James and I spent the day popping in and out of our house/activities so I could nurse, then we left a bottle and spent the night at the Hilton on the Harbor right down the road from our house.
July 3rd, 2010 ~ 6th anniversary. Patrick was 4 1/2, Nicolas was 18 months and I was 5 months preggo with Emma! The boys stayed in our Rowlett home with my parents and James' sister, Anna. We went to a hotel in Richardson.
July 3rd 2011 ~ 7th anniversary. Patrick was 5 1/2, Nicolas was 2 1/2 and Emma was 8 months old. We had just traveled to TN. for vacation, and spent the day going to Church etc. with the Smith family. Two days later we left for two nights, leaving the kids at the Smiths. We went to Pickwick landing and the Generals Quarters B&B in Corinth MS.
July 3rd, 2012 ~ 8th anniversary! Patrick is 6 1/2, Nicolas is 3 1/2, Emma is almost 20 months and I am 29 weeks preggo with William! We plan to leave the kids with the Smiths and go to a B&B in Alabama. 

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I find it amusing that on every anniversary except for one I've been pregnant or nursing! I've got this little plan/wish/whatever you want to call it :) that on our 10th anniversary I won't be either, and we will go to Hawaii or some place like that! :) We'll (Lord Willing) have an 8 year old, 5 year old, 3 year old and close to 2 year old! Wowzers.
I like to imagine what life will be like then. I'm looking forward to it. I like the fact that we'll have 3 boys and 1 girlie.
So tomorrow is our anniversary! I'm excited about it. 8 years ago about this time I think I was sitting on the couch in my parents living room, sewing fake flowers on my veil, talking to James and my mom.
The first couple years on our anniversaries I've written flowery posts saying things like "I love James MORE than I did on the day I married him!!" :) Well, that's still true. :) The last two years have been the hardest of our marriage so far though, and I find myself looking at things a little differently. It's interesting. It's sad to see certain phases of your life ending, but it's nice to see other parts just starting to bloom. And it's nice to know you've married a committed, Godly man, who sticks by you in thick and thin. It makes the marriage vows "in sickness and in health" type of things all the more special - to realize that you have been/are going through rough times, and are still being loved etc.!
Thanks James, for being you! I love you! (yes, MORE than I did on the day I married you!) Happy Anniversary!

It's A Boy!

I don't know if I've posted on here about the new baby! We are having a new baby!! Baby #4 is due September 18th-ish, and we found out on Thursday May 10th that It's A BOY!!!

His name is:

 William Alec

which means:

Resolute Protector and Defender

It's a name we have loved for a long while, and James has declared it his! We are very excited. I always wanted a bunch of little boys, with a girl or two in there as well! I haven't found a verse yet to go with his name, but when I do, I'll be sure to add it here! Here's some definitions of his names.....

res·o·lute

Adjective:	Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
Synonyms:	determined - firm - decided - resolved - decisive

pro·tec·tor

Noun:	A person who protects or defends someone or something. A thing that protects someone or something from injury.
Synonyms:	patron - guardian - defender

de·fend·er

Noun:

A person who defends someone or something: "a defender of family values".

 Baby William!

 James couldn't go to the ultrasound, so they sent home the picture in an envelope. He had to work late that night, but finally around 10 pm we prepared to open THE ENVELOPE!

 What will it say?!

 It's A Boy!

 The happy brothers the next morning!

 ...and the happy sister, too!

 Yay! We are getting a new baby brother!!!!

 A Blue Basket from the Aunties and Uncles etc.!

Kid Stuff!

I've got a bit of them written down and stuck on my computer in files....at least they are safe, though! Gonna see if James can get them for me sometime, lol.

My three do and say the cutest things all the time! Life with three is very different than life with two. I think having older kids makes it different too.....they are so PEOPLE-ISH :) not just little babies toddling around! It's a great adventure. 

Yesterday Nicolas painted a picture of "daa-ee's hop-i-sol" for James. When James got home from work, we gave it to him. (I think Patrick did, lol) Patrick came running into the kitchen afterwards telling me about it. I said something like "Wow, I bet Daddy liked that!" to which he replied "Yeah, especially since it's his OWN KID!" :)

Patrick found his notebook he and James made the evening Patrick was saved. He then quietly retreated upstairs with Nicolas, to the very table he and James sat at back in October 2010. I heard him talking to Nicolas about Jesus. I went upstairs and said "What are you doing?" Nicolas responded "We prayin' for my heart!"

Emma is so adorable walking all over the house, this tiny little person! I love love love it! Today she went over to the laundry room door, and I believe was looking for James. She said "Daa-daa". I picked her up and showed her through the garage door that Daddy wasn't home yet. So cute!

