{true love}

I was blessed to spend some time this past weekend in the home of the cutest couple in the history of the world. Vernon and Joy {who are my sweet friend, Cindy's, parents} have been married for 56 years and the love they have for each other is so very evident still. I came home w/a refreshed love for my boyfriend and a personal challenge to love him they way Joy loves Vernon.

Vernon and Joy live in a picturesque setting on a rural county lake. They took my girlfriends and me on a sunset boat ride around the lake...it was breathtaking! At one point, I glanced at Vernon just as he caught Joy's eye. The grin that spread across his face and the subtle lift of his eyebrows as he shared a secret moment with his bride made me feel like an intruder in their special second in time. I think I actually blushed a little!

So, how exactly do you go through the ups and downs of 56 years of marriage and still have a sparkle in your eye when you look at your spouse? What have Vernon and Joy done to ensure that their love and marriage will endure? I asked Vernon if I could send my husband to him for some lessons! I was only kidding...I think. ;) I need Joy to give me lessons on how to love my husband.

I know they'll never read this and I'm sure they don't think they're anything special, but just observing them and their interaction w/each other has had a lasting impact on this wife of almost 11 years. I want to have a marriage and relationship w/my husband that others are jealous of. I guess it starts with me...I better get off here and go smooch my boyfriend! ;)

{the ugly truth}

We still haven't sold our house, but there is a single guy and a young, married couple who are very interested in it. We've been averaging about 3 showings each week...which is great. BUT, w/each showing I have had to scurry around getting things picked up and all the staging stuff set back up.

I've become a little anal about how the house looks when someone looks at it and I don't like that about myself. I mean, it's gotten to the point where I look at the pix I took right after our realtor staged the house and then meticulously go room by room and completely duplicate what she did. Very annoying and crazy! Each morning, the kids get their beds made and we begin our day w/a clean, picked up house. By mid-afternoon when a call comes in that someone wants to look at the house that evening, things aren't the way they should be. So, I turn into neurotic mom and set about in a frenzied manner to get the house looking perfect for the showing. I've never been a perfectionist about my house...I want my family to be comfortable in knowing they can really "live" in our home. So, this newly formed compulsion is not a proud admission of mine.

One day, I sent Em up to her room to pick up while I was sweeping. When she finished she ran outside to play. I got finished w/my stuff and told Em that I was going up to check her room. When I asked her if she was sure her room was ready, she asked me if I was going to yell at her if it wasn't perfect. Talk about convicting. Good grief, what have I become?!

Another thing I've found w/this process is that I'm not allowing my family to really "live" in our house right now. I won't let the kids get any art stuff out b/c I don't want them to make a mess. I've allowed them to watch way to much tv lately...again b/c if they're watching tv, they're not making a mess. UGH!!!

So, I have been trying my best to make a conscience effort to not get so worked up about the little things when it comes time to pick up for a showing. But I'll tell ya, it's hard! I'm just ready to be done w/this house. I'm ready to not have to have my house "show" ready at a moments notice.

That's the truth...and it's ain't pretty!

{take me out to the ballgame...}

The other night, we were given awesome{we were one row behind the visiting teams dugout} tickets to a T-Bones game. It was about 4,000 degrees out, but we braved the insane heat for an evening of family fun and $1 hotdogs!

These pictures are in a totally random order...thanks to blogger. We had a great time and plan to go back soon.

{8 things...}

A few weeks ago, my sweet, bloggin' friend, Jenny over at Zack's Gang, tagged me in a get-to-know-you type of list. So, here goes:

8 Things I am looking forward to...
1-seeing how God is going to work all this our for my family
2-selling our house and moving to Maple Hill
3-a date with my boyfriend...don't have one planned, just wish I did
4-finishing school
5-kickin' up my photography business
6-my kids going to school in the fall
7-fall
8-my hair being long enough to pull up

8 Things I did yesterday...
1-spent quiet time w/Jesus
2-helped kids w/breakfast
3-taught a little school
4-cleaned house for a viewing
5-took kids to vbs
6-went to dinner w/my boyfriend
7-met couple from Manhattan w/broken down car in parking lot
8-played tic-tac-toe w/new friend Will

8 things I wish I could do...
1-say my house has sold
2-ease my parents burdens
3-travel to an exotic island w/my boyfriend
4-take my kids on a Disney cruise
5-wear a binkini...;)
6-wink w/out looking like an idiot
7-finish college
8-go on photographic vacation

8 shows I watch...
1-the news
2-Young & the Restless...guilty pleasure
3-First 48
4-Intervention
5-Real Housewives of New Jersey...another guilty pleasure
6-The Office
7-Jon & Kate Plus 8
8-SpongeBob Square Pants

8 People Tagged...
1-Jean
2-Candy
3-Mandi
4-Sara
5-Laura
6-Dawn
7-Tera
8-Lindsey

Whew...that took forever! Thanks for tagging me Jenny...sorry it took me so long!

{silly...ness}

Just a little somethin' to whet your appetite while I collect my thoughts enough to put together a coherent blog post...














You just gotta love this kid! We were going to my father-in-law's for dinner and the little man wanted his hair spikey...so he got spikey! I believe this is my new fave picture!