My amazing man is getting a year older today.

The love I have for this man runs so deep.

He leads our family with a faith that I wish I could achieve.

A faith that makes our choices look a little odd to the world.

But a faith that makes our choices seem very right.

I stand amazed at the gift the Lord gave me when he brought Blake into my life.

I could have never imagined the journey our life together would be.

We have had our share of hard times, but the Lord used them all to make our bond even stronger.

Blake’s strength and steady personality have been such a blessing in my life.

Those traits that he wears so easily have taken us so far.

It is an amazing privilege to spend each day being a help meet to my man.

I have not, and never ever will, take him for granted.

He has cherished me every single day since he met me.

And cherishes each of our children in the same exact way.

Sweetheart, you still make my stomach flip flop. You are the love of my life.

I am so thankful we get to be heirs together in the grace of life.

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful husband and father!

I am loving Eliza’s vocabulary these days.

She certainly has a language of her own!

She calls her bath time, which has not been in the bathtub since her surgery because of her wound, “washie, washie.”

Kind of makes sense, don’t you think?

Another favorite is “no wanna!”

She says this when she does not, and I mean does NOT, want something.

With both of her hands waving back and forth at the same time.

It certainly gets her point across.

I also love that she still calls Addie Mae “Jie, Jie.”

Unless she is mad at her, and then she is “ADDIE!”

One of her favorite things to say is “have that.”

Over and over and over again until you let her “have that,” whatever it may be.

Out of the blue the other day she started calling Blake “Baba” again.

She has not done that since we were first home from China!

He has been “Daddy” for months now.

Her therapists were amazed at her language skills.

Her doctors were amazed too.

We hear it all the time – “It just seems like she has ALWAYS been a part of your family!”

Well, yes, it does.

Can’t remember life before you, Eliza Claire!

To God be the glory!

Another quiet day at home for us.

Been helping Blake with some paperwork.

Came across this as I rummaged through Tate’s files!!

He was about 18 months old here!

Our little man is always smiling…..I can’t wait to look into his eyes and smile right back.

Dreaming of the day.

Last night Blake and I went on a date!

To get groceries.

It really was a date. Really.

Because when you are our age, any time we are alone we can call it a date.

We also did stop and sip some very large pour-overs. Blonde ones. My favorite.

And reintroduced ourselves to each other.

Yes, I really am as tired as I look. Haven’t been sleeping well as of late.

That handsome young guy next to me? The love of my life.

The kiddos are always pushing us out the door on date night.

Why do you think that is?

I found some photos on my camera.

After gymnastics class, it looks like some late night games were played.

That has been our thing lately.

The key to late night game playing when a certain someone whose favorite words are “have that! have that!” is still awake, is to give her some cards of her own.

Not necessarily from the same game.

My blessing photo for today was that the pantry was full again!

It was very, very, very empty before our date.

Stuck my arm out the sunroom window before we left on our date to capture this blessing photo for yesterday.

Then Addie Mae ran outside to get some shots too.

Did you say “WOW” too?

Looked like the sky was literally on fire.

Felt like a kiss from God.

“…..and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” Nahum 1:3