Emma and Nicolas love to scream together! Adorable and LOUD!

Here's Emma walking! This was right after I had four teeth (two wisdom) removed on December 30th, 2011. Emma started walking on Christmas eve!  

The next video is a great scheme of Patrick's! He is forever doing things like this! He tied Emma's beloved car from Grandma to her overalls with dental floss. He was SO delighted that it worked and seeing her pull it around! She was a good sport about it for quite awhile, too!

 

 and here is Patrick saying one of his many poems he has learned so far in 1st grade! He has a "memory like an elephant" ! :)

 the boys doing a marshmallow test together :) I like listening to them talk and sing together. Such sweet little guys!

Nicolas just turned three yesterday! How quickly those years have gone! He is a hilarious, sweet little boy. I can't believe he is 3! 

He got to start piano lessons, which he has been greatly looking forward too! With "Aunt Lissa". :) A couple months back he told me "I WISH I could!" (take piano lessons) and another time he told me "When I take piano lessons I'll take off my shoes and wash my hands!" (That's what all the students do at the teachers house, and he has seen Patrick do it.)
Of course on the BIG DAY when he did get to start (We told him when he was three he could) he was playing with friends and didn't want to leave. I think he was nervous, too. He cried and said "I don't WANT TO take piano lessons!" Then I told him he had to, and he said "When I'm big can I not?" As we made our ways downstairs for his lesson he tearfully said "Will you sit with me?"

Nicolas went through a phase of not liking pepperoni pizza. Patrick knew it and said to him "What do you think of the pepperoni?" Nicolas said "A tiny bit yucky." Patrick then replied "I need to teach you how to be polite. What you do is you say "Thank you" even if you don't like it."

Eating chips Patrick said "They're right, Mama - you CAN fit a whole one in your mouth!" I questioned what he meant and he said "It says BITE SIZE toritlla chip!"

Our milk had oreos on them for awhile...with the little slogan "Milks favorite cookie." Patrick was looking at the milk one day and said "Hey milk!" I said "Yeah?" P: "I said MILK." Me: "oh." P: "What's your favorite cookie?"

Patrick: "When God makes a new world, does He get rid of the old one?" Us: "Yes." P: "Where does He put it?"

Patrick to me: "Good job remembering that rule that Daddy told you, that you NEVVVVEEER leave the stove on when you go to the bathroom - or on a walk."

Quote from Nicolas last night as James was tucking him in and I was downstairs sweeping: "Daddy, what that broomin' sound?"

James was looking for his keys all weekend...Finally, we asked Nicolas if he knew where the keys were and he told us right where they were: In an oatmeal box in a drawer, where he had put them. 

Patrick: "Why is Gmail getting a new look?"

One day Patrick came into the kitchen and told me earnestly about something that had happened. I wasn't quite following what he was saying until I heard him say excitedly "I think it might have been a miracle!"

Patrick was eager to help write our Christmas letter....here's what he wrote:

"We Moved from TEXas. To TeNNSSEE. we LivEd in|a|NEiGhBorhood. That was called. MillWood. 

Merry Chrimas. and a Happy New! Year!"

Nicolas loves to praise his little sister for doing something good. He exclaims with great enthusiasm "Good BOY, Emma!!!"

After our move I was talking to Nicolas about Texas and Tennessee. Our map has TN in pink. For awhile there, according to Nicolas we lived in "PINK Tennessee!"

one day I was apologizing for something to the boys. Afterwards Nicolas pointed at me with a mischievous grin and declared "You a CRAB!"

one night I returned from a quick trip to Walmart. James had put the boys to bed while I was gone. I heard crying in the boy's room and went in to see what was up. When I asked Nicolas why he was crying he replied "I lost you!"

Patrick recently got a violin and began lessons with James. In the evenings when they practice, Nicolas and I have enjoyed somel time together. He always wants to read a book and play "wee wee wee all the way home!" His version of "This little piggy" goes like this: "This little piggy had none. (very sad face) This little piggy (had) root beer! This little piggy (went to the) gift shop! This little piggy go wee wee wee wee wee allllll the way home!"

Little Emma is acting more and more like a toddler these days! She LOVES her brothers, laughing, playing in the kitchen cupboards, looking at books and soft stuffed animals. She especially loves coloring, and has amazed us by just picking up crayons, pencils etc. and holding them very close to the correct way! She has the sweetest little personality, and is very laid back. She is tons of fun and brings so much JOY to our daily lives. We are still enjoying all the pink frilly girl clothes and bows